Rodrigo Braña

Rodrigo Braña (born 7 March 1979) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Career

Braña started his career playing for Quilmes in the Primera B Nacional (Argentine second division). He has had three different spells with the club, which alternated between the second and the top division.

Braña had a short spell with RCD Mallorca in Spain where he played for their B team between 1998 and 1999. Braña also had a short spell with Argentine club Unión de Santa Fe in 2001.

In 2005, Braña joined Estudiantes, where he has become an idol for the La Plata club. The two biggest highlights of his career to date have been winning the Apertura 2006 and the Copa Libertadores 2009 with Estudiantes.

Braña was a key figure on the Estudiantes team that won its first Argentine League title in 23 years after a 2-1 playoff victory against Boca Juniors to decide the winner of the Apertura 2006 champions. "El Chapu" won many accolades for his contribution to the championship winning team; he was selected as the third best player of the Apertura 2006 tournament by Argentine sports newspaper Olé. The only players that finished above him in the list were teammates Mariano Pavone and Juan Sebastián Verón. He has formed a formidable partnership in the center of midfield with Veron in recent seasons.

In 2008, he formed part of the team that finished as runners-up in Copa Sudamericana 2008.

File:Rodrigo Brana vs Pohang.JPG

Braña during the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup.

Braña was then a regular player in the team that won Copa Libertadores 2009. His typical speed, stamina, and defensive skills in the midfield were key factors in Estudiantes' lifting the continental championship for the first time in 39 years.

After the Libertadores victory, he faced a serious offer from Mexican club Monterrey to take him to play in Mexico. Braña eventually decided to stay with Estudiantes, a decision that was rewarded with his first-ever call up to the Argentina national team on 1 September 2009.

Braña retired at the end of the 2018–19 season.

International appearances and goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Final score	Goal	Result	Competition
1.	September 30, 2009	Córdoba, Argentina	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Ghana	flag alias = Flag of Ghana.svg	flag alias-1964 = Ghana flag 1964.svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Ghana.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg	flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Ghana.svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2–0 || 0 || Win|| Friendly
2.	October 7, 2011	Buenos Aires, Argentina	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Chile	flag alias = Flag of Chile.svg	flag alias-mapuche = Ancient mapuche flag.svg	flag alias-lautaro = Lautaro flag.svg	flag alias-spain = Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg	flag alias-spain1 = Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg	flag alias-1812 = Flag of Chile (1812-1814).svg	flag alias-1812a = Flag of Chile (1812-1814, alternative).svg	flag alias-andes = Bandera de la Provincia de Mendoza.svg	flag alias-1817 = Flag of Chile of the transition (1817).svg	flag alias-1817_proposal = Flag of Chile (1817-1818, 2nd).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of Chile (1818).svg	flag alias-1818a = Flag of Chile (1818-1854).svg	flag alias-1819 = State Ensign of Chile (1819-1834).svg	flag alias-expedition = Flag of the Liberating Expedition of Peru.svg	flag alias-1826 = Flag of Chile (Civil Use, 1826-1854).svg	flag alias-ap = Flag of the Kingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia.svg	flag alias-easter1 = Easter Island flag 1876 to 1888.svg	flag alias-easter = Flag of Rapa Nui, Chile.svg	flag alias-president = Bandera del presidente de Chile.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Chile.svg	link alias-naval = Chilean Navy	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Chilean Air Force.svg	link alias-air force =Chilean Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Chilean Army.svg	link alias-army = Chilean Army	flag alias-navy = Flag of Chile.svg	link alias-navy = Chilean Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} ||4–1 || 0||Win||2014 World Cup qualification
3.	November 15, 2011	Barranquilla, Colombia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Colombia	flag alias = Flag of Colombia.svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of Colombia (WFB 2013).gif	flag alias-2004 = Flag of Colombia (2004 World Factbook).gif	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Colombia.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Colombia.svg	link alias-naval = Colombian National Navy	flag alias-army = Flag of the Colombian Army.svg	link alias-army = Colombian National Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Colombian Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Colombian Aerospace Force	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Colombian Naval Infantry.svg	link alias-marines=Colombian Naval Infantry	link alias-navy = Colombian National Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Colombian Navy.svg	flag alias-military = Military flag of Colombia.svg	link alias-military = Military Forces of Colombia	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–2 || 0 || Win || 2014 World Cup qualification
4.	September 19, 2012	Goiânia, Brazil	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Brazil	flag alias-1692 = Flag of the Princes of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of Brazil (1822-1853).svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg	flag alias = Flag of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1889 = Flag of Brazil (1889–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).svg	flag alias-1968 = Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Brazilian Army.svg	link alias-army = Brazilian Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Brazilian Air Force Command.svg	link alias-air force = Brazilian Air Force	link alias-naval = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Brazilian Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines=Brazilian Marine Corps	link alias-military = Brazilian Armed Forces	link alias-navy = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Brazilian Navy.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–2 || 0 || Lose || Superclásico de las Américas
5.	October 3, 2012	Resistencia, Argentina	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Brazil	flag alias-1692 = Flag of the Princes of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of Brazil (1822-1853).svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg	flag alias = Flag of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1889 = Flag of Brazil (1889–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).svg	flag alias-1968 = Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Brazilian Army.svg	link alias-army = Brazilian Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Brazilian Air Force Command.svg	link alias-air force = Brazilian Air Force	link alias-naval = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Brazilian Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines=Brazilian Marine Corps	link alias-military = Brazilian Armed Forces	link alias-navy = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Brazilian Navy.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || || || Superclásico de las Américas

Honors

Estudiantes

• Argentine Primera División (2): 2006 Apertura, 2010 Apertura
• Copa Libertadores (1): 2009

External links

• Argentine Primera statisticsTemplate:Category handler Template:In lang
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at ESPN FCTemplate:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck