 |
Jefferson FarfanPeruvian footballer
Date of Birth: 26.10.1984
Country:  Peru |
Content:
- Childhood and Early Career
- Rise in Peru
- European Adventure
- Stardom in Germany
- Injuries and Resilience
- Middle East and Return to Russia
- International Career
- Achievements
- Schalke 04:German Cup (2010/11), German Super Cup (2011)
Childhood and Early Career
Jefferson Farfán was born in Lima, Peru, on October 26, 1984. Raised without a father, his mother, Rosario Guadalupe, worked as a dancer of Festejo, a Peruvian folk dance. Farfán began his football journey at the Academia Deportivo Municipal, where he spent five years. At the age of seven, he almost joined the rival club Club Universitario de Deportes.
"They showed me the facilities, I did a training session, everything was going perfectly, until they told me that I had to pay for the uniform. The price wasn't high, but our family was completely broke, and besides, I had just started at Deportivo Municipal and I couldn't leave," Farfán recalled.
Rise in Peru
In 1998, Farfán was acquired by the capital club Alianza Lima. He made his professional debut at 16 for the club on July 28, 2001, against Deportivo Wanka, coming on as a substitute for his uncle, Roberto Farfán. Alianza Lima won the match 2-1. Farfán became a regular starter from 2002 onwards and played a key role in helping the club win the Peruvian league title in the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons.
European Adventure
In 2004, Farfán's European career began when he signed a five-year contract with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands. He made his Eredivisie debut in October 2004 and played 28 matches in his first season, scoring 8 goals. Farfán reached the semi-final of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League, scoring 5 goals in 12 appearances. He scored his first European goal against Rosenborg on October 20, guiding PSV to a 2-1 victory.
Over the next two seasons, Farfán scored 21 goals in 31 league matches each. He was PSV's top scorer in the 2006/07 season and was named Peruvian Footballer of the Year. In four years with PSV, Farfán played 163 matches, scoring 71 goals. He won the Eredivisie title every season, becoming one of the most successful Peruvian players of the early 21st century.
Stardom in Germany
In June 2008, Schalke 04 signed Farfán from PSV for a fee of around €10 million. He made his debut in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid, playing 70 minutes. A month later, he made his Bundesliga debut, scoring a penalty against Borussia Dortmund in a 3-3 draw. In his debut season, Farfán scored 11 goals and provided 7 assists, making him the fifth-best player in the league in the goal+assist category.
In the 2009/10 season, Farfán became Schalke's undisputed striker, scoring 8 goals in 32 Bundesliga matches. He scored the only goal in the "Revierderby" against Borussia Dortmund, giving Schalke their first away win in the fixture in six years. In August 2010, Farfán scored his first brace for Schalke in the German Cup against Aalen. Along with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, he helped Schalke win their first trophy in nine years by defeating Duisburg 5-0 in the German Cup final.
Injuries and Resilience
The 2011/12 season was marked by injuries and increased competition from Real Madrid legend Raúl. Farfán scored 3 goals, including the only goal in an away match against title rivals Bayer Leverkusen. In August 2012, he extended his contract with Schalke until 2016.
In the 2012/13 season, Farfán provided 3 assists in the opening match against Augsburg. He scored 6 league goals, including three match-winners. In January 2013, he scored the opener in a 5-4 home win over Hannover 96. The 2013/14 season promised to be Farfán's best, but a knee injury suffered in a pre-season tour ruled him out for eight months.
Middle East and Return to Russia
In July 2015, Farfán joined Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates. However, his time there was short-lived, as he terminated his contract after making only 12 appearances. He then signed with Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia in January 2017.
At Lokomotiv, Farfán scored his first goal in April 2017 against Ufa. He played a key role in Lokomotiv's Russian Cup triumph in 2016/17, scoring goals in victories over CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg, and Copenhagen in the group stage. Farfán left Lokomotiv in 2021 after scoring 24 goals in 97 appearances.
International Career
Farfán made his Peru debut in 2003. He played in the 2004 Copa América and was close to representing Peru at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but his team finished fifth in the South American qualifiers. He was a key player in the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring two goals against Venezuela.
Farfán is one of the top goal scorers in Peruvian history, ranking fifth with 27 goals. He helped Peru qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, their first since 1982.
Achievements
Club:Alianza Lima:Peruvian League (2001, 2003, 2004)
PSV Eindhoven:Eredivisie (2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08), Dutch Cup (2004/05)
Schalke 04:German Cup (2010/11), German Super Cup (2011)
Al Jazira:UAE President's Cup (2015/16)Lokomotiv Moscow:Russian Cup (2016/17)
Individual:
Peruvian Footballer of the Year: 2007
