Cristian Zapata is a Colombia international football player who currently features for the Italian and European giants AC Milan. He is a versatile defender who can play as a centre-back, a right back or as a left back.
Zapata started his professional club football career at Colombian giants Deportivo de Cali and played for them for the 2004-2005 season. He featured in 17 league matches for Deportivo and was signed by Udinese in 2005.
Zapata became a very important player for Udinese and very quickly became a first team regular and one of the best players for Udinese at the moment. He was crucial in the Udine-based outfit reaching the Champions League, playing in a total of 168 Serie A matches, scoring five goals in the process.
| Position | Defender |
| Height / weight | 1.87 m / 82 kg |
| Born | 30 Sep 1986 |
| Nationality |
Colombia
|
| Team History | |
| Atlético Bucaramanga | 2024 - present |
Esporte Clube Vitoria
|
2024 |
| Atlético Nacional | 2023 |
|
Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro
|
2021 - 2022 |
Genoa
|
2019 - 2021 |
AC Milan
|
2013 - 2019 |
|
AC Milan
|
2012 - 2013 (loan) |
Villarreal
|
2011 - 2013 |
Udinese
|
2005 - 2011 |
|
Deportivo de Cali
|
2004 - 2005 |
In 2011 Villarreal signed Zapata, but he failed to prevent the Yellow Submarine from suffering relegation at the end of the 2011-12 season. In the summer of 2012 he moved to Milan on loan for the 2012-13 campaign.
Zapata made his international debut for Colombia in 2007 and despite his young age is one of the regular members of the Colombian national team.
