Eight separate FIH Player of the Year awards solidify the status of Luciana Paula Aymar as a defining figure in field hockey history. Born in 1977 in Rosario, Argentina, she earned the moniker "La Maga" for her exceptional pace and dribbling capacity, which drew frequent comparisons to the technical proficiency of Diego Maradona throughout her career.
Early Development and Junior Success
Aymar began her involvement with field hockey at age seven, training with Club Atlético Fisherton in her native Rosario. By the age of thirteen, she transitioned to the Jockey Club de Rosario. Her trajectory accelerated as she began training with the national junior setup, necessitating daily travel to Buenos Aires. In 1997, she contributed to a gold medal performance at the Pan American Games Junior Championship and secured a bronze medal at the Hockey Junior World Cup. Her rapid progression allowed her to debut for the senior Argentina squad at sixteen.
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From the 1999 Pan American Games onward, Aymar became central to a successful generation of Argentine players. Her tenure included four Olympic medals, consisting of silvers in 2000 and 2012, and bronzes in 2004 and 2008. She also claimed six Champions Trophies and two World Cup titles in 2002 and 2010. During the 2012 Summer Olympics, she served as the Argentine flag bearer, a distinction held by only one other field hockey athlete in the country's history, Marcelo Garraffo.
Professional Recognition and Legacy
The 2010 World Cup win occurred in her hometown of Rosario at the Estadio Mundialista Luciana Aymar, a facility built for the event with a 12,000-spectator capacity. Her achievements were further formalized in 2010 when she received the Platinum Konex Award as the most significant Argentine hockey player of the decade. Her life and career were documented in the 2016 film, Lucha: Playing the Impossible. Beyond her sporting accolades, she has worked as a model and currently resides in Chile.
Fast facts
- Born: 10 August 1977, Rosario, Argentina
- Nickname: La Maga
- FIH Player of the Year awards: 8
- Olympic medals: 4
- World Cup titles: 2
- Occupations: Field hockey player, model
- Spouse: Fernando González
- Children: 2
Questions readers ask
Why is Luciana Aymar compared to Diego Maradona?
Her ability to use pace and dribbling skills to bypass opponents led observers to nickname her The Maradona of Field Hockey.
What major individual award did she win eight times?
She is the only player in history to receive the FIH Player of the Year Award eight times.