Lucas Billa is an Argentinean footballer playing for the Italian Lazio. This year he turned thirty years old, but while he does not even think about ending his career, on the contrary, just now his performances are becoming more and more impressive. Lucas Billa plays the position of a defensive midfielder, but can also rise a little higher, taking on more creative responsibilities, although he copes with the defensive best.
Carier start
Lucas Billa was born in Argentina on January 30, 1986. At the age of four, he joined the football academy of the local small club "Estudiantes" from his hometown of Mercedes. He spent eight years there, and when he was twelve, he went through a viewing at the Argentinos Juniors club, where he was immediately admitted. There he spent another six years before signing a professional contract with the club. However, even before he turned 18, Billia had already started playing for the main team. In total, he spent 17 matches, scoring one goal, and then he was noticed by a rather large Argentine club Independiente, playing in the major league. In the summer of 2005, 19-year-old Lucas Billa went on a promotion and became a player of the Independiente, who signed it for an amount still not disclosed to the public.
Transition to the Independent
Lucas Billa is a football player who began to show himself even in his homeland, before moving to Europe. In just one year at the Independente, he played 49 matches, which attracted the close attention of European clubs. Usually, South American players attracted Europeans with their technical skills, but Bilia was a defensive midfielder who acted perfectly in defense. Just such a player was needed by the Belgian Anderlecht, who paid three million euros in 2006 for Argentine talent.
Relocation to Europe
In “Anderlecht” Lucas Billia, whose photos at the time of his transfer to the European club began to appear in all sports magazines, spent most of his career. From the very first season, he became a base player - and remained with him for seven years, which he gave to Anderlecht. For the Belgian club, the Argentinean played a total of 302 matches, scoring 16 goals in them. There he won four Belgian Championships and one Belgian Cup. But in 2013, it was time to take a step forward. He was invited to his place by the Italian Lazio, who paid Anderlecht eight and a half million euros.
The game for Lazio
Billia has been playing for Lazio for three years - during this time he managed to play 99 matches, score 11 goals, reach the final of the Italian Cup in 2015 and become the team captain. This season, the midfielder appeared on the field in four matches, giving one assist, and then received a serious injury. It is assumed that he will return to training only in mid-November.
Team appearances
For the national team of Argentina, Bill played 47 matches in which he scored one goal and gave two assists. He made his debut not so long ago - in February 2011, in a match against the Portuguese national team. Together with the team, he went to the America's Cup 2011, where he entered the field in two matches. At the 2014 World Championships, where Argentina reached the finals, in the first four matches Bill was only a substitute - but in the last three he was a base player. He also took part in the Cup of America in 2015 and 2016, where the Argentines lost two finals to the Chileans.