Sebastián Abreu

Washington Sebastián Abreu Gallo (born 17 October 1976) is a Uruguayan football manager and former player who played as a striker.

He is best known for his record of appearing for 32 teams in 11 countries during his professional career.

Nicknamed Loco (Madman in Spanish), the prolific scorer for club and national team initially retired in 2021 after a four-month stint with Sud América, but later that same year came out of retirement with Olimpia de Minas.

In his sole season in La Liga, which started in January 1998, having been signed from San Lorenzo, Abreu scored for the Galicians in a 3–1 home defeat of Barcelona on 25 January.

After having joined Mexico's UANL in 2007, Abreu was able to rescind his contract with them in order to join River Plate – the Mexican Football Federation stalled on recognising the transfer because of an imposed moratorium between the clubs.

He became the only foreigner to score in the Clásico Regiomontano (Tigres vs. Monterrey, which he represented the previous year) against each team.

In the middle of 2008, after exhausting negotiations, Abreu signed a deal with Israeli League champions Beitar Jerusalem.

He appeared in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, but his team was quickly eliminated.

Additionally, he could not play in the domestic front due to lack of payment.

Abreu re-signed with River Plate in September 2008 after terminating his link with Beitar, with a deal lasting until June 2009.

Due to being a late addition, he was not able to play for the side in the Primera División, only featuring in the Copa Sudamericana.

The next year, he was eligible for both the domestic and Copa Libertadores fronts.

In early January 2009, Abreu returned to Spain after a ten-year absence, being loaned by River to Segunda División side Real Sociedad, which had lost habitual first choice Iñigo Díaz de Cerio for the season due to a serious leg injury.

On 14 March 2009, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 away win against league leaders Xerez.

His team, however, ultimately failed in returning to the top flight.

On 13 June 2009, Aris in Greece signed Abreu from River Plate.

However, in January of the following year, the 33-year-old changed club and country again, agreeing on a two-year contract with Brazil's Botafogo.

Abreu scored the second goal in the 2–1 victory over Flamengo on 18 April 2010, which gave the team the Campeonato Carioca title.

A Uruguayan international for more than 15 years, Abreu represented his country in two World Cups and three Copa América tournaments, winning the latter in 2011.

Born in Minas, Lavalleja Department, Abreu played in numerous clubs throughout the Americas (Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil).

He also had an unsuccessful stint with Spain's Deportivo de La Coruña, which loaned him several times for the duration of his contract.

On 6 February 2011, Abreu was involved in a dramatic match against Fluminense: his team won a penalty kick as they were losing 2–1, and he shot it in Panenka-style, with Diego Cavalieri saving the shot by simply standing still.

Another penalty was awarded just five minutes later, and he shot it in the same fashion, this time into the right-hand corner of the goal, as the goalkeeper dived the other way; a few minutes later, Botafogo scored again and won the game.

In July, he had his link extended until 31 December 2012 with a release clause of US$11.3 million, with the player declaring he had previously held talks with Universidad de Chile and Trabzonspor of Turkey.

Abreu was loaned to fellow Série A side Figueirense on 5 July 2012.

However, as the season went on to end in relegation, his contract was ended via Twitter on 24 November, one day before the last game against Grêmio.

From January 2013 to December 2015, Abreu was under contract to Nacional, also being loaned to Rosario Central and Aucas during this timeframe.

On 28 December 2015, Paraguayan newspaper D10 reported that he had met in Uruguay with Sol de América chairman Miguel Figueredo.

He had already received a more lucrative offer from Mexico, but declined in order to be closer to his country, and was officially confirmed on 6 January 2016.

On 12 November 2016, 40-year-old Abreu joined Brazil's Bangu from Santa Tecla, with the deal being made effective the following January.

After ten appearances in the Rio de Janeiro State League, he left.

On 4 April 2017, Abreu signed with Montevideo-based team Central Español of the Uruguayan Segunda División.

In late December of the same year, he joined Chilean Primera División's Audax Italiano from Puerto Montt, in the same country but one level below; this transfer broke a world record, as it marked him as the first player to have played for 26 professional clubs.

Abreu returned to Brazil in December 2018 at age 42, agreeing to a contract at Série D's Rio Branco.

He returned to his homeland the following July, signing with Boston River and making his Primera División debut in a 0–0 draw against River Plate where he donned jersey number 113.

On 8 February 2021, Abreu signed for Athletic Club in Brazil.

After four matches in the Campeonato Mineiro, he terminated his contract on 21 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 30 March 2021, Abreu joined newly promoted Uruguayan top-tier club Sud América.

On 10 June, he announced his decision to retire from professional football, and it was reported on news the game against Liverpool the following day would be his last.

Abreu's hometown side Olimpia de Minas announced on 29 August 2021 that he would briefly come out of retirement to play for them in the local Campeonato Minuano.