{{short description|Venezuelan footballer (born 1977)}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Alejandro Cíchero |image = Alejandro Cichero.jpg |fullname = Alejandro Enrique Cíchero Konarek |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|4|20}} |birth_place = Caracas, Venezuela |height = 1.96 m |position = Defender |youthyears1 = 1988–1995 |youthclubs1 = Trujillanos |years1 = 1996–1998 | clubs1 = Trujillanos | caps1 = 48 | goals1 = 0 |years2 = 1998–2001 | clubs2 = Benfica | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 |years3 = 1998–1999 | clubs3 = → Cagliari (loan) | caps3 = 13 | goals3 = 0 |years4 = 1999–2000 | clubs4 = → Oliveira do Bairro (loan) | caps4 = 26 | goals4 = 0 |years5 = 2000–2001 | clubs5 = Benfica B | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 1 |years6 = 2001–2002 | clubs6 = Deportivo Italchacao | caps6 = 26 | goals6 = 5 |years7 = 2002 | clubs7 = Central Español | caps7 = 5 | goals7 = 0 |years8 = 2003 | clubs8 = Atlético Cerro | caps8 = 20 | goals8 = 2 |years9 = 2004 | clubs9 = Nacional Montevideo | caps9 = 12 | goals9 = 1 |years10 = 2004–2008 | clubs10 = Litex Lovech | caps10 = 62 | goals10 = 5 |years11= 2008–2009 | clubs11= Shandong Luneng | caps11 = 58 | goals11 = 5 |years12= 2009–2010 | clubs12= Caracas | caps12 = 7 | goals12 = 0 |years13= 2010–2011 | clubs13= Millonarios| caps13 = 46 | goals13 = 5 |years14= 2013–2014 | clubs14= Deportivo Anzoátegui| caps14= 24 |goals14 = 1 |totalcaps = 357 |totalgoals=25 |nationalyears1= 2002–2007| nationalteam1= Venezuela |nationalcaps1= 47 | nationalgoals1 = 2 }}
'''Alejandro Enrique Cíchero Konarek''' ({{IPA|es-419|aleˈxandɾo ˈsitʃeɾo|lang}}; born April 20, 1977) is a Venezuelan former footballer who played as a defender.
==Career== Born in Caracas, Cichero joined the youth system of Trujillanos Fútbol Club in 1988, being promoted to the first team in 1996 and helping them reach the Copa CONMEBOL Playoff in his second season.
In 1998, he moved to Europe, joining Benfica, who immediately loaned him to Cagliari Calcio in the Serie A, playing thirteen matches over the course of the 1998–99 season. He then spent two seasons in the Portuguese Second Division — the third tier of Portuguese football. First in 1999–2000 at Oliveira do Bairro S.C. and then at Benfica's reserve team, where he made one bench appearance on the first team in a 2–1 win against Porto.<ref>{{cite news|title=Benfica-FC Porto, 2–1: A ironia de ser Van Hooijdonk a reabilitar o 4x5x1 de Toni |trans-title=Benfica-Porto, 2–1: The irony of being Van Hooijdonk to reabilitate the 4x5x1 of Toni |url=http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/interior.aspx?content_id=66181 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615051517/http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/interior.aspx?content_id=66181 |archivedate=15 June 2015 |work=Record |date=22 January 2001 |accessdate=21 June 2018 |language=Portuguese |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Cichero: "Em Portugal havia sempre churrasco" |trans-title=Chichero: "In Portugal there was always barbecue"|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/benfica/detalhe/cichero-em-portugal-havia-sempre-churrasco.html |accessdate=21 June 2018 |work=Record |date=9 March 2010 |language=Portuguese}}</ref>
In 2002, he returned home, playing the 2001–02 season at Deportivo Italchacao, before spending an 18-month span in the Uruguayan Primera División, in three clubs. In 2004, he returned to Europe, joining PFC Litex Lovech in the Bulgarian league, where he would stay until 2008, helping the team finish third in 2005–06, as well progressing to the Round of 32 in the UEFA Cup.
