Aimar, Pablo, << eh MAHR, PAHB loh >> (1979-…), is a former star soccer player from Argentina . Soccer is called football in many countries. A midfielder, Aimar gained international recognition for his exuberance and his creativity as a playmaker. For a discussion of soccer positions and formations, see Soccer (Players and officials) .
Pablo César Aimar was born on Nov. 3, 1979, in Rio Cuarto, Argentina. He began his career with River Plate in Argentina in 1996, playing one game. In 1997, Aimar helped lead Argentina to the World Youth Championship. Aimar played with River Plate until 2001, when he joined the Valencia CF in Spain . CF stands for club de fútbol, meaning football club. He helped lead Valencia to league championships in 2002 and 2004. Aimar also played in Valencia’s UEFA Cup and European Super Cup victories in 2004. UEFA stands for the Union of European Football Associations, the organization that governs European Football (see FIFA ). From 2006 to 2008, Aimar played for Valencia’s league rival Real Zaragoza . In 2008, he joined the Portuguese team Benfica. In his second season, he helped lead the team to the 2010 Portuguese league championship. In 2013, Aimar joined the Malaysian Super League team Johor Darul Takzim. Aimar returned briefly to River Plate in Argentina before retiring from professional soccer in 2015.
