Jorge Alberto Rojas

For other people with the same name, see Jorge Rojas.
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rojas and the second or maternal family name is Méndez.
Jorge Rojas
Personal information
Full name Jorge Alberto Rojas Méndez
Date of birth (1977-01-10) January 10, 1977
Place of birth Mérida, Venezuela
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position Left Winger/Left Back
Club information
Current team
 Deportivo Tachira
Youth career
1994 Universidad de Los Andes
1995 Unicol
1996 Mineros de Guayana
1997 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Estudiantes Mérida
1999 Universidad de Los Andes
2000–2002 Caracas FC 27 (7)
2003 Emelec 39 (2)
2004 Caracas FC 18 (4)
2004–2006 Atlético Nacional 52 (3)
2006–2007 Caracas FC 49 (10)
2007 América de Cali 22 (4)
2008 UA Maracaibo 21 (3)
2008–2009 New York Red Bulls 32 (2)
2010-2011 Deportivo Táchira 12 (3)
2011-2013 Mineros de Guayana 85 (15)
2013 Aragua 21 (1)
2014 Metropolitanos 17 (7)
2015- Deportivo Táchira 64 (20)
National team‡
1999–2009 Venezuela 91 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 November 2010.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 April 2009

Jorge Alberto Rojas Méndez (born January 10, 1977 in Mérida) is a Venezuelan footballer who currently plays for local side Deportivo Táchira.

Career

Club

After playing for several small clubs in Venezuela, Rojas began to establish himself as one of the nations top players while at Caracas FC. Following his successful first stint at Caracas, which included two league titles, he joined Ecuadorean power Emelec in 2003. That season, he was selected as the top foreign player in the league. Rojas than briefly returned to Caracas before joining Colombian club Atlético Nacional. While at Nacional Rojas helped the club to the 2005 Apertura Championship, and was considered one of the top players in the league.

Following his successful stint with Nacional, Rojas returned for his third stint with Caracas FC guiding the club to back to back league titles in 2006 and 2007. At the conclusion of the 2007 campaign he returned to Colombia to play for América de Cali,while at Cali he appeared in 22 matches, notching 4 goals (3 from the penalty spot). Following the Colombian league season, Rojas was sold to Unión Atlético Maracaibo. He scored his first goal with Maracaibo in a 1-2 defeat to his former club Caracas FC. While at Maracaibo, Rojas participated in a famous 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors in the 2008 Copa Libertadores. He also led Maracaibo to the final of the Copa de Venezuela where his club would lose the series to Aragua Fútbol Club on away goals.

Rojas signed with New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer in July 2008. He had two assists in his first game for the club against the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 19, 2008. He appeared in 11 regular season matches for New York, registering 5 assists. Following the Major League Soccer season it appeared that Rojas would go loan to Mineros de Guayana during the MLS off-season, however the move never materialized. In his next season with New York Red Bulls he would score two goals. But this form he produced would only come once. At the end of the season he was cut loose and returned to Venezuela to play for Deportivo Táchira.

He then later also played for Mineros de Guayana, Aragua and Metropolitanos.

International

Rojas started his career with the Venezuela National Team at the age of 14, when he joined the U-15 squad, coached by Ratomir Djukovic and then by Augusto Viso. Rojas went on to play at the Bolivarian Games and then to the South American Games in Colombia in 1993. Rojas continue through all the Natl Youth Teams until he finally was called up to the Senior Team. Rojas has earned 90 caps for the Venezuela national team, making him the second most capped player in the history of Venezuelan international football as of April 2009.[1]

He made his international debut on January 27, 1999 in a friendly against Denmark. The match ended 1-1 and was played at Estadio José Pachencho Romero in Maracaibo.

International goals

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1. August 18, 2004 Estadio de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain  Spain 1–1 3-2 Friendly
2. February 3, 2008 Monumental de Maturín, Maturín, Venezuela  Haiti 1–0 1-0 Friendly
3. August 20, 2008 José Antonio Anzoátegui, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela  Syria 3–0 4-1 Friendly

Honors

Club

2000/2001, 2002/2003, 2005/2006, 2006/2007

Statistics

League Appearances Goals
Venezuela Primera División Venezolana 106 23
Colombia Fútbol Profesional Colombiano 74 7
Ecuador Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol 39 2
Copa Libertadores 29 3
Venezuela Copa de Venezuela 6 2
United States Major League Soccer 31 2
United States US Open Cup 1 2

References

  1. ↑ rsssf: Venezuela record international players
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