The 31-year-old then joined the Chinese team, Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C., immediately conquering his first title, the 2008 Chinese Super League. After two seasons, he returned to his native hometown, to play for Caracas FC. In July 2010, the Venezuelan international, moved to Colombia, reuniting with former national team manager, Richard Páez at Millonarios.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cichero sueña con ser campeón|trans-title=Cichero dreams of being Champion|url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/news/story?id=1067764&s=col&type=story|access-date=16 June 2015|work=ESPN|date=27 July 2010}}</ref>
In 2013, the 36-year-old, came out of retirement to play one more season, joining Deportivo Anzoátegui.<ref>{{cite news|title=Alejandro Cíchero nuevo jugador del Deportivo Anzoátegui|url=http://visionnoventa.com/alejandro-cichero-nuevo-jugador-del-deportivo-anzoategui/|accessdate=16 June 2015|work=visionnoventa.com/|date=18 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622024639/http://visionnoventa.com/alejandro-cichero-nuevo-jugador-del-deportivo-anzoategui/|archive-date=22 June 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==International career== He played in the 2004 and 2007 editions of Copa America.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/venez-recintlp.html rsssf: Venezuela record international footballers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330030627/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/venez-recintlp.html |date=2009-03-30 }}</ref> He has made over 40 appearances for the Venezuela national team since 2002.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/cichero-intl.html International career statistics] at rsssf</ref>
===International goals=== {{International goals header}} |- | 1. || June 1, 2007 || José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela || {{fb|CAN}} || '''1'''–1 || 2–2 || Friendly |- | 2. || June 30, 2007 || Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela || {{fb|PER}} || '''1'''–0 || 2–0 || 2007 Copa América |}
==Personal life== He is the son of Mauro Cichero who was a professional football player and represented Venezuela in the 1980 Olympics. His brothers, Gabriel and Mauro, are also professional football players.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voce.com.ve/2018/03/15/303803/cichero-vinotinto-olimpionica/|title=Mauro Cichero, uno dei pilastri della vinotinto olimpionica|language=it-IT|trans-title=Mauro Cichero, one of the pillars of the olympic vinotinto|date=15 March 2018|website=La Voce d'Italia|accessdate=16 June 2020|last=De Simone |first=Fioravante}}</ref> Born in Venezuela, Cichero is of Italian and Polish descent.<ref>🖉{{Cite web|url=https://sport.tvp.pl/53483031/od-potomka-witkacego-po-paulo-dybale-zagraniczni-pilkarze-z-polskimi-korzeniami|title=Od potomka "Witkacego" po Dybalę. Egzotycznymi śladami Polaków|first=Telewizja Polska|last=S.A|date=26 April 2021|website=sport.tvp.pl}}</ref>
==Honors== '''Shandong Luneng Taishan''' * Chinese Super League: 2008
'''Caracas''' * Venezuelan 1st Division: 2009–10
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{ForaDeJogo}} * {{Soccerway|alejandro-cichero/29035}}
{{Venezuela Squad Copa América 2004}} {{Venezuela Squad Copa América 2007}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cichero, Alejandro}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Caracas Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Venezuelan people of Italian descent Category:Venezuelan people of Polish descent Category:Venezuelan men's footballers Category:Venezuela men's international footballers Category:2004 Copa América players Category:2007 Copa América players Category:Trujillanos F.C. players Category:Cagliari Calcio players Category:S.L. Benfica B players Category:Deportivo Miranda F.C. players Category:Central Español players Category:C.A. Cerro players Category:Club Nacional de Football players Category:FC Lovech players Category:Shandong Taishan F.C. players Category:Caracas F.C. players Category:Millonarios F.C. players Category:Deportivo Anzoátegui players Category:Categoría Primera A players Category:Uruguayan Primera División players Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players Category:Chinese Super League players Category:Venezuelan expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Colombia Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Colombia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Uruguay Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China Category:Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in China