Ismael Blanco
Blanco with AEK in 2009.
Personal information
Full name Ismael Alfonso Blanco
Date of birth (1983-01-19) 19 January 1983
Place of birth Santa Elena, Argentina
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2007 Colón 52 (13)
2005Libertad (loan) 21 (7)
2005–2007Olimpo (loan) 62 (33)
2007–2008AEK Athens (loan) 34 (20)
2008–2011 AEK Athens 95 (35)
2011–2012 San Luis 13 (2)
2012Legia Warsaw (loan) 10 (2)
2012–2013 1860 Munich 15 (2)
2013Lanús (loan) 16 (5)
2013–2014 Lanús 40 (6)
2014–2016 Barcelona SC 81 (29)
2016–2017 Colón 22 (6)
2017–2018 Atlético Tucumán 22 (3)
2018–2019 Club Atlético Mitre 30 (7)
2020 Egaleo 2 (0)
2020–2021 Panarkadikos 5 (1)
2021–2022 Ialysos 7 (5)
2022–2023 Club Ciudad de Bolívar 13 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 April 2022

Ismael Blanco (born 19 January 1983) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a forward.[1]

Club career

Argentina

Blanco started his career with Colón in 2002. He suffered a serious knee injury (cruciate ligament) in 2004.

Having lost his place on the first team, after his rehabilitation he was loaned out in January 2005 to Club Libertad of Paraguay, where he had the opportunity to participate in the Copa Libertadores 2005, scoring twice during his team's unsuccessful effort in Group 1.

After his loan spell in Club Libertad, he returned in June 2005 to Argentina, to play on loan for Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, a Primera B Nacional team. During his stay there he managed to score 46 times in 90 games, helping his team win the Primera B Nacional and the promotion to Primera División and being the top scorer in both the Apertura 2006 (18 goals) and the Clausura 2007 (11 goals). In the summer of 2007, he rejoined Colón.

AEK Athens

He did not stay with Colon for long; on 10 August 2007, Blanco joined AEK Athens[2] on loan. He got his first appearance in a UEFA Cup match against Red Bull Salzburg on 20 September 2007. He then debuted in Superleague Greece against Atromitos and scored twice leading AEK Athens to a 2–0 win. Blanco's first goal in a European competition occurred on 13 February 2007 against Getafe with a back flick in the 94th minute to end the game as a 1–1 draw. Blanco finished top scorer in the 2007–08 Superleague Greece having scored 19 goals in 28 games (he scored once more during his six playoff apps). His performances led AEK Athens to announce the activation of the clause in his contract on 28 April 2008.[3]

Blanco started his second season in AEK scoring the winning goal via a penalty against Panathinaikos in the year's first derby match. Blanco also stated to the press that he does not want to leave AEK and wants to be playing for many years in Greece.[4] Blanco scored his first Greek Cup goal against Chaidari. Blanco finished top scorer in the 2008–09 Superleague Greece having scored 14 goals in 30 games (plus three goals at six playoff games). Blanco's third season at AEK wasn't as successful as the previous years as he scored only 13 goals all season, (eight in the league, four in Europe, and one in playoffs). In his fourth season, he scored 15 goals in all competitions. His first goals came in the 5–1 win against Panthrakikos F.C. for the Greek Cup, in which Blanco scored his first hat-trick. He scored also a game-winner against arch-rivals Olympiakos in the 90th minute (he came into the game as a substitution).

Blanco decided not to renew his contract with AEK and not to accept the proposal of AEK and he was released to a free agent.[5] Blanco promised that if ever returned to Greece that would be only to wear AEK Athens' colours.[6]

San Luis

On 18 August 2011, Blanco was signed by Mexican club San Luis.[7] He managed to score two goals in 15 appearances for the Mexican League.

Legia Warsaw

The 29-year-old cut short a spell in Europe with AEK to move to Mexican side San Luis last summer, but has quickly headed back to Europe. Blanco was highly rated back in 2007 when AEK snapped him up from Club Atletico Colon; the striker had enjoyed impressive spells on loan with Libertad and Olimpico. The striker will now hope to pick up his success in Europe with Polish outfit Legia Warsaw.

