He came from the same finishing school as Carlos Tevez, has a deadly left foot and played for the biggest club in his native Argentina. Get to know our new number nine, Nicolas Colazo.
A Boca Junior at heart.
Born in Buenos Aires, Colazo is a Boca boy through and through.
A product of the famed ‘Boca Factory’, Colazo joined the club’s youth academy at the age of nine, going on to make 106 appearances for the Argentine giants after breaking into the first team in 2009.
One thing is for certain, Boca has an outstanding track record when it comes to producing quality home-grown talent.
Carlos Tevez, Nicolas Gaitan, Ever Banega, Fernando Gago and Willy Caballero were all academy graduates, as was midfield maestro Juan Roman Riquelme, who is considered to be one of the most talented Argentine players of his generation.
A century of appearances for one of the biggest clubs in South American football exemplifies the immense talent Colazo has at his disposal.
At 26, his best footballing years are still to come.
Talent and versatility in abundance.
Colazo possesses the qualities one would expect to see in any marquee signing – a player with big game experience, excellent technical ability and a strong winning mentality.
There were periods during his time at Boca – most notably during in 2011 and 2014-2015 seasons – when Colazo was an important member of the first team, lifting the Argentine Primera Division title on two occasions.
His versatility shone through during Boca’s title winning campaigns, where Colazo troubled opponents with his directness, skill and crossing ability from both left-midfield and left-back.
Colazo provides Head Coach John van’t Schip with ample flexibility, whether he is providing width as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation, or complimenting the likes of Cahill and Fornaroli from the left as a natural winger.
He doesn’t mind the odd spectacular goal either, with a cracking strike against Velez Sarsfield in the 2015 Copa Libertadores play-off sure to live firmly in the memories of Boca fans.
South American theme in attack
Colazo’s arrival in Melbourne adds some more South American firepower to the Club’s attacking stocks.
Uruguayan ace Bruno Fornaroli took the competition by storm with a Golden Boot to show for his astonishing debut season, while diminutive Argentine winger Fernando Brandán has made a promising start to life in Melbourne.
The trio combined to devastating effect in the 4-1 dismantling of the Western Sydney Wanderers, as Colazo made an immediate impact on his City his debut with a superb cross to tee up Fornaroli’s header, which crashed off the post.
That play was finished off by Brandán, who was on hand to tap in the rebound for his first City goal.
Add Socceroos star Tim Cahill to the mix, and Head Coach John van’t Schip isn’t shy of star quality in the final third.
Colazo is the third Argentine player to have represented the Club, alongside teammate Brandán and foundation player Jonatan Germano, who now plies his trade with Avondale Heights in the NPL Victoria.
Player Profile
Nicolas Colazo
DOB: 08/07/1990
Nationality: Argentinian
Previous clubs: Boca Juniors (Argentina), All Boys (Argentina, loan spell)
Accolades: Argentine Primera Division (2011/12, 2015), Copa Argentina (2011/12, 2014/15)
