 Cáceres withUruguay in 2011 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Martín Cáceres Silva[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1987-04-07)7 April 1987 (age 38)[2] | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Montevideo, Uruguay[2] | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3] | |||||||||||||
| Position | Defender | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| Defensor | ||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Defensor | 26 | (4) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Villarreal | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | →Recreativo (loan) | 34 | (2) | |||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Barcelona | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | →Juventus (loan) | 15 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | →Sevilla (loan) | 25 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Sevilla | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2012 | →Juventus (loan) | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | Juventus | 51 | (2) | |||||||||||
| 2017 | Southampton | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Hellas Verona | 14 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Lazio | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2019 | →Juventus (loan) | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Fiorentina | 56 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Cagliari | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2022 | Levante | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | LA Galaxy | 36 | (2) | |||||||||||
| 2025 | Libertad | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Uruguay U20 | 16 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2022 | Uruguay | 116 | (4) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:36, 1 May 2025 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||
José Martín Cáceres Silva (Spanish pronunciation:[maɾˈtiŋˈkaseɾes]; born 7 April 1987) is a Uruguayan professionalfootballer. Mainly acentre-back, he can also play on either flank, mostly as aright-back.[4][5]
After starting out atDefensor Sporting, he was bought by Spanish clubVillarreal in 2007. In the following years he competed in Spain and Italy, notably winning six Serie A titles withJuventus and the2009 Champions League withBarcelona. He later had a brief spell in England withSouthampton before returning to Italy in 2017; despite his ability, his career was limited by several injuries.[6]
AnUruguay international since the age of 20, Cáceres represented the country in fourWorld Cups, three editions of theCopa América and the2013 Confederations Cup, winning the2011 Copa América.
Born inMontevideo, Cáceres started his career with his local teamDefensor, becoming a regular at a young age and competing in one fullPrimera División season with them. In early February 2007, he signed for Spanish clubVillarreal, with the deal being made effective in July.[7][8]
Upon arriving at Villarreal, Cáceres was immediately sent on loan to fellowLa Liga sideRecreativo de Huelva,[9] being one of the most used players duringthe season and often partneringBeto in central defence as theAndalusians managed to retain their division status, finishing in 16th position; on 9 January 2008, he scored against the club that owned his rights in theCopa del Rey (1–0 home win, but 2–1 loss on aggregate),[10] and never appeared officially for them.
Cáceres joinedBarcelona on 4 June 2008, with a reported transfer fee of€16.5 million being paid to Villarreal. A buyout clause of €50 million was included in the deal, which ran until June 2012.[11] During hisonly season at theCamp Nou, he featured sparsely due to both injury and technical decisions.[12]
Even after his recovery, Cáceres only managed to be fourth-choice stopper behindRafael Márquez,Gerard Piqué andCarles Puyol.[13] He appeared in three games inthe campaign'sUEFA Champions League – two starts, 217 minutes – being an unusedsubstitute inthe final againstManchester United which completedthe treble for theCatalans.[14]
On 6 August 2009, Barcelona loaned Cáceres toJuventus inSerie A, with theTurin team having an option to make his stay permanent at the end ofthe season for €11 million, plus €1 million in variables.[15] He made his debut in a pre-seasonfriendly against former team Villarreal the following day, replacingJonathan Zebina at right-back at half-time.[16]
The league season began well for Cáceres as he made a goal-scoring debut, netting the opener in a 2–0 away win againstLazio.[17] He began as a regular underCiro Ferrara, but his campaign would be ultimately disrupted by a number of injuries, including one in January 2010 that put him out of action for several months.[18]
On 30 August 2010, Cáceres returned to Spain and joinedSevilla on aseason-long loan, with an option to purchase.[19] He featured regularly for theGregorio Manzano-led team, especially at right-back following the return ofAbdoulay Konko toGenoa in January 2011.[20]
Cáceres was severely injured byMichael Jakobsen in a match againstAlmería on 1 May 2011, suffering a laceratedkidney following a dangerous challenge. TheDane was given a straightred card, and theSouth American was initially ruled out for the rest of the campaign,[21] but unexpectedly recovered for the final two games,[22] with his side finishing fifth andqualifying for theUEFA Europa League.
