Rodrigo Holgado
Argentine footballer
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Rodrigo Julián Holgado (born 28 June 1995) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chilean club Coquimbo Unido on loan from Colombian club América de Cali. He played for the Malaysia national team twice and was suspended from all football related activities after being sanctioned by FIFA in September 2025 for forging documents related to his Malaysian ancestry;[1] however, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued provisional measures on 26 January 2026 to suspend (stay, in legal terms) the sanction until a final CAS decision is rendered.[2] On 5 March 2026, CAS ratified 12-month ban in total since 25 September 2025, applying only to official matches and not to all football-related activities and allowing him to resume his activities with Coquimbo Unido.[3]
|
Holgado with Audax Italiano in 2020. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rodrigo Julián Holgado | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | La Tablada, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Coquimbo Unido (on loan from América de Cali) | ||
| Number | 29 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2015 | San Lorenzo | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2016 | San Lorenzo | 0 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → Almagro (loan) | 27 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Orizaba | 25 | (17) |
| 2017 | Veracruz | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | Coquimbo Unido | 29 | (18) |
| 2019–2021 | Audax Italiano | 51 | (16) |
| 2021–2023 | Gimnasia LP | 12 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Curicó Unido (loan) | 26 | (8) |
| 2023 | → Coquimbo Unido (loan) | 27 | (16) |
| 2024– | América de Cali | 58 | (17) |
| 2026– | → Coquimbo Unido (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025 | Malaysia | 2 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 March 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 September 2025 | |||
Club career
From 2017 to 2018, Holgado played in Mexico for Albinegros de Orizaba and Veracruz.[4]
In 2018, Holgado moved to Chile and joined Coquimbo Unido in the second level, winning the league title. In Chile, he also played for Audax Italiano and Curicó Unido before rejoining Coquimbo Unido in 2023 at the top division on loan from Argentine side Gimnasia La Plata.[5][6]
In 2024, Holgado moved to Colombia and joined América de Cali.[7] In September 2025, América suspended Holgado following his sanction by FIFA.[8] On 26 January 2026, CAS provisionally ruled in favor of him[2][9] and returned to Coquimbo Unido by third time on 8 February on loan until June of the same year.[10][11] On 5 March 2026, CAS ratified the 12-month ban from playing matches, with credit for the period from 25 September 2025 until 26 January 2026 included, but it only applies to official matches and not to all football-related activities, allowing him to resume his training with Coquimbo Unido.[3]
International career
In preparation for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Holgado, who claimed Malaysian heritage, was called up to the Malaysian national team on 4 June.[12] Holgado faced criticism from Colombian sports journalist Eduardo Luis López for "abandoning his club duties" and accepting the Malaysia call-up purely based on "financial motivations". This was refuted by Holgado, who rebutted by stating that López was not qualified to comment as he was not a footballer. Colombian-born Syrian international Pablo Sabbag publicly supported Holgado's decision, emphasizing that "it is an honor to play for the national team".[13] Holgado made his international debut on 10 June 2025 in the match against Vietnam at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, where he also scored his first international goal.[14]
In September 2025, however, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Holgado, and six other Malaysian heritage players were sanctioned by FIFA due to falsification and forgery of documents regarding the players' eligibility to play for Malaysia in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam. In all seven cases, the players' Malaysian heritage was found to be false. As a result, each player was fined CHF 2,000 (around MYR 10,560) and suspended from all football related activities for 12 months. FAM have confirmed they will file an appeal against FIFA's sanctions.[15][16][8]
Personal life
Born in Argentina, Holgado claimed to be of Malaysian descent through his grandfather. However, FIFA released a statement that his grandfather was not born in nor has Malaysian ancestry, as the documentation submitted by Football Association of Malaysia was proven to be doctored.[17]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 31 May 2025[18]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coquimbo Unido | 2018 | Primera B de Chile | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Audax Italiano | 2019 | Chilean Primera División | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 |
| 2020 | Chilean Primera División | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 3 | 33 | 11 | |
| 2021 | Chilean Primera División | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| Total | 51 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 55 | 19 | ||
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Curicó Unido | 2022 | Chilean Primera División | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 |
| Coquimbo Unido | 2023 | Chilean Primera División | 27 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 16 |
| América de Cali | 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 30 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 38 | 10 |
| 2025 | Categoría Primera A | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6[b] | 1 | 22 | 8 | |
| Total | 46 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 60 | 18 | ||
| Career total | 166 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 184 | 64 | ||
- Includes Copa Colombia
- Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
International
- As of match played 10 September 2025
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 2025 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Malaysia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Holgado goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 June 2025 | Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia |  Vietnam | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification |