Rolando Hernan Cristante Mandarino is a professional footballer from Argentina who plays as a goalkeeper. Cristante began his professional career at Gimnasia de La Plata, a top flight club based out of his hometown. After starting as a backup, Cristante was impressive in the handful of starts that he was given. Once the club needed a replacement for the regular first choice keeper, they decided to promote Cristante instead of looking at the transfer market.
And he didn’t disappoint either. Cristante played 58 games for his team between 1989 and 1993 before deciding to move to Mexico and to Club Toluca. In his debut season, after spending most of the time as the third choice keeper for the team, Cristante was sent out on loan, in 1994, to Club Atletico Platense in Argentina. Cristante played a single season at Platense and appeared in almost all the games, before returning to Mexico.
After spending 1995-96 at Mexico, Cristante went for his second loan spell, this time to Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina. As soon as he was back, Club Atletico Huracan became home for Cristante’s third loan spell. After an impressive 32 games, Cristante was recalled to Club Toluca to take up the mantle of the second choice keeper. Soon, Cristante broke through into the first team and since then, has been an immovable object from the team list. Cristante has played over 500 games for Club Toluca and looks all set to continue until he retires, a fate that doesn’t lie too far off.
| Position | Goalkeeper |
| Born | 16 Sep 1969 |
| Nationality |
Argentina
|
| Team History | |
| Club Universidad de Guadalajara | 2011 - 2012 |
| Deportivo Toluca F.C. | 1993 - 2010 |
Club Atletico Huracan
|
1997 - 1998 (loan) |
|
Old Boys
|
1996 - 1997 (loan) |
|
Club Atletico Platense
|
1994 - 1995 (loan) |
|
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
|
1989 - 1993 |
Cristante was simultaneously studying to become a professional coach and opened the Centro de Formacion Deportivo Hernan Cristante, a sports training center for youngsters, in 2004. In Mexico, Cristante is the foreign player who holds the record for most appearances for a foreign player in Mexico.
Cristante has had a silverware-filled career since turning professional. In 1993, he was part of the Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata side that won the Copa Centenario. After moving to Toluca, he was part of 5 league title winning teams and 2 Champion of Champions titles.
Between 1989 and 1995, Cristante also represented Argentina at the national level although he just made 6 appearances behind the likes of Nery Pumpido, Sergio Goycochea. He was, though, the first choice keeper at the 1995 Copa America.
