Rodrigo Palacios

Rodrigo Sebastián Palacio Alcalde, born on 5 February 1982 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, is a retired Argentine‑Spanish footballer renowned for his versatility as a second striker and his distinctive rattail braid hairstyle. Emerging from the youth ranks of Bella Vista at age twelve, Palacio made his professional debut with Huracán de Tres Arroyos in 2002 before moving to Banfield where his performances earned a transfer to Boca Juniors in 2005. At Boca he won multiple domestic titles, the 2007 Copa Libertadores and the 2005, 2006 and 2008 Recopa Sudamericana, and was awarded the FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball in 2007. In 2009 he embarked on a successful Italian chapter, first with Genoa and then with Inter Milan, where he became the club’s top scorer in the 2013‑14 season and famously saved a penalty as an emergency goalkeeper in a Coppa Italia match. After stints with Bologna, Brescia and a brief spell in Serie D with Polisportiva Garegnano, Palacio retired from professional football in September 2022 and surprisingly transitioned to basketball, showcasing his athletic adaptability. Internationally, he earned 27 caps for Argentina, featuring in the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and the 2007 Copa América, finishing as runner‑up in both the 2014 World Cup and the 2007 Copa América. Known for his tactical intelligence, work‑rate and technical skill, Palacio combined a diminutive stature with an eye for goal, often contributing crucial assists and displaying defensive diligence. Off the pitch he is a father to a daughter and holds dual Argentine and Spanish citizenship, a legacy linked to his father José Ramón Palacio, a former Club Olimpo star.