José María Giménez

José María Giménez

Footballer

AI

Giménez scored his first international goal for Uruguay in a friendly against South Korea on September 8, 2014.

José María Giménez is a professional footballer from Uruguay, known for his role as a centre-back.

He made his professional debut for Danubio F.C. in the Uruguayan Primera División on November 17, 2012.

Biography

Early Life

José María Giménez de Vargas was born in Toledo, Uruguay, where he began his journey in football. He made his professional debut for Danubio F.C. in the Uruguayan Primera División on November 17, 2012, under the management of Juan Ramón Carrasco. Despite a challenging start, Giménez showcased his potential as a centre-back, playing the full match against River Plate.

Career

In April 2013, Giménez signed a five-year contract with Atlético Madrid, marking a significant step in his career. He made his La Liga debut on September 14, 2013, in a match against UD Almería. Initially, his appearances were limited due to competition from established players like Diego Godín and Miranda. However, he gradually became a key player for Atlético, scoring his first goal for the club in December 2014. Over the years, he solidified his position, contributing to the team's successes, including winning the Supercopa de España in 2014.

Giménez's international career began with the Uruguay national under-20 team, where he participated in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He made his senior debut in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia in September 2013 and was later included in Uruguay's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Notably, he scored the winning goal in Uruguay's opening match against Egypt during the 2018 World Cup.

Personal Life

In June 2019, Giménez married Regina Iafolla in a civil ceremony, just before the Copa América. The couple has three sons, balancing family life with his demanding football career. As of 2026, he continues to represent Uruguay on the international stage, demonstrating his enduring commitment to the sport and his country.

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Career & Clubs

Club career

Danubio

Born in Toledo, Giménez made his professional debut for Danubio F.C. in the Uruguayan Primera División on 17 November 2012 (when the manager was Juan Ramón Carrasco) against River Plate in which he started and played the full 90 minutes as Danubio lost the match 2–0.

Atlético Madrid

2013–2016

On 24 April 2013, it was confirmed that Giménez had signed a five-year deal with Spanish side Atlético Madrid, and would join the club in the pre-season of the 2013–14 season. On 14 September, Giménez made his Atleti – and La Liga – debut, starting in a 4–2 home win over UD Almería. It was his only appearance of a league-winning season. Giménez's appearances were initially limited by competition from compatriot Diego Godín, as well as Miranda and Toby Alderweireld. In August 2014, Giménez won the Supercopa de España against rivals Real Madrid, though he did not leave the substitutes' bench in either game. He scored his first goal for the club on 6 December 2014, opening a 2–0 win away to Elche CF to move Atlético into second place. He played more often in 2014–15 due to Alderweireld's departure, and the club then sold Miranda to Inter Milan, with Giménez having achieved higher averages per game of tackles and interceptions than the Brazilian veteran. Giménez was a regular starter the following season, until losing his place to Stefan Savić for the last third of the campaign.

2016–2019

In July 2016, Giménez was naturalised as a citizen…

International career

Giménez participated for Uruguay at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup as the team finished as runner-up to France. He debuted for the Uruguay senior team in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Colombia on 10 September 2013. On 2 June 2014, Giménez was named in Uruguay's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals. The 19-year-old defender made his tournament debut against England in the team's second group match, deputising for the injured captain Diego Lugano in a 2–1 victory for La Celeste. He went on to start in the final group match – a 1–0 win over Italy – and the 2–0 round of 16 loss to Colombia. Giménez scored his first international goal in a 1–0 friendly win against South Korea on 8 September 2014. In May 2015, he was named in Uruguay's squad for the 2015 Copa América by coach Óscar Tabárez. On 20 June, he scored Uruguay's goal in a 1–1 draw with Paraguay which saw both teams progress to the knockout stage. In May 2018 he was named in Uruguay's provisional 26-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On 15 June, with the score tied at 0–0, he scored the winning goal in the final minute of Uruguay's opening game of the World Cup against Egypt. In March 2019, Tabárez included Giménez in the final 23-man Uruguay squad for the 2019 Copa América in Brazil. He headed the equaliser in the 2–2 group draw with Japan in Porto Alegre, and was the only Uruguayan in the Team of the Tournament despite a quarter-final exit. On 31 May 2026, Giménez was named in Uruguay's 26-man…

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 5 September 2026

International

As of match played 31 March 2026

Scores and results list Uruguay's goal tally first.

Club
Atlético Madrid (2013–)
Club
Danubio F.C. (2012–2013)
Club
Uruguay national under-20 football team (2013–2014)
Club
Uruguay men's national football team (2013–)
Club
Deportivo de A Coruña (2026–)
National team
Uruguay

Personal

Personal life

Giménez married Regina Iafolla in a civil ceremony in June 2019, prior the Copa América. They have three sons.

Clubs

Played together with

Archive

Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Description

Uruguayan association football player

Position

centre-back

Extract from Wikipedia

José María Giménez de Vargas is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and captains the Uruguay national team.

▸ Source: Wikipedia
All links
Official Website

Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.

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