Mario Rodríguez (footballer, born 1981)

Mario Rafael Rodríguez Rodríguez (born September 14, 1981 in Guatemala City, Guatemala) is a retired Guatemalan football midfielder. He has played for local club Municipal.

Rodríguez has played locally also played for Comunicaciones and in Major League Soccer for Columbus Crew. He was also a member of the Guatemala national team.

Club career

Rodríguez, nicknamed El Loco (Spanish for The Crazy Man), started his career in Guatemala in 2002 with Comunicaciones, where he would remain until 2004. In February 2004 during the 211th clasico between longtime arch-rivals Municipal and Comunicaciones, he collided with goalkeeper Danny Ortiz causing Ortiz to suffer a torn pericardium. Ortiz was taken to the Hospital Centro Médico where he died two hours later.

In 2005, he joined Columbus Crew from Costa Rican side Alajuelense, and in 2006, he played for Miami FC, and with 7 goals and 4 assists he was second in scoring for the club behind Brazilian forward Romário. He returned to Guatemala to play for Municipal for the 2007 Clausura.

He has been productive for Municipal. But despite being the top scorer on the team since joining, he hasn't always had the best relationship with Municipal fans because of his past with rivals Comunicaciones.

In March 2009, Rodríguez almost signed with Chunnam Dragons from the Korean League, only for the deal to fail through at the second attempt.

International career

Rodríguez made his international debut in a January 2003 friendly match against El Salvador and has since been capped over 70 times for his country. He represented his country in 19 FIFA World Cup qualification matches as well as at the 2003 and 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cups.

In 2006, Rodríguez was recalled by Guatemala national coach Hernán Darío Gómez to play against Haiti. He scored a goal and then was recalled for a friendly in Guatemala City against Panama. He made his return to the national squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring three goals in the first two matches, against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Post-career

On 12 March 2023, Rodriguez was proclaimed a candidate for the 2023 Guatemala City mayoral election with the National Convergence Front.