On 31 May 2011, Sevilla agreed a €3 million deal plus €1.5 million in variables with Barcelona for the permanent move of Cáceres to theRamón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.[23] In late January 2012, however, he returned to Juventus on loan.[24]
At Juventus, Cáceres chose to wear the number 4 shirt, which had previously belonged to compatriotPaolo Montero.[25] He made his debut forJuve in his second spell on 8 February 2012, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away win againstAC Milan inthe semi-finals of theCoppa Italia and scoring both of his team's goals.[26] On 25 March he netted his first league goal, heading home anAndrea Pirlocorner kick in the 57th minute of a 2–0 home victory overInter Milan.[27]
On 25 May 2012, Cáceres joined Juventus on a permanent basis, signing a four-year contract.[28] He missed most of the first half of the2014–15 campaign, after picking up an injury in a 3–2 home win overRoma in October 2014 which sidelined him for three months. He returned to the starting line-up on 11 January 2015, scoring in a 3–1 defeat ofNapoli at theStadio San Paolo.[29] On 8 March, however, he fractured his ankle during a training session, requiring surgery; as a result, he was ruled out indefinitely.[30]
Cáceres returned to the starting line-up on 8 August 2015, in Juventus'2–0 victory over Lazio in theSupercoppa Italiana.[31][32] In late September, however, he had his driving license revoked for six months and was suspended by the club after crashing hisFerrari into a bus stop in Turin following a wrong turn. He was alleged to have been over the legal alcohol limit for driving.[33][34]
Cáceres returned to action on 6 January 2016, starting and playing 84 minutes in a 3–0 home win againstHellas Verona.[35] On 4 February, it was confirmed that he would be sidelined for the rest ofthe season due to the rupture of his rightAchilles tendon during the match the day before against Genoa.[36] In May, Juventus' director of footballGiuseppe Marotta announced that the player's contract would not be renewed, and that he would be leaving the club on 30 June.[37]
On 16 February 2017, Cáceres joinedPremier League clubSouthampton as afree agent, signing an initial contract lasting until the end ofthe season.[38][39] Ten days later he was included in a matchday squad for the first time, remaining an unused substitute inthe final of theEFL Cup, a 3–2 loss toManchester United.[40]
After three months atSt Mary's Stadium, Cáceres appeared in his first and only game for Southampton, starting in a 2–1 away win overMiddlesbrough on 13 May.[41] He was released on 25 May.[42]
Cáceres returned to Italy in early August 2017, signing for Hellas Verona on a deal running until 30 June 2018.[43] However, it was reported that Lazio had already expressed an interest in acquiring his services, but were ultimately unable to as their quota of two non-EU signings from abroad had already been filled. He joined Verona instead as a result, although rumours circulated in the media linking him with a possible move to Lazio in January as there were no restrictions impeding the transfer of non-EU players between Italian clubs.[44][45][46]
On 8 January 2018, Cáceres joined Lazio on a one-year contract with the option for a renewal.[47][48] He scored his only goal ofthe campaign on 18 April in a 4–3 away defeat ofFiorentina,[49] featuring sparingly for the fifth-placed team.[50]
On 29 January 2019, Juventus announced the signing of Cáceres on a five-month loan, marking this as his third spell at the club.[51] He made his first appearance since 2016 on 2 February, in a 3–3 home draw againstParma in the domestic league.[52]
Cáceres left Juventus at the end ofthe season, when his contract with Lazio also expired.[53]
On 30 August 2019, Cáceres joined Fiorentina on a one-year deal with the option for a further season.[54] The following 18 May, he declared that he had tested positive forCOVID-19 for 60 days.[55]
Cáceres moved toCagliari on a one-year contract on 1 September 2021, where he shared teams with national teammatesDiego Godín andNahitan Nández.[56][57] He scored his only goal for theSardinians on 17 October, the second in a 3–1 home victory overSampdoria.[58]
Cáceres returned to the Spanish top tier on 30 January 2022, with thefree agent agreeing to a one-year deal atLevante with the possibility of a one-year extension.[59] Nine of his appearances were starts, in an eventualrelegation;the same happened to his previous side, Cagliari.[60]
On 24 August 2022, Cáceres joinedMajor League Soccer clubLA Galaxy as a free agent until the end ofthe season.[61] He scored his first goal on 15 May 2023, opening an eventual 2–1 home win against theSan Jose Earthquakes.[62]
Cáceres was part of the squad that won theMLS Cup 2024 on 7 December, even tough he did not feature in any matches having been sidelined since 8 August with an Achilles tendon injury.[63]
On 11 February 2025, aged 37, Cáceres moved to theParaguayan Primera División on a ten-month contract atLibertad.[64]
Cáceres played forUruguay at the2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada, appearing in all the matches in an eventualround-of-16 exit.[65][66] Previously, he was named the best defender at the2007 South American U-20 Championship, helping his team to third place.[7]
Cáceres made his debut for thefull side on 12 September 2007, inJohannesburg againstSouth Africa.[67][68] In 2010, he was selected by managerÓscar Tabárez for his list of 23 players forthat year'sFIFA World Cup,[69] as back-up toPorto'sJorge Fucile at right-back[70] and taking part in the semi-finals against theNetherlands and the third-place match againstGermany (both 3–2 losses).[71][72]
