Juan Pablo Ángel

Juan Pablo Ángel Arango is a Colombian forward who currently plays for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.

He started playing professional football at the professional club Atlético Nacional of his hometown Medellín. Juan Pablo announced himself to Colombian football when he scored a winning goal against Independiente Medellín in the final match of the Colombian first league leading the team to the title in 1994. During a four-year stint, Ángel scored 45 goals in 147 games for the feeder club.

In 1997, he was signed by the legendary Argentine side River Plate. A young player showed a string of good performances there helping the club to win the two Aperturas in 1997 and 1999, and the Clausura in 2000.

In January 2001, an English top club Aston Villa bought Juan Pablo Ángel for an outstanding fee of £9.5 million being a superb coup for the side. He pulled off the 2003/04 season as the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in the Premier League. Overall, Ángel netted 74 goals in 205 games with the Villa for a six-year spell.

In between 2007 and 2010, the Canadian striker played for New York Red Bulls. He made a fine start with the Red Bulls coming on as a substitute and scoring an extra-time equalizer in a 1-3 defeat to Los Angeles Galaxy. That year his terrific performances earned Ángel the MLS Best XI award. In 2008, he aided his club to win the Western Conference Championship.

In 2011, Juan Pablo had a short spell at Los Angeles Galaxy and in August 2011 he signed for Chivas USA.

Juan Pablo Ángel was an international for Colombia since 1995 till 2005. For ten years he received 33 caps to the national team and scored 9 goals.