Mauricio Molina

This article is about the Colombian footballer. For the Argentine professional golfer, see Mauricio Molina (golfer). For the Chilean BMX racer, see Mauricio Molina (BMX rider).

Mauricio Alejandro Molina Uribe (Latin American Spanish: [mawˈɾisjo moˈlina]; born 30 April 1980) is a Colombian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Mauricio Molina

Molina in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Mauricio Alejandro Molina Uribe
Date of birth	(1980-04-30) 30 April 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Medellín, Colombia
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1997–1998	Envigado
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2001	Envigado	83	(25)
2001–2002	Santa Fé	16	(5)
2002–2003	Medellín	43	(14)
2003–2004	Morelia	24	(1)
2004–2005	Al Ain	10	(0)
2005–2007	Medellín	16	(5)
2006	→ San Lorenzo (loan)	24	(0)
2007	→ Olimpia (loan)	17	(5)
2007–2008	Red Star Belgrade	11	(2)
2008–2009	Santos	20	(8)
2009–2010	Seongnam FC	46	(21)
2011–2015	FC Seoul	159	(46)
2016–2017	Medellín	60	(11)
International career
2001–2003	Colombia	12	(1)
Medal record Representing  Colombia Copa América Winner 2001 Colombia
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Molina started his career in Colombian side Envigado at the age of 16. He soon made his way up to the first team and was transferred to Independiente Santa Fé. around his stint through Santa Fe, After a serious injury he returned to the pitch in 2002 playing for Independiente Medellín where he led the team to its first national championship in 45 years and the third overall. In 2003, he helped the team reach the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores. After the successful campaign with Independiente Medellín he moved to CA Morelia of Mexico until 2004. After Morelia, Molina went to the United Arab Emirates to play for Al Ain FC where he stayed for a semester, after which he returned to his best memories with Independiente Medellin for another semester. Molina then played for San Lorenzo de Almagro of Argentina from 2005 to 2006. In 2007, Molina signed with Paraguayan Club Olimpia de Asunción where he played the first semester of the year. After a very successful campaign with the team in which he was the co-scorer with 10 goals, Molina was transfer for the second semester of 2007 to Red Star Belgrade, his first European club.

Molina prepared to include himself in the lines of Pelé's Santos. He made his debut as a Santos player on 13 February 2008, starting against Cúcuta Deportivo of Colombia in the 2008 Copa Libertadores.^[2]

In July 2009, Molina moves to South Korean club Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma for $1,275,000.^[3] He scored in his debut against the Pohang Steelers. In all K-League competitions, Molina scored 22 goals along with 11 assists in 50 appearances for Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and in 2010 Molina and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma won the AFC Champions League 2010.^[4]

On 24 January 2011, Molina signed for K League Classic side FC Seoul on a three-year contract.^[4][5]

On 31 December 2015, Molina returned to Independiente Medellín, where he played for two more seasons before finally retiring from professional football, tenure during which he acted as a co-captain for the team and helped them win the 2016 Torneo Apertura, his second with the club and their 6th league title overall.

International career

At international level, Molina was part of the Colombia national team that won the 2001 Copa América.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			KFA Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma	2009	K League 1	17	10	2	1	0	0	—		—		19	11
	2010		29	11	3	2	4	1	11	7	—		47	21
	Total		46	21	!5	3	4	1	11	7	—		66	32
FC Seoul	2011	K League 1	29	10	2	1	0	0	8	2	—		39	13
	2012		41	18	2	1	—		—		—		43	19
	2013		35	9	1	1	—		13	1	—		49	11
	2014		19	5	4	0	—		4	0	—		27	5
	2015		35	4	5	1	—		7	1	—		47	6
	Total		159	46	14	4	0	0	32	4	—		205	54
Medellín	2016	Categoría Primera A	39	9	4	2	—		8	0	—		51	11
	2017		21	2	5	1	—		4	0	2	0	32	3
	Total		60	11	9	3	—		12	0	2	0	83	14
Career total			265	78	28	10	4	1	55	11	2	0	354	100

International

Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Final	Competition
1.	17 July 2003	Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, United States	Guatemala	1–1	1–1	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honours

Independiente Medellin

• Categoría Primera A: 2002-II, 2016-I

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

• AFC Champions League: 2010

FC Seoul

• K League: 2012
• Korean FA Cup: 2015

Colombia

• Copa América: 2001

Individual

• FIFA Club World Cup top scorer: 2010 (three goals)
• K League Best XI: 2010, 2012
• K League Top Assists Award: 2012, 2013