Name: Franco Niell
Nicknames: "Enano", "Pitufo", "Chiquitín"
Country:
ArgentinaClub: Gimnasia y Esgrima / Deportivo Quito / Argentinos Juniors
Shirt Number: 22
Position: ★CF, SS, WF
Side: RF/BS
Age: 26-28 years (22/05/1983)
Height: 163 cm
Weight: 65 kg
Attack: 77
Defence: 43
Balance: 73
Stamina: 77
Top Speed: 83
Acceleration: 84
Response: 80
Agility: 83
Dribble Accuracy: 77
Dribble Speed: 80
Short Pass Accuracy: 72
Short Pass Speed: 73
Long Pass Accuracy: 69
Long Pass Speed: 69
Shot Accuracy: 76
Shot Power: 77
Shot Technique: 75
Free Kick Accuracy: 64
Swerve: 62
Heading: 82
Jump: 95
Technique: 78
Aggression: 83
Mentality: 71
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team work: 73
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 4
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 4
Consistency: 4
Growth type: Standard
CARDS:
P13 - Goal Poacher
S01 - Marauding
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Reaction
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack-Minded
INFO:
Franco Niell is an Argentine former footballer who played as a forward. Born in Trelew, Chubut (22/05/1983), he started his professional career for Argentinos Juniors, in a 3-1 win over C.A. Colón on December 4th, 2004, when he entered as a substitute for Gustavo Oberman and scored a header just minutes after being subbed in. In early 2008, he was loaned to D.C. United, where he played alongside Marcelo Gallardo and Peruvian goalkeeper José Carvallo, who was a World Cup player in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In mid-2008, he returned to Argentinos Juniors but was loaned out, free of charge and without an option to buy, to Gimnasia y Esgrima for a year. In his last match there, on July 12, 2009, he scored two decisive goals against Atlético de Rafaela to keep Gimnasia in the Primera División, both with headers. After his remarkable feat and performance at the La Plata club, he returned to Argentinos Juniors, where he was once again loaned out in August 2009, this time to Ecuadorian club Deportivo Quito at the request of coach Rubén Darío Insúa, where he achieved a double championship. At the end of this new loan, he returned once more to Argentinos Juniors for the 2010 Apertura championship and also played in the Copa Libertadores de América for the La Paternal team, where he scored four goals: one against Club Nacional, another against Club América, and a double-header against Fluminense. In July 2013, he joined Rosario Central for three seasons, where he quickly earned the affection of the Canalla fans. In his three seasons with the Rosario team, what most stood out were his performances in the Clásico Rosarino: on April 6, 2014, Franco Niell scored a goal in the derby in a 0-1 victory on Matchday 12 of the Torneo Final, and on October 19 of that same year, he scored a header against the same rival in a 2-0 victory on Matchday 12 of the Torneo Transición. Throughout his career, Niell also played for Figueirense in Brazil, Querétaro in Mexico, Guillermo Brown, Quilmes A.C., Barracas Central, Deportivo Madryn, and retired in 2023 playing for A.D. Berazategui.
Niell was a fast forward characterized by his incredible leap, allowing him to win most aerial duels he contested. While not a high-volume scorer, more than half of Niell's goals came from headers, despite his short stature of 1.63m (5'4''). He knew how to play in all attacking positions but stood out mainly as a center forward or second striker. Niell was a fast and agile player with great reaction and positioning abilities, often playing behind the opposing defenders due to his low center of gravity that allowed him to turn more nimbly. Niell is remembered as one of the great headers in Argentine football and is greatly loved by the fans of Gimnasia y Esgrima and Rosario Central.
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Argentinos Juniors (2004 - 2011) - 98 games, 22 goals.
D.C. United (2008) - 7 games, 0 goals.
Gimnasia y Esgrima (2008 - 2009) - 31 games, 6 goals.
Deportivo Quito (2009 - 2010) - 38 games, 2 goals.
Querétaro F.C. (2011) - 18 games, 3 goals.
Figueirense F.C. (2012) - 10 games, 1 goal.
Rosario Central (2013 - 2016) - 75 games, 18 goals.
Guillermo Brown (2018 - 2019) - 10 games, 1 goal.
Quilmes A.C. (2019) - 7 games, 1 goal.
Barracas Central (2019 - 2020) - 16 games, 3 goals.
Deportivo Madryn (2020 - 2021) - 26 games, 1 goals.
A.D. Berazategui (2022 - 2023) - 23 games, 3 goals.