Cáceres scored his first international goal on 23 June 2011, in a 3–0 friendly home win overEstonia.[73] With Fucile not being selected to the2011 Copa América in Argentina, he played five out of six games during the tournament – as right and left back – with theCharrúas winning their 15th continental tournament.[74][75][76] He notably scored the decisive penalty in apenalty shootout victory overthe hosts in the quarter-finals.[77]
Cáceres made four appearances for Uruguay in the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. In the third-place match againstItaly, his penalty was saved by Juventus teammateGianluigi Buffon as the opposition won the shootout by 3–2 after a 2–2 deadlock following extra time.[78] He was also a member of the squad that took part at the2014 World Cup,[79] featuring four times in the tournament to help the nation reach the last-16 phase, where they suffered a 2–0 defeat toColombia at theMaracanã Stadium on 28 June.[80]
Due to an ankle injury suffered in March 2015, Cáceres was excluded from the2015 Copa América squad.[81] A serious Achilles tendon ailment in February 2016 also prevented his participation in theCopa América Centenario the following summer.[82]
Cáceres was included in Uruguay's final 23-man squad for the2018 World Cup in Russia.[83] He played all the matches and minutes in a quarter-final exit.[84]
In March 2019, Tabárez named Cáceres in the squad for the2019 Copa América in Brazil.[85] On 16 June, he provided theassist toLuis Suárez's goal in a 4–0 win overEcuador in the team's opening group match of the tournament.[86] He appeared four times in total throughout the tournament, including the quarter-final tie againstPeru in which his team were eliminated from the competition after losing 5–4 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw after regulation time.[87]
Cáceres earned his 100thcap on 13 October 2020, in a 4–2 loss to Ecuador in the2022 World Cup qualifiers.[88][89]
Cáceres's primary position is that of acentral defender, but he can also operate as aleft or right-back, being noted for his pace, strength, tackling and aerial ability.[90] He has also been deployed as awing-back orwinger, on either side of the pitch.[91][92][93]
During his time with Juventus, Cáceres' tenacious approach drew comparisons to compatriot Montero, who also played there.[94]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Defensor | 2005–06 | Uruguayan Primera División | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | Uruguayan Primera División | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 | 4 | ||
| Total | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 | 4 | |||
| Recreativo (loan) | 2007–08 | La Liga | 34 | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 36 | 3 | ||
| Barcelona | 2008–09 | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | – | 23 | 0 | |
| Juventus | 2009–10 | Serie A | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | – | 21 | 1 | |
| Sevilla (loan) | 2010–11 | La Liga | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | – | 37 | 1 | |
| Sevilla | 2011–12 | La Liga | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 | 1 | |
| Juventus (loan) | 2011–12 | Serie A | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 14 | 3 | ||
| Juventus | 2012–13 | Serie A | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| 2013–14 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 30 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 62 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 6 | ||
| Southampton | 2016–17 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | |
| Hellas Verona | 2017–18 | Serie A | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 3 | ||
| Lazio | 2017–18 | Serie A | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | ||
| Juventus (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie A | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Fiorentina | 2019–20 | Serie A | 27 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 31 | 2 | |||
| Total | 56 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 4 | ||
| Cagliari | 2021–22 | Serie A | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 1 | ||
| Levante | 2021–22 | La Liga | 10 | 0 | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | |||
| LA Galaxy | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 6 | 0 | – | – | 2[e] | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | Major League Soccer | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2024 | Major League Soccer | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1[f] | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Total | 36 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 339 | 22 | 41 | 5 | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 415 | 27 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 116 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 June 2011 | Estadio Atilio Paiva Olivera,Rivera, Uruguay |  Estonia | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [73] |
| 2 | 8 October 2015 | Estadio Hernando Siles,La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 3 | 17 November 2015 | Estadio Centenario,Montevideo, Uruguay |  Chile | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 4 | 10 October 2017 | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay | Bolivia | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Barcelona
Juventus
Southampton
Uruguay
Uruguay squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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