Diego Klimowicz

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Diego Klimowicz

| image = Diego Klimowicz.jpg

| caption = Klimowicz as a Borussia Dortmund player

| full_name = Diego Fernando Klimowicz{{WorldFootball.net|diego-klimowicz}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|7|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Quilmes, Argentina

| height = 1.91 m

| position = Centre-forward

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1993–1996 | clubs1 = Instituto | caps1 = 57 | goals1 = 12

| years2 = 1996–1997 | clubs2 = Rayo Vallecano | caps2 = 46 | goals2 = 12

| years3 = 1997–1999 | clubs3 = Valladolid | caps3 = 41 | goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1999–2001 | clubs4 = Lanús | caps4 = 77 | goals4 = 41

| years5 = 2001–2007 | clubs5 = VfL Wolfsburg | caps5 = 149 | goals5 = 57

| years6 = 2007–2009 | clubs6 = Borussia Dortmund | caps6 = 38 | goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2009–2010 | clubs7 = VfL Bochum | caps7 = 26 | goals7 = 8

| years8 = 2011 | clubs8 = Instituto | caps8 = 10 | goals8 = 1

| totalcaps = 444 | totalgoals = 141

}}

Diego Fernando Klimowicz (born 6 July 1974) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a centre-forward.

He started and finished his 18-year professional career with Instituto, but competed mostly in Spain and Germany, notably amassing Bundesliga totals of 213 games and 71 goals in the latter country.

Club career

Born in Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Klimowicz started his career at Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba in the Primera B Nacional.{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/klimowicz_tourist-oder-debuetant-257395/artikel | title = Klimowicz: Tourist oder Debütant |trans-title=Klimowicz: Tourist or first-timer | publisher = kicker | first = Bernd | last = Jankowski | language = de | date = 6 December 2001 | access-date = 5 March 2012}} He was sold to Rayo Vallecano of La Liga in 1996, scoring 11 goals in his first season but being relegated to Segunda División;{{cite web | url = http://footgol.blogspot.com/2007/05/mercato-diego-klimowicz-marcell-jansen.html | title = Mercato: Diego Klimowicz, Marcell Jansen |trans-title=Market: Diego Klimowicz, Marcell Jansen | publisher = Footgol | first = César | last = Serres | language = es | date = 25 May 2007 | access-date = 5 March 2012}}{{cite web | url = http://h.rayoherald.com/12190-diego-klimowicz-puso-fin-a-su-carrera-deportiva.html | title = Diego Klimowicz pone fin a su carrera deportiva |trans-title=Diego Klimowicz ends his sporting career | publisher = Rayo Herald | language = es | date = 5 August 2010 | access-date = 15 December 2016}} the latter club was later banned from buying or selling foreign players, for failing to pay the accorded sum of 240 million pesetas.{{cite news | url = http://elpais.com/diario/1999/12/01/deportes/944002813_850215.html | title = La FIFA castiga al Rayo |trans-title=FIFA punishes Rayo | newspaper = El País | language = es | date = 1 December 1999 | access-date = 15 December 2016}}

Klimowicz returned to the Spanish top division in December 1997, when he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Real Valladolid.{{cite news | url = http://elpais.com/diario/1997/12/11/deportes/881794813_850215.html | title = Klimowicz, fichado por el Valladolid |trans-title=Klimowicz, signed by Valladolid | newspaper = El País | language = es | date = 11 December 1997 | access-date = 15 December 2016}} After netting just seven times across all competitions during his spell at the Estadio José Zorrilla, however,{{cite news | url = http://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/06/deportes/891813604_850215.html | title = La resurrección de Canabal y Klimowicz |trans-title=The resurrection of Canabal and Klimowicz | newspaper = El País | first = Francisco | last = Forjas | language = es | date = 6 April 1998 | access-date = 15 December 2016}} he returned to his country in 1999 and joined Club Atlético Lanús.{{cite web | url = http://www.bundesliga.de/de/liga/news/2007/index.php?f=75172.php | title = Gegen 80.000 ist es besonders schwer |trans-title=It's rather difficult against 80.000 | publisher = Bundesliga | language = de | date = 25 September 2007 | access-date = 5 March 2012}}

