Claudio Caniggia, Argentinian footballer
Claudio Paul Caniggia (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈklawðjo kaˈnixja, - kaˈniʝa]; born 9 January 1967) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as forward or winger. Caniggia played 50 times for the Argentina national team. He appeared in three World Cups, and was a member of both rival clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors.
At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Caniggia scored two key goals to help Argentina reach the final. In the opening game of the tournament against Cameroon, he was fouled three times in a single dribble, the last taking him out and earning Benjamin Massing a red card. In the second round match against Brazil, a pass by Diego Maradona put him through against goalkeeper Taffarel, with Caniggia dribbling past him and slotting the ball into the net to give Argentina victory. In the semi-final against Italy, he headed past goalkeeper Walter Zenga, the first goal Italy conceded in the tournament, sending the match into extra time as Argentina won on penalties. Having been booked against Italy, his second in the tournament, Caniggia was suspended for the final against West Germany.
Caniggia scored two goals in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, both of them in the first-round match against Nigeria, the first from a Gabriel Batistuta free kick rebound and the second one from a free kick by Maradona, which Caniggia finished by putting the ball in the top right-hand corner.
As well as appearing for River Plate and Boca Juniors, his other clubs include Atalanta, Benfica, Dundee and Rangers. Throughout his playing career, he played for clubs in Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Qatar and England.