Rodolfo Bodipo Explained

Rodolfo Bodipo
Fullname:Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz
Birth Date:25 October 1977
Birth Place:Dos Hermanas, Spain
Height:1.830NaN0
Position:Striker
Youthclubs1:Dos Hermanas
Youthclubs2:Sevilla
Youthclubs3:CD Montequinto
Years1:1995–1996
Clubs1:Ángulo CF
Years2:1996–1997
Clubs2:UA Ceutí
Years3:1997–1998
Years4:1997–1998
Clubs4:Hellín (loan)
Caps4:10
Goals4:6
Years5:1998
Caps5:9
Goals5:2
Years6:1998–2001
Caps6:96
Goals6:21
Years7:2001–2004
Caps7:81
Goals7:27
Years8:2004–2006
Caps8:74
Goals8:23
Years9:2006–2013
Caps9:90
Goals9:12
Years10:2010
Clubs10:Vaslui (loan)
Caps10:3
Goals10:0
Years11:2010–2011
Clubs11:Elche (loan)
Caps11:24
Goals11:2
Years12:2013
Caps12:10
Goals12:2
Totalcaps:397
Totalgoals:95
Nationalyears1:2003–2013
Nationalteam1:Equatorial Guinea
Nationalcaps1:10
Nationalgoals1:4
Manageryears1:2017
Managerclubs1:Mancha Real
Manageryears2:2017–2018
Managerclubs2:Equatorial Guinea (local coach)
Manageryears3:2018–2019
Managerclubs3:Equatorial Guinea U23

Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz (born 25 October 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker, and is a current manager and politician. Born in Spain, he played for the Equatorial Guinea national team.

He appeared in 158 La Liga matches over eight seasons, scoring 32 goals in representation of Racing de Santander, Alavés and Deportivo. He added 200 games and 53 goals in Segunda División, and spent almost his entire professional career in Spain.

Club career

Bodipo was born in the Spanish city of Dos Hermanas, Province of Seville in a biracial background, his father being Equatoguinean and his mother Spanish. After having played youth football with three clubs, including hometown's Dos Hermanas CF and Sevilla FC,[1] [2] and spending his first three and a half seasons in amateur football,[3] [4] [5] he represented several teams in the country, with moderate scoring success: Recreativo de Huelva (three second division seasons), Racing de Santander and Deportivo Alavés (in both cases, helping his side achieve La Liga promotion); with the latter, he had his best statistical year in the 2004–05 campaign, as he netted 16 times – fifth in the league – in 39 games to help the Basques rank third.[6]

For 2006–07, Bodipo joined Deportivo de La Coruña,[7] where was usually fourth choice in his first two campaigns, although he spent his first on the sidelines due to a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury.[8] However, during 2008–09, he managed to score three goals for Depor in two weeks starting in December 2008, including one against AS Nancy in the UEFA Cup group stage 1–0 home win,[9] and another at Getafe CF in a 2–1 victory, while also winning a penalty kick that was converted by Sergio.[10]

After an unassuming 2009–10 season – 15 matches, none complete, no goals – Bodipo, aged nearly 33, was loaned for one year to Liga I team FC Vaslui, in Romania.[11] Just one month after, however, he terminated his contract and returned to Spain,[12] being sparingly used by second-tier Elche CF.[13] [14]

Bodipo was appointed manager of Atlético Mancha Real on 14 March 2017.[15] Two months later, following their descent into the Tercera División, he turned down a new contract.[16]

International career

Bodipo opted to represent Equatorial Guinea through parentage, as Javier Balboa and Benjamín.[17] His first two caps, aged 26, came against Togo, playing in both legs of the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

In November 2013, Bodipo was summoned for his last international, a friendly with the national team of his country of birth, Spain, to be played on the 16th;[18] he featured the last five minutes of the 1–2 loss in Malabo.[19] While a player, he was often the Nzalang Nacional's captain.[20]

Bodipo returned to the national set-up in July 2017 as assistant manager, and coordinator of the youth teams.[21]

International goals

DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
129 March 2006Estadio Internacional, Malabo, Equatorial GuineaFriendly
23 September 2006Estadio Internacional, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
321 November 2007Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial GuineaFriendly
46 September 2008National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone2010 World Cup qualification