Klimowicz was transferred to VfL Wolfsburg in December 2001,{{cite web | url = http://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/voting-tor-answerid13.html | title = Diego Klimowicz – Saison 2001/2002 |trans-title=Diego Klimowicz – 2001/2002 season | publisher = VfL Wolfsburg | language = de | access-date = 5 March 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927184521/http://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/voting-tor-answerid13.html | archive-date = 27 September 2011}} going on to remain in Germany – and its Bundesliga – for the better part of the following decade. He netted a career-best 15 goals in the 2003–04 campaign, helping his team finish in tenth place.{{cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/tablesd/duit04.html | title = Germany 2003/04 | first = Lars | last = Kubusch | website = RSSSF | access-date = 16 December 2016}}

In May 2007, Klimowicz moved to fellow league side Borussia Dortmund on a two-year deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.fc-koeln.de/index.php?id=723&tx_ttnews&%5Bcat&%5D=3&tx_ttnews&%5BpS&%5D=1257030000&tx_ttnews&%5BpL&%5D=2591999&tx_ttnews&%5Barc&%5D=1&tx_ttnews&%5Btt_news&%5D=4428&tx_ttnews&%5BbackPid&%5D=722&cHash=3a33f9d502 | title = Interview mit Diego Klimowicz |trans-title=Interview with Diego Klimowicz | publisher = 1. FC Köln | language = de | date = 16 October 2009 | access-date = 5 March 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130501160832/http://www.fc-koeln.de/index.php?id=723 | archive-date = 1 May 2013}} On 25 August, his brace was crucial to the hosts' 3–0 home defeat of Energie Cottbus.{{cite news | url = https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball/bundesliga/3-0-gegen-cottbus-dortmund-atmet-dank-klimowicz-tief-durch-1461738.html | title = Dortmund atmet dank Klimowicz tief durch |trans-title=Dortmund take a breather thanks to Klimowicz | newspaper = Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung | language = de | date = 25 August 2007 | access-date = 15 December 2016}} He added four goals in their runner-up run in the DFB-Pokal, being booked as a second-half substitute in the decisive match, lost 2–1 to Bayern Munich after extra time.{{cite news | url = http://www.rp-online.de/sport/fussball/dfb-pokal/luca-toni-fuehrt-bayern-zum-ersten-titel-aid-1.1645720 | title = Luca Toni führt Bayern zum ersten Titel |trans-title=Luca Toni leads Bayern to first title | newspaper = Rheinische Post | language = de | date = 19 April 2008 | access-date = 15 December 2016}}

In the 2008–09 winter transfer window, Klimowicz signed with VfL Bochum.{{cite web | url = http://www.t-online.de/sport/id_17277436/klimowicz-wechselt-von-dortmund-nach-bochum.html | title = Klimowicz wechselt von Dortmund nach Bochum |trans-title=Klimowicz goes from Dortmund to Bochum | publisher = T-Online | language = de | date = 4 January 2009 | access-date = 16 December 2016}} On 2 March 2010, the 35-year-old announced his retirement from professional football due to a hip injury;{{cite web |url = http://vfl-bochum.de/webcache/Aktuelles_meldung_7627_3_de.htm | title = Klimowicz: Scout in Argentinien |trans-title=Klimowicz: Scout in Argentina | publisher = VfL Bochum | language = de | date = 2 March 2010 | access-date = 5 March 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100305075415/http://www.vfl-bochum.de/webcache/Aktuelles_meldung_7627_3_de.htm | archive-date = 5 March 2010}}

Klimowicz decided to come back from retirement on 24 December 2010, and re-joined his first team Instituto on a one-year contract.{{cite news | url = http://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-ascenso/b-nacional/Granadero-Gloria_0_395960486.html | title = Granadero para la Gloria | trans-title = Grenadier for la Gloria | newspaper = Olé | language = es | date = 24 December 2010 | access-date = 26 December 2010 | archive-date = 7 July 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180707034055/https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-ascenso/b-nacional/Granadero-Gloria_0_395960486.html | url-status = dead }}

International career

In 2001, there were talks of Klimowicz playing either for the Poland or the Ukraine national teams,{{cite web | url = http://www.sport.pl/sport/1,65025,824983.html | title = Klimowicz woli Polskę od Ukrainy? |trans-title=Is Klimowicz from Poland and Ukraine? | publisher = Sport | language = pl | date = 7 May 2002 | access-date = 5 March 2012}} but at the end nothing became materialised.