International goals

Scores and results list. Guatemala's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 June 2005	Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, San José, Costa Rica	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Costa Rica	flag alias = Flag of Costa Rica.svg	flag alias-1839 = Flag of Costa Rica (1839-1848).svg	flag alias-1848 = Flag of Costa Rica (1848-1906).svg	flag alias-state = Flag of Costa Rica (state).svg	flag alias-naval = Flag of Costa Rica (state).svg	flag alias-navy = Flag of Costa Rica (state).svg	Costa Rican Coast Guard	Costa Rican Coast Guard	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2-2 || 2-3 || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	16 August 2006	Tropical Park Stadium, Miami, United States	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Haiti	flag alias = Flag of Haiti.svg	flag alias-1791 = Flag of Haiti (1791-1789).svg	flag alias-1798 = Flag of France (1794-1815).svg	flag alias-1803 = Flag of Haiti (1803-1804).svg	flag alias-1806 = Flag of Haiti (1806-1811).svg	flag alias-1811 = Flag of Haiti (1811–1814).png	flag alias-1814 = Flag of Haiti (1814–1820).svg	flag alias-1849 = Flag of Haiti (1849-1859).png	flag alias-1859 = Flag of Haiti (1820–1849, 1859–1964).svg	flag alias-1964 = Flag of Haiti (1964–1986).svg	flag alias-2013 = Flag of Haiti (WFB 2013).gif	flag alias-civil = Flag of Haiti (civil).svg	flag alias-civil-1964 = Flag of Haiti 1964 (civil).svg	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of Haiti (1859–1964, 3-2).svg	link alias-coast guard = Haitian Coast Guard	link alias-army = Haitian Army	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Haiti	Haitian Navy	link alias-air force = Haitian Aviation Corps	Haitian Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1-0 || 1-1 || Friendly match
3	23 April 2008	Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Haiti	flag alias = Flag of Haiti.svg	flag alias-1791 = Flag of Haiti (1791-1789).svg	flag alias-1798 = Flag of France (1794-1815).svg	flag alias-1803 = Flag of Haiti (1803-1804).svg	flag alias-1806 = Flag of Haiti (1806-1811).svg	flag alias-1811 = Flag of Haiti (1811–1814).png	flag alias-1814 = Flag of Haiti (1814–1820).svg	flag alias-1849 = Flag of Haiti (1849-1859).png	flag alias-1859 = Flag of Haiti (1820–1849, 1859–1964).svg	flag alias-1964 = Flag of Haiti (1964–1986).svg	flag alias-2013 = Flag of Haiti (WFB 2013).gif	flag alias-civil = Flag of Haiti (civil).svg	flag alias-civil-1964 = Flag of Haiti 1964 (civil).svg	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of Haiti (1859–1964, 3-2).svg	link alias-coast guard = Haitian Coast Guard	link alias-army = Haitian Army	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Haiti	Haitian Navy	link alias-air force = Haitian Aviation Corps	Haitian Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1-0 || 1-0 || Friendly match
4	14 June 2008	Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saint Lucia	flag alias = Flag of Saint Lucia.svg	flag alias-1875 = Flag of Saint Lucia (1875-1939).svg	flag alias-1939 = Flag of Saint Lucia (1939–1967).svg	flag alias-1967 = Flag of Saint Lucia 1967.svg	flag alias-1979 = Flag of Saint Lucia (1979-2002).svg	flag alias-2000 = Flag of Saint Lucia (WFB 2000).svg	flag alias-2004 =	link alias-naval = Saint Lucia Coast Guard	link alias-navy = Saint Lucia Coast Guard	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1-0 || 6-0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	6 August 2008	RFK Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Bolivia	flag alias = Flag of Bolivia.svg	flag alias-state = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg	flag alias-football = Flag of Bolivia.svg	flag alias-spain = Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg	flag alias-1825 = State flag of Bolivia (1825-1826).svg	flag alias-1825a = Civil flag of Bolivia (1825-1826).svg	flag alias-1831 = Flag of Bolivia (state, 1826-1851).svg	flag alias-1831a = Flag of Bolivia (1826-1851).svg	flag alias-confederation = Flag of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.svg	flag alias-wiphala = Banner of the Qulla Suyu (1979).svg	flag alias-patuju = Flag of the Patujú flower.svg	flag alias-army=Flag of Bolivia (military).svg	link alias-army=Bolivian Army	flag alias-air force=Flag of Bolivia (military).svg	link alias-air force=Bolivian Air Force	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Bolivia.svg	link alias-naval = Bolivian Navy	flag alias-naval old = Naval Ensign of Bolivia (1966-2013).svg	flag alias-naval jack = Naval Jack of Bolivia.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of Bolivia (military).svg	link alias-military = Bolivian Armed Forces	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Bolivia.svg	link alias-navy = Bolivian Navy	flag alias-civil = Flag of Bolivia.svg	size =	name =	altvar = football	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 3-0 || 3-0 || Friendly match
6	10 September 2008	Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Cuba	flag alias = Flag of Cuba.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Cuba.svg	link alias-naval = Cuban Revolutionary Navy	flag alias-1902 = Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg	link alias-army = Cuban Revolutionary Army	flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of Cuba.svg	link alias-navy = Cuban Revolutionary Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant= }} || 3-1 || 4-1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	7 September 2010	Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Japan	flag alias = Flag of Japan.svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg	link alias-1870 = Empire of Japan	flag alias-1945 = Flag of Allied Occupied Japan.svg	border-1945 =	flag alias-1947 = Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg	flag alias-ryukyu = Civil ensign of the Ryukyu Islands (1952–1967).svg	border-ryukyu =	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Japan.svg	flag alias-coast guard = Ensign of the Japanese Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = Japan Coast Guard	link alias-naval = Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	flag alias-army = Flag of JSDF.svg	link alias-army = Japan Ground Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.svg	link alias-air force = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1955 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1955-1957).png	link alias-air force-1955 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1957 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1957-1972).png	link alias-air force-1957 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1972 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1972-2001).png	link alias-air force-1972 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-military=Flag of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.svg	link alias-military=Japan Self-Defense Forces	flag alias-marines=Flag of JSDF.svg	link alias-marines=Japanese Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Japan.svg	link alias-navy = Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	empty = Junior Japan	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1-2 || 1-2 || Friendly match
8	2 September 2011	Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	flag alias = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg	flag alias-colonial = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg	flag alias-1979 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1979-1985).svg	flag alias-1985 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1985).svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 3-0 || 4-0 || 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	7 October 2011	Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	flag alias = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg	flag alias-colonial = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg	flag alias-1979 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1979-1985).svg	flag alias-1985 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1985).svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1-0 || 3-0 || 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10	7 October 2011	Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	flag alias = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg	flag alias-colonial = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg	flag alias-1979 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1979-1985).svg	flag alias-1985 = Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1985).svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2-0 || 3-0 || 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Comunicaciones

• Liga Nacional de Guatemala: Clausura 2003

Municipal

• Liga Nacional de Guatemala: Clausura 2005, Apertura 2005, Clausura 2006, Apertura 2006, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2010, Apertura 2011

External links

• Player profile - CSD Municipal
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at National-Football-Teams.com