Outside football

In September 2020, Bodipo was named General Director of Youth and Sports of the Ministry of Education, Teaching and Sports of Equatorial Guinea.[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bodipo, un ariete peleón Rey Mago en Huelva y que ahora entrena sin ficha con el Racing de Ferrol. Bodipo, Magi-like fighting striker in Huelva now on trial with Racing de Ferrol. Huelva 24. es. 28 February 2013. 11 April 2013.
  2. News: "Papá, sácame del Sevilla". Daddy, get me out of Sevilla. La Opinión A Coruña. Eugenio. Cobas. es. 9 January 2009. 16 November 2020.
  3. News: Lucentino y Melilla entran en los grupos X y IX de Tercera. Lucentino and Melilla join groups X and IX in Tercera. ABC. es. 8 September 1996. 10 April 2013.
  4. News: El espíritu de Hellín. The spirit of Hellín. Diario Sur. Eduardo. Puche. es. 12 April 2007. 11 April 2013.
  5. Web site: Bodipo: un ex-alavesista que se estrena como entrenador. Bodipo: former alavesista makes coaching debut. Vavel. Iñaki. Jiménez Fernández de Retana. es. 15 March 2017. 16 November 2020.
  6. News: De Guinea, a Lugo directo. From Guinea, straight to Lugo. Diario de Jerez. M.. Romero. es. 28 March 2013. 16 November 2020.
  7. Web site: Two more signings with at Deportivo. UEFA. 28 June 2006. 27 May 2010.
  8. Web site: Depor new boy Bodipo breaks down. UEFA. 21 September 2006. 27 May 2010.
  9. Web site: Bodipo strikes to oust Nancy. UEFA. 17 December 2008. 16 November 2020.
  10. Web site: Getafe 1–2 Deportivo La Coruña. ESPN Soccernet. 4 January 2009. 31 January 2013.
  11. News: Bodipo împrumutat pentru un an la Vaslui: "Vin să iau titlul!". Bodipo loaned one year to Vaslui: "I came to be champion!". Gazeta Sporturilor. Cristian. Lapa. ro. 9 July 2010. 16 November 2020.
  12. News: Bodipo și-a reziliat contractul cu Vaslui. Bodipo terminated his contract with Vaslui. ProSport. ro. 24 August 2010. 16 November 2020.
  13. News: Bodipo: "Quiero volver a sentirme futbolista". Bodipo: "I want to feel a footballer again". Marca. es. 30 August 2010. 23 February 2018.
  14. News: 976 minutos después marca Bodipo. Bodipo scores 976 minutes later. Diario Información. Julián. Palomar. es. 18 April 2011. 23 February 2018.
  15. News: Bodipo las riendas del Mancha Real. Bodipo takes the reins of Mancha Real. Marca. es. 15 March 2017. 15 March 2017.
  16. News: Rodolfo Bodipo dice no al Mancha Real y el club baraja varios nombres. Rodolfo Bodipo says no to Mancha Real and the club ponders several names. Ideal. Jesús. Mudarra. es. 24 May 2017. 22 April 2020.
  17. News: El acento español de Guinea. Guinea's Spanish accent. El Mundo. Fernando. Beltrán. es. 16 November 2013. 20 November 2018.
  18. Web site: Bodipo, será homenajeado frente a España. Bodipo, will be honored against Spain. Equatoguinean Football Federation. es. 9 November 2013. 11 November 2013.
  19. News: De pasear la estrella a ver las estrellas. From parading star to seeing stars. Marca. Javier. Estepa. es. 17 November 2013. 17 November 2013.
  20. Web site: El representante de UNICEF se reúne con Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz, excapitán de la selección nacional de fútbol de Guinea Ecuatorial. UNICEF representative meets Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz, former Equatorial Guinea national football team captain. UNICEF. es. 11 June 2020. 5 October 2020.
  21. Web site: El exrecreativista Bodipo, nuevo segundo entrenador de Guinea. Former Recreativo man Bodipo, new assistant manager of Equatorial Guinea. El Desmarque. es. 23 July 2017. 22 April 2020.
  22. News: Un ex-del Recreativo entra a formar parte de un Ministerio. A former Recreativo player joins a Ministry. Diario de Huelva. Damián. Ortiz. es. 17 September 2020. 5 October 2020.