He left Racing, went through several clubs in Europe and returned to the Avellaneda club to occupy an important position

Franco Zuculiniformer soccer player from La Rioja, returns to Racing Club with a fundamental role. After a successful career that took him to several European leagues, the midfielder will occupy the position of “team manager”a fundamental figure for the internal coordination of the club.

At 34 years old, and after retiring as a player, Zuculini returns with the goal of being the link between the footballers, the leadership and the coaching staff of the institution. This new stage is presented as an opportunity to apply the experience acquired during his time at various European clubs.

What was Franco Zuculini’s career like?

Franco Zuculini was born in La Rioja on September 5, 1990 and from a young age he showed his talent at Racing Club, where he trained as a footballer. At 17 years old, he debuted in the First Division in a crucial Clausura 2008 match against Arsenal, in the context of a sporting crisis that affected the club. In their first match under the direction of Juan Manuel Llop, the team won 1-0.

Despite the institutional and sporting problems of the Academy, Zuculini quickly became one of the great promises of Argentine football. During his time at Racing, the midfielder managed to establish himself as a starter and was called up to the Under-20 team to compete in the 2009 South American Championship in Venezuela. Despite the team’s surprise elimination, the Riojan continued his successful career and, after a period of injuries, established himself as one of his team’s leaders in subsequent championships, including being summoned by Diego Maradona for the senior team.

His career took a turn in 2009 when, after several offers, the promise of Argentine football was sold to Hoffenheim of Germany for 6.7 million dollars. However, his time at the German club was brief, since after playing only seven games he was loaned to Genoa in Italy. In this context, the midfielder returned to Racing in 2011, where he played a season with an alternating role between starters and substitutes.

After passing through the Academy, Zuculini moved to the Real Zaragoza of Spain. There his stay came to an end after contractual and injury problems. Later, the footballer joined the Sarandí Arsenal in 2014, a club where he had the opportunity to play in the Copa Libertadores.

Later, he signed with Bologna and then with him Hellas Verona in Italywhere he faced a series of injuries that prevented him from having continuity. After a season with few minutes, the midfielder moved to Columbus of Santa Fe in 2018, continuing his career in Argentina.

In addition to his time in the clubs, Zuculini was part of the Argentine youth teams, standing out in South American Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 tournaments.

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Franco Zuculini and his new stage at Racing Club

After hanging up his boots, Franco Zuculini returns to Racing with a different role than the one he had on the field. Diego Militoclub president, decided to incorporate the former player as “team manager”a key position for the internal organization of the team. In this role, the former midfielder will be in charge of facilitate communication between players, coaching staff and management.

The role of this occupation is an unusual figure in Argentine footballbut which has been successfully established in Europe. Zuculini’s experience, acquired during his time in various international teams, makes him the perfect candidate to carry out this task.

Throughout his career, the Riojan showed great professionalism and passion for football, characteristics that will be valuable in his role within the club. With his return, Racing fans feel once again connected with a player who always showed love for the shirt and who, now from another place, will seek contribute to the growth and success of the institution.