On 24 February 2012, Blanco was signed by Polish club Legia Warsaw until 30 June 2012 with an option of extending to another season. Legia managed to win the Polish Cup of that season.[8] He was released on 15 May 2012 as he did not fulfil the club's expectations, having only scored two goals in the Polish Cup.[9]

1860 Munich

After leaving Legia Warsaw, Blanco signed for TSV 1860 Munich, as well as his former teammate at AEK Athens, Grigoris Makos. He did not fulfill the expectations of the club, not finding the net in 13 caps for the 2. Bundesliga.[10]

Return to South America

In February 2013, Blanco returned to his homeland, Argentina to join Lanús. He was given his favourite number, "18"[11] On 16 June, Blanco scored twice against River Plate in a 5–1 victory. He scored five goals in 16 appearances for the 2013 Torneo Final and Lanús took the third place.[12]

On 17 August 2014 Blanco signed a two years' contract for Barcelona SC an Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil. The total amount of transfer is estimated to €2.9 million.[13]

On 22 August 2016, he rejoined Colón.[14]

On 11 August 2017, he joined Atlético Tucumán.[15]

Egaleo

In January 2020, he joined Greek club Egaleo in the Football League, who compete in the Greek third tier. Blanco previously played for Club Atlético Mitre in the Argentine second division where he scored three goals in 11 matches last season. He did not renew his contract with the Argentine club and decided to return to Greece at the age of 37.[16]

Celebration

On 26 September 2007, in a match against Veria, after putting AEK Athens in front, Blanco revealed a Zorro mask from his sock and drew a big Z in the air celebrating the winning goal. He kept doing so from time to time though referees usually punished him with a yellow card. As a result, he gained the nickname "Zorro" by the fans.[17]

Personal life

Blanco is of Egyptian descent.[18]

He is the oldest brother of Sebastián Blanco.

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup Continental Play-offs Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Club Atlético Colón 2002–03 Argentine Primera División 195110000206
2003–04 143000000143
2004–05 163210000184
Total 49113200005213
Libertad 2005 Liga Paraguay 155006200217
Olimpo 2005–06 Argentine Primera División 245000000245
2006–07 Primera Nacional 38280000003828
Total 62330000006233
AEK Athens 2007–08 Super League 28192071614321
2008–09 30146521634423
2009–10 2981084514313
2010–11 2297472303915
Total 1095016924820516972
San Luis 2011–12 Liga MX 152000000152
Legia Warsaw 2011–12 Ekstraklasa 60420000102
1860 Munich 2012–13 2. Bundesliga 130220000152
Lanús 2012–13 Argentine Primera División 165100000175
2013–14 2640014200406
Total 42910142005711
Barcelona SC 2014 Ecuadorian Serie A 20120042002414
2015 42140060004814
2016 9100000091
Total 712700102008129
Club Atlético Colón 2016–17 Argentine Primera División 226000000226
Atlético Tucumán 2017–18 Argentine Primera División 172312000223
Club Atlético Mitre 2018–19 Primera Nacional 307100000317
Career total47816029165614205584187

Honours

Olimpo

AEK Athens

Legia Warsaw

Lanús

Individual

References

  1. "Ismael Blanco volvió al fútbol argentino para jugar en Ciudad de Bolívar, del Federal A". diarioeltiempo.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  2. "AEK Athens signs Blanco". aekfc.gr. Archived from the original on 25 September 2007.
  3. "Blanco makes move permanent". aekfc.gr. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008.
  4. "Ιsmael Blanco:"Θα συνεχίσω να ματώνω τη φανέλα της ΑΕΚ"".
  5. "Protathlima.com: «Φεύγει ο Μπλάνκο από την ΑΕΚ στις 30 Ιουνίου!»". Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  6. "Προσπάθησαν να με διώξουν". 13 June 2011.
  7. "Ismael Blanco será el quinto extranjero de los potosinos" [Ismael Blanco is the fifth San Luis' foreign player] (in Spanish). mediotiempo.co. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  8. "Blanco podpisał kontrakt" [Blanco signed contract] (in Polish). legia.com. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  9. "Novo, Blanco i Hubnik odchodzą z Legii (Novo, Blanco and Hubnik leave Legia)" (in Polish). Wp.pl. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  10. "1860 München Results, Fixtures and Statistics - SoccerPunter".
  11. "Ismael Blanco". soccerfame.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  12. "TORNEO FINAL 2013 – Promedios, Fixture, Posiciones".
  13. "Soccer Manager 2022". el-gr.soccermanager.com.
  14. "Ismael Blanco fue oficializado en Colón de Santa Fe". 22 August 2016.
  15. "Ismael Blanco, nuevo delantero de Atlético Tucumán". El Gráfico.
  16. "Οριστική συμφωνία Αιγάλεω-Blanco!". 5 January 2020.
  17. "Ismael Blanco: 'No me molesta que me digan Zorro'".
  18. "Palermo & Genoa Monitoring AEK Athens Star Ismael Blanco – Report". goal.com. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
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