Gabriel Achilier

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gabriel Achilier

| image = ENTRENAMIENTO SELECCIÓN ECUADOR (22464364018) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Achilier with Ecuador in 2015

| fullname = Gabriel Eduardo Achilier Zurita

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|3|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Machala, Ecuador

| height = {{height|m=1.81|precision=0}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = Orense

| clubnumber = 24

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2002

| years2 = 2003

| years3 = 2004–2006

| years4 = 2007–2008

| years5 = 2009–2016

| years6 = 2017–2020

| years7 = 2021

| years8 = 2021

| years9 = 2022–

| clubs1 = CD Oro

| clubs2 = Deportivo Cuenca

| clubs3 = LDU Loja

| clubs4 = Deportivo Azogues

| clubs5 = Emelec

| clubs6 = Morelia

| clubs7 = Alianza Lima

| clubs8 = → Orense (loan)

| clubs9 = Orense

| caps1 = 17

| caps2 = 0

| caps3 = 90

| caps4 = 64

| caps5 = 276

| caps6 = 115

| caps7 = 0

| caps8 = 25

| caps9 = 28

| goals1 = 4

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 1

| goals4 = 1

| goals5 = 10

| goals6 = 4

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 4

| goals9 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 2008–2019

| nationalteam1 = Ecuador

| nationalcaps1 = 54

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| pcupdate = 18:23, 23 November 2022 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 21 June 2019

}}

Gabriel Eduardo Achilier Zurita ({{IPA|es|ɡaˈβɾjel atʃiˈljeɾ}}; born March 24, 1985) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays for Orense in the Liga PRO Ecuador as a centre-back.{{cite web|publisher=ESPNFC|title=Gabriel Achillier|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/96165/}}

Club career

Born in Machala, Achilier began his professional career {{cite web|publisher=ESPNFC|title=Gabriel Achillier|url=http://www.espnfc.com/player/96165/gabriel-achilier|access-date=2009-03-17}} in Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Loja. There, he established himself as one of the growing, future defender of the national team. In 2004, he left to join Deportivo Azogues.

In Azogues, he began to make a name for himself through his marvelous performances. Achilier helped Azogues qualify for the 2007 Liguilla Final of Ecuador's Serie A. Azogues did not win the tournament but did good overall. In 2008, however, Achilier matured more in the game but Azogues had a horrible season. Azogues was last in the table and did not do well in the second fase either. As a result, Achilier and Azogues were relegated down to the second division.

In November 2008, Achilier became Emelec's first offseason reinforcement. He was loaned with an option to buy.

In December 2009, Club Sport Emelec enforced its option to buy over the player and signed him on a 5-year contract, because of his great performances as a "problem solver" for the manager, being able to play in several different positions of the pitch when needed.

International career

Achilier{{cite web|publisher=NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM|title=Gabriel Achillier|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/25436/Gabriel_Achilier.html}} was called up to represent Ecuador on May 27, 2008 against France.{{cite web|publisher=FIFA|title=Gabriel Achillier|url=http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/teams/player=250044598/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604111231/http://www.uefa.com/worldcup/season=2014/teams/player=250044598/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2014}}

=International goals=

:Scores and results list Ecuador's goal tally first.{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/25436/Gabriel_Achilier.html|title=Achilier, Gabriel|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=8 February 2017}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"

! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition

6 September 2016

Estadio Nacional de Lima, Lima, Peru

align=center | 1–1

align=center | 1–2

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Achievements

=Club=

;CS Emelec

Serie A: 2013, 2014, 2015

Personal life

Achilier was married to Marly Romero and the pair had three children. In May 2016 Achilier's wife Romero was diagnosed with cancer, and on 23 January 2017 she died at Reina del Cisne clinic in the town of Piñas, El Oro province.{{cite web|title=Falleció la esposa de Gabriel Achilier|url=http://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/2017/01/23/nota/6013051/fallecio-esposa-gabriel-achilier|date=23 January 2017|access-date=24 January 2017|language=es|publisher=El Universo}}{{cite web|title=Fallece en Ecuador la esposa de Gabriel Achilier, zaguero de Monarcas Morelia|url=http://www.univision.com/deportes/futbol/monarcas-morelia/fallece-en-ecuador-la-esposa-de-gabriel-achilier-zaguero-de-monarcas-morelia|date=23 January 2017|access-date=24 January 2017|language=es|publisher=Univision Deportes}}