_(cropped).jpg) Rincón withVenezuela in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tomás Eduardo Rincón Hernández[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1988-01-13)13 January 1988 (age 37) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | San Cristóbal, Venezuela | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Santos | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Monsenor Arias Blanco | |||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Maracaibo | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Maracaibo B | (2) | |||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Zamora | 33 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Deportivo Táchira | 18 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2014 | Hamburger SV | 106 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Genoa | 78 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Juventus | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | →Torino (loan) | 36 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Torino | 109 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022 | →Sampdoria (loan) | 17 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Sampdoria | 34 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Santos | 72 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Venezuela U17 | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Venezuela U20 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2025 | Venezuela[3] | 143 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:40, 13 October 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Tomás Eduardo Rincón Hernández (Spanish pronunciation:[toˈmasriŋˈkon]; born 13 January 1988) is a Venezuelan professionalfootballer who plays as adefensive midfielder forCampeonato Brasileiro Série A clubSantos.
Born inSan Cristóbal,Táchira, Rincón started his career with the youth sides of EF Monsenor Arias Blanco.[4] In 2004, aged 16, he moved toUA Maracaibo, and made his senior debut during the 2006–07 season, playing with the B-team in theVenezuelan Segunda División and scoring two goals.[5]
Rincón joinedVenezuelan Primera División sideZamora in January 2007,[6] and made his top tier debut on 25 March 2007, starting in a 2–0 away loss toCarabobo. He became a regular starter in the2007–08 season, and scored his first goal for the club on 30 September 2007, in a 4–0 home routing of former side Maracaibo; with Zamora, he also took part in the club's first-ever continental appearance, playing in both matches of the2007 Copa Sudamericana as they were knocked out by Ecuadorian sideOlmedo.
Rincón left Zamora in July 2008 after scoring once in 33 league matches, and moved toDeportivo Táchira on a contract until 2010.
The 22-year-old midfielder played on loan at GermanBundesliga sideHamburger SV.[7] On 30 January 2009, he signed a contract until 31 December 2009. Rincón played his first match for Hamburg on 4 March 2009 againstWehen Wiesbaden in theDFB-Pokal.
He debuted in theBundesliga on 4 April 2009 as asubstitute in the 87th minute in a 1–0 win against1899 Hoffenheim. On 10 December 2009, Hamburger SV purchased him from his former club Deportivo Táchira.[8] Rincón signed a contract until 30 June 2014.
On 31 July 2014 Rincón was signed by Italian club Genoa on a free transfer, and on 24 August, he played his first official match with theGialloblu in an away game, valid for the third qualifying round of theCoppa Italia, won 1–0 against Lanciano. He made his debut inSerie A on 31 August against Napoli. With Genoa he finished in 6th place, qualifying for theEuropa League, but was denied because Genoa failed to obtain a UEFA license.
The next season Rincón made his debut in the league in the second round, in a home game won 2–0 againstHellas Verona. On 22 November 2015 he scored his first goal for Genoa in the game won againstSassuolo. Overall, he made 83 appearances and scored 3 goals with Genoa.
In the middle of the2016–17 season, Rincón was linked with a move to defendingSerie A championsJuventus during the January transfer window; he ultimately signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with theTurin-based club on 3 January 2017 for a reported fee of€8 million, becoming the first Venezuelan ever to represent the Bianconeri, and was given the number 28 shirt.[9] He made his debut for the Turin side on 8 January, coming on as a substitute forSami Khedira in a 3–0 home win overBologna, in Serie A.[10] On 14 March, he made hisUEFA Champions League debut with the club, coming on as a substitute forPaulo Dybala, in a 1–0 home win overPorto, in the second leg of the round of 16.[11]
On 11 August 2017, Rincón was loaned toTorino for the2017–18 season for €3 million, with a €6 million conditional obligation to buy.[12][13] After the player had reached the condition on appearance for Torino, the club bought him outright on 6 January 2018.[14][15] The deal was officially confirmed by Juventus on 5 February.[16][17]
On 8 January 2022, Rincón joinedSampdoria on loan.[18] On 5 July 2022, he returned to Sampdoria on a permanent basis with a one-year contract.[19]
.png)
On 15 August 2023,Campeonato Brasileiro Série A sideSantos confirmed the signing of Rincón, pending on medical examinations.[20] He made his debut for the club five days later, replacingJoaquim Henrique in a 2–1 home win overGrêmio.[21]
Rincón scored his first goal forPeixe on 1 October 2023, netting his team's second in a 4–1 home routing ofVasco da Gama.[22] Seven days later, he scored the equalizer in a 2–1 away success over rivalsPalmeiras.
_(cropped).jpg)
Rincón representedVenezuela atunder-17 level in the2005 South American U-17 Championship, and atunder-20 level in the2007 South American U-20 Championship. He played his first senior international game for the full side on 3 February 2008, starting in a 1–0friendly win overHaiti at theEstadio Monumental de Maturín.
On 22 July 2011, Rincón was votedAdidas' Best Player at the2011 Copa América, held in Argentina, receiving 65% of the total votes against ten candidates.[23] Venezuela finished the tournament in fourth place.[24] He later also took part at the2015 Copa América,[25] and theCopa América Centenario in 2016 with Venezuela,[26] serving as his team's captain in the latter tournament.[27]
Rincón scored his first international goal on 16 November 2018, netting the equalising goal from the penalty spot in a 1–1 friendly away draw againstJapan.[28] He was also a member of the Venezuelan team that took part at the2019 Copa América in Brazil,[29] and made his 100th international appearance for Venezuela againstTrinidad and Tobago on 14 October 2019.[30]
Rincón announced his retirement from the national team following his country's 6-3 loss to Colombia at home, which eliminated them from qualification for the2026 World Cup.
Nicknamedel general (The General, in Spanish), Rincón is quick, physical, versatile, and hard-working player, who is capable of playing in severalmidfield anddefensive positions. Although he is usually deployed in thecentre, as adefensive midfielder in front of the back-line, he is also capable of playing as afull-back,wing-back, orwide midfielder along the right flank. He has even been deployed in abox-to-box role, or as anoffensive-minded central midfielder on occasion, known as themezzala role in Italy. A strong, tenacious, and well-rounded footballer, with solid technique, a powerful shot, and an ability to provide assists for his teammates, he is mainly known for his anticipation, tactical intelligence, energy, and ball-winning abilities, as well as his strong personality, tenacity, dedication, professionalism, strength of character, and leadership.[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | State league[b] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zamora | 2006–07 | Venezuelan Primera División | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 35 | 3 | |||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 37 | 3 | |||
| Deportivo Táchira | 2008–09 | Venezuelan Primera División | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| Hamburger SV | 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11[e] | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 106 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 129 | 0 | |||
| Genoa | 2014–15 | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 3 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 79 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 83 | 3 | ||||
| Juventus | 2016–17 | Serie A | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[f] | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | |
| Torino (loan) | 2017–18 | Serie A | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 | ||
| Torino | 2018–19 | Serie A | 34 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 37 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5[e] | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 1 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 145 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 162 | 7 | |||
| Sampdoria (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| Sampdoria | 2022–23 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| Total | 51 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 55 | 0 | ||||
| Santos | 2023 | Série A | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | |||
| 2024 | Série B | 14 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2025 | Série A | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | 30 | 0 | ||
| Total | 46 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | 74 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 496 | 12 | 37 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 582 | 15 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 2008 | 13 | 0 |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 143 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 November 2018 | Ōita Bank Dome,Ōita, Japan |  Japan | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2018 Kirin Challenge Cup |
Juventus[3]
Santos
Venezuela
Individual
Venezuela squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
