Jaime Rodríguez

Jaime Rodríguez
Personal information
Full name Jaime Alberto Rodríguez Jiménez
Date of birth (1959-01-17)17 January 1959
Place of birth San Salvador, El Salvador
Date of death 14 September 2025(2025-09-14) (aged 66)
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)
Youth career
1974 Negocios Internacionales
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1977 Alianza
1978–1979 FAS
1980–1982 Bayer Uerdingen
1982–1987 Léon 139 (6)
1984–1985KPV (loan) 18 (4)
1987–1990 Atlas 67 (11)
1990 Alianza
1991–1992 NKK 18 (5)
1992–1993 Yokohama Flügels 17 (4)
1994 Alianza
International career
1979–1991 El Salvador 50 (1)
Managerial career
2000 Alianza
2002 San Salvador
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jaime Alberto Rodríguez Jiménez (17 January 1959 – 14 September 2025) was a Salvadoran football player.[1][2]

Rodríguez represented his country at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.

Playing career

Club career

From a very early age on, Rodríguez showed great skill and talent. After being selected by C.D. Negocios Internacionales then Alianza, he began a prolific football career, in the process becoming a legend in El Salvador, although not as highly rated as Mágico González.

A defender, Rodríguez played professionally for different clubs around the world. Among these were El Salvador's Alianza, Mexico's Club Léon and F.C. Atlas, and Germany's Bayer Uerdingen (now known as KFC Uerdingen 05). He also played for teams in Japan's NKK, Yokohama Flügels and Finland's KPV scoring 4 goals in 18 games during 1984–1985.

International career

Nicknamed La Chelona, Rodríguez represented his country in fifteen FIFA World Cup qualification matches[3] and played in all three matches at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.

His final international game was an April 1991 UNCAF Nations Cup qualification match against Nicaragua.

Managerial career

After retiring from football, Rodríguez started a coaching career at Alianza, but was sacked in 2002. He was a strong advocate for improvement in football organisations and programs in El Salvador. He was also a strong supporter for financial aid to Salvadoran sporting heroes of the past who were in need.[4]

In 2009, he became President of the Salvadoran Institute of Sport (INDES) and was appointed coordinator of the El Salvador national team and in 2007 became the assistant coach of the Cuscatlecos.[5]

Rodríguez participated in a charity match to raise funds for earthquake victims in his native El Salvador.

In 2012, Rodríguez was named member of the football commission of FIFA.[6]

Death

Rodríguez died from a cardiac arrest on 14 September 2025, at the age of 66.[7]

Playing statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
NKK 1991–92 JSL Division 2 15 4 0 0 15 4
Yokohama Flügels 1992 J1 League 0 0 4 0 4 0
1993 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 2 0 0 0 4 0 6 0
Career total 17 4 0 0 4 0 21 4
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup.
  2. ^ Includes J.League Cup.

Honours

As a player

Alianza

Yokohama Flügels

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Fiscalía presenta pruebas contra Jaime Rodríguez, ex presidente del INDES".
  2. ^ "Abogado de Jaime Rodríguez admite que utilizaron $125 mil del INDES para estadio las Delicias".
  3. ^ Jaime RodríguezFIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ^ "Por pensión vitalicia". La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 3 October 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  5. ^ ""Chelona" deja su cargo". La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 December 2007.
  6. ^ González, Manahen (10 January 2012). ""Tener peso es lo que le ha faltado a El Salvador" Jaime Rodríguez". Diario Co Latino (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Fallece Jaime "Chelona" Rodríguez, exmundialista salvadoreño, a los 66 años". El Salvador (in Spanish). 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.