Alejandro Dario Gomez (born 15 February 1988), known as Papu Gomez, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward, winger or attacking midfielder for Spanish club Sevilla and the Argentina national team.
Gomez started his club career in his home country with Arsenal de Sarandí in 2005, before joining San Lorenzo in 2009. The following year, he was signed by Italian club Catania. In 2013, he joined Ukrainian side Metalist Kharkiv, where he remained for a single season, before returning to Italy to play for Atalanta. In 2019–20, Gómez set the Serie A record for most assists in a single season with sixteen, and was named to the Serie A Team of the Year.
Although he was born in Argentina, Gomez is a dual citizen of Argentina and Italy, having gained Italian citizenship on 14 May 2016, as his wife is an Italian citizen. He made his senior international debut for Argentina in a friendly against Singapore in 2017, during which he also scored his first international goal. He later took part in Argentina's victorious 2021 Copa America campaign and 2022 FIFA World Cup campaigns.
A talented, diminutive player, with quick feet, explosive acceleration, and a low centre of gravity, Gomez is a creative, technically gifted, and dynamic footballer, who is renowned for his pace, dribbling skills, and high work-rate.
Possessing good movement and a powerful and accurate long range shot with either foot, he is known for his eye for goal from midfield, although he is also capable of creating goalscoring opportunities for teammates.[excessive citations] A versatile attacker, he is capable of playing in several offensive positions, and has even been deployed as a main striker on occasion,or as a false 9, although he usually plays as a second striker, in a central playmaking role as an attacking midfielder, or as a winger, usually on the left flank, a position which enables him to take on defenders in one on one situations, cut into the centre onto his stronger right foot, and attempt a curling shot at goal,although he was often used on the right wing earlier in his career. Due to his stamina and work-ethic, he has also been deployed in a box-to-box role on occasion. In recent seasons, he has often operated in a free attacking role in the centre, behind another striker, which enables him to link-up with his teammates, roam the pitch at will, change positions with other forwards, lose his markers by dropping off onto the flanks, or find space in the box with his runs and finish off chances; Gómez has described this role as a "false second striker". He is also an accurate free kick taker, and often takes penalties for his team. In addition to his playing ability, Gómez is also known for his leadership qualities, having served as Atalanta's captain. |