Personal life

Klimowicz's younger brother, Javier, was also a footballer, as well as his other sibling Nicolás;{{cite news | url = http://www.elgrafico.com.ar/2017/12/21/C-30634-codigo-klimowicz.php | title = Código Klimowicz |trans-title=Klimowicz code | newspaper = El Gráfico | first = Marcos J. | last = Villalobo | language = es | date = 21 December 2017 | access-date = 7 February 2019}} a goalkeeper, Javier won caps for Ecuador.{{cite news | url = http://www.eluniverso.com/2009/01/04/1/1372/8D895FBFEA5F44308CD5A015C2726A39.html | title = Hermano de Klimowicz es traspasado al Bochum alemán |trans-title=Klimowicz's brother is transferred to Germany's Bochum | newspaper = El Universo | language = es | date = 4 January 2009 | access-date = 15 December 2016}} Klimowicz's grandfather was born in Poland before World War II, in a territory that later became part of Ukraine. His son Mateo was also involved in the sport.

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web \| url = https://int.soccerway.com/players/diego-fernando-klimowicz/1853/ \| title = D. Klimowicz \| publisher = Soccerway \| access-date = 15 December 2016}}{{citation needed\|date=January 2025}}
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="4"\|Instituto \|1993–94 \|rowspan="3"\|Primera B Nacional		\|colspan="2"\|—
1994–95			colspan="2"\|—
1995–96			colspan="2"\|—
colspan="2"\|Total !\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|
rowspan="3"\|Rayo Vallecano \|1996–97 \|La Liga \|34	11	8	7	0	0	42	18
1997–98 \|Segunda División \|12	1	2	0	0	0	14	2
colspan="2"\|Total !46\|\|12\|\|10\|\|7\|\|0\|\|0\|\|56\|\|19
rowspan="3"\|Valladolid \|1997–98 \|rowspan="2"\|La Liga \|20	3	2	\|1	0	0	22	4
1998–99 \|21	1	4	2	0	0	25	3
colspan="2"\|Total !41\|\|4\|\|6\|\|3\|\|0\|\|0\|\|47\|\|7
rowspan="4"\|Lanús \|1999–00 \|rowspan="3"\|Argentine Primera División \|33	16	colspan="2"\|—			33	16
2000–01 \|30	17	colspan="2"\|—			30	17
2001–02 \|14	8	colspan="2"\|—			14	8
colspan="2"\|Total !77\|\|41\|\|0\|\|0\|\|\|\|\|\|77\|\|41
rowspan="7"\|VfL Wolfsburg \|2001–02 \|rowspan="6"\|Bundesliga \|17	10	1	0	0	0	18	10
2002–03 \|25	7	2	2	0	0	27	9
2003–04 \|33	15	2	1	8	5	43	21
2004–05 \|27	7	1	0	0	0	28	7
2005–06 \|26	12	1	1	6	1	33	14
2006–07 \|21	6	3	4	0	0	24	10
colspan="2"\|Total !149\|\|57\|\|11\|\|4\|\|14\|\|6\|\|174\|\|67
rowspan="3"\|Borussia Dortmund \|2007–08 \|rowspan="2"\|Bundesliga \|28	6	6	4	0	0	34	10
2008–09 \|10	0	1	1	0	0	11	1
colspan="2"\|Total !38\|\|6\|\|7\|\|5\|\|0\|\|0\|\|45\|\|11
rowspan="3"\|VfL Bochum \|2008–09 \|rowspan="2"\|Bundesliga \|11	4	0	0	0	0	11	4
2009–10 \|15	4	2	1	0	0	17	5
colspan="2"\|Total !26\|\|8\|\|2\|\|1\|\|0\|\|0\|\|28\|\|9
Instituto \|2010–11 \|Primera B Nacional \|10	1	colspan="2"\|—			10	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !387\|\|129\|\|36\|\|20\|\|14\|\|6\|\|437\|\|155