Willy Caballero
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| Willy Caballero | |
| |
| Full Name | Wilfredo Daniel Caballero Lazcano |
| Date of Birth | 28 September 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Santa Elena, Argentina |
| Position | Goalkeeper |
| Chelsea career | 2017 – 2021 |
| Debut | 20 September 2017 |
| Games (goals) | 38 (0) |
| Other clubs | Boca Juniors Elche CF Arsenal de Sarandí (loan) Málaga CF Manchester City Southampton |
Wilfredo Daniel Caballero Lazcano, commonly known as Willy Caballero is a Argentinian goalkeeper who played for Chelsea from 2017 until 2021. Currently, he is an assistant coach of Enzo Maresca's backroom stuff at Chelsea.
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Before Chelsea
Caballero began his career at Boca Juniors in Argentina before moving to Spain, where he played for Elche and Málaga, becoming one of La Liga’s most consistent goalkeepers. His performances earned him a transfer to Manchester City in 2014, where he won the League Cup and earned a reputation as a penalty specialist, particularly in the 2016 League Cup final. After three seasons as City’s backup goalkeeper, he joined Chelsea in 2017 to provide experience and competition.
Chelsea career
2017–18 Season
Caballero joined as deputy to Thibaut Courtois but featured in 13 matches across all competitions, including 3 Premier League appearances. He played a key role in domestic cup ties, notably saving a penalty in a shootout against Norwich City in the FA Cup. Chelsea went on to win the FA Cup, with Caballero on the bench for the final.
2018–19 Season
With Kepa Arrizabalaga replacing Courtois, Caballero’s role remained similar as the second-choice goalkeeper. He made 9 appearances across all competitions, including 2 in the Premier League. He played primarily in the League Cup and early rounds of the Europa League, as Chelsea went on to win the UEFA Europa League.
2019–20 Season
Frank Lampard handed Caballero an extended run when Kepa’s form faltered, and the Argentine made 14 appearances, including 5 in the Premier League and crucial games in the FA Cup. He started the FA Cup Final, which Chelsea lost 2–1 to Arsenal, but earned praise for his steady performances during the run-in.
2020–21 Season
Caballero transitioned into more of a third-choice role following Edouard Mendy’s arrival, making just 2 appearances, one in the league, one in the League Cup. He did not feature in the league but was part of the squad that won the UEFA Champions League, serving as an unused substitute in the final against Manchester City.
Statistics
| Season | Prem | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| 2017-18 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
- Correct as of the end of the 2020-21 season
International
Willy Caballero earned his first senior cap for Argentina in 2018 at age 36. He was selected for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, starting as Argentina’s goalkeeper but was dropped after a costly error against Croatia in the group stage. Though his international career was brief, he made a handful of appearances that year before retiring from national team duty.
Honours
- FA Cup: 2017-18
- UEFA Europa League: 2018-19
- UEFA Champions League: 2020-21
