Alfredo Talavera

Football player infobox


playername= Alfredo Talavera
fullname = Alfredo Talavera Díaz
nickname = "La Pantera Rosa" (The Pink Panther)
"Tala"
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|9|18
cityofbirth = La Barca, Jalisco
countryofbirth = México
height = height|m=1.88
currentclub = U.A.N.L. Tigeres
clubnumber = ?
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2003-
2008-
clubs = Guadalajara
→ U.A.N.L. (loan)
caps(goals) = 21 (0)
0 (0)
nationalyears = -
nationalteam = Mexico
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 17 November, 2006
ntupdate = 17 November, 2006

Alfredo Talavera Díaz (born September 18 1982 in La Barca, Jalisco) is currently the back-up goalkeeper for Chivas de Guadalajara, wearing jersey #17. He stands at 6ft 1in and weighs 187 lbs. Despite his lack of playing time and young age, the agile Talavera has exceeded the expectations of fans and critics by displaying cool headedness and vibrant agility under pressure. His greatest test came during his starting debut against Chivas archrival Club América on May 1, 2004, with starter Oswaldo Sánchez having received a red card the previous game. Talavera single-handedly rescued the team's uncollaborative defense, maintaining América's constant and dangerous attack to only one goal. His greatest moment of glory during that game, however, came when he blocked famous forward Cuauhtémoc Blanco's penalty shot, who until that point had not missed a single penalty kick in his professional history.

With Sánchez out during the first part of the Clausura 2005 with a shoulder injury, Talavera responded very well as a starter against teams from the Primera Division de Mexico, and also coming through against South American teams for Copa Libertadores.

Alfredo was really put to the test after Sanchez was called on April 2, 2006 to the Mexican National Team that would dispute the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Ever since, he has started 6 Clausura 2006 games for Chivas and received 1 yellow card. In the first game he started, he was roughed up by Monarcas Morelia by the score of 2-0. This was followed by an embarrassing loss to Atlas in the Clasico Tapatio, 3-0. In the final game of the season, he let two go by as Chivas lost to Toluca, 2-0.

In the second game of the two-game series against Independiente Santa Fe for the Copa Libertadores, Talavera received a 3-1 shellacking, although Chivas did advance to the quarterfinals.

Talavera is not hard to recognize, since he follows Jorge Campos' unpopular tradition of wearing a pink uniform. In fact he, he is known to some as "La Pantera Rosa" or The Pink Panther, though he refers to the color as "mamey" or "melon color", and has shown some aggressiveness toward the press for suggesting that the color was pink; he is often taunted by this and is said to be a homophobic. Talavera makes the love of the game worthwhile, with his flying saves and outstanding blocked shots.

Talavera played with Chivas during the 2005 and 2006 editions of the Copa Libertadores. He also started against Spanish superpower Real Madrid in an exhibition played in the United States, where the Rojiblancos lost 3-2.

After team icon and starter Oswaldo Sanchez left to play for Santos Laguna, Talavera is currently the back-up goalie, behind Luis Ernesto Michel.