Editing Roberto Ayala (section)

{{Short description|Argentine footballer (born 1973)}}
{{about|the Argentine footballer|the Mexican footballer Roberto Hernández Ayala|Roberto Hernández (Mexican footballer)|the station|Roberto Ayala railway station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Roberto Ayala
| image = 018 Summer Youth Olympics (30382602628) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Ayala in 2018
| fullname = Roberto Fabián Ayala<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Argentina |publisher=FIFA |page=2 |date=21 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
| height = 1.77 m
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|04|14}}
| birth_place = [[Paraná, Argentina|Paraná]], Argentina
| currentclub = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] (field assistant)<ref name=arg/>
| position = [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|Centre-back]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = [[Ferro Carril Oeste]]
| years1 = 1991–1993
| clubs1 = [[Ferro Carril Oeste]]
| caps1 = 73
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 1993–1995
| clubs2 = [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
| caps2 = 41
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1995–1998
| clubs3 = [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]]
| caps3 = 87
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1998–2000
| clubs4 = [[A.C. Milan|Milan]]
| caps4 = 24
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2000–2007
| clubs5 = [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]
| caps5 = 187
| goals5 = 9
| years6 = 2007–2010
| clubs6 = [[Real Zaragoza]]
| caps6 = 74
| goals6 = 4
| years7 = 2010–2011
| clubs7 = [[Racing Club de Avellaneda|Racing Club]]
| caps7 = 15
| goals7 = 0
| totalcaps = 501
| totalgoals = 15
| nationalyears1 = 1996
| nationalteam1 = [[Argentina national under-23 football team|Argentina U23]]
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2004
| nationalteam2 = [[Argentina national under-23 football team|Argentina Olympic]] ([[List of overage players in Olympic football|O.P.]])
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 1994–2007
| nationalteam3 = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
| nationalcaps3 = 116<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/copa-america/afa-rinde-homenaje-messi-kun-aguero-record-partidos|title=AFA rinde homenaje a Messi y Kun Agüero por su récord de partidos|date=7 February 2021 }}</ref>
| nationalgoals3 = 7
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[association football|Football]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{ARG}} <small>(as player)</small>}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]|[[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]]|[[Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1995 Pan American Games|1995 Mar del Plata]] | [[Football at the 1995 Pan American Games|Team]]}}
{{medalCountry|{{fb|ARG}} <small>(as assistant manager)</small>}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 Qatar]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Copa América]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2021 Copa América|2021 Brazil]]|}}
{{Medal|W|[[2024 Copa América|2024 United States]]|}}
{{Medal|3rd|[[2019 Copa América|2019 Brazil]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2022 Finalissima|2022 England]]|}}
| managerclubs1 = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] (assistant)
| manageryears1 = 2019-
}}

'''Roberto Fabián Ayala''' ({{IPA|es|roˈβeɾto faˈβjan aˈʝala|}}; born 14 April 1973), nicknamed ''El Ratón'' ("The Mouse"), is an Argentine former [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[centre back]] for the [[Argentina national football team]], as well as [[Valencia CF|Valencia]] and [[Real Zaragoza]] in Spain, [[A.C. Milan|Milan]] and [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]] in Italy, and [[Ferro Carril Oeste|Ferro Carril]], [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] and [[Racing Club de Avellaneda|Racing Club]] in his native Argentina.

Regarded as one of the best defenders of all time, he stood out for his leadership and ability in the air throughout his career in spite of his small stature as a centre back.<ref name="ilsole24ore">{{cite web|url=http://argomenti.ilsole24ore.com/roberto-ayala.html|title=Ultime notizie su Roberto Ayala|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=6 June 2006|access-date=5 June 2015}}</ref> Ayala [[Captain (sports)|captained]] Argentina in a record 63 matches.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.chinadaily.com.cn./sports/2007-06/06/content_888140.htm| title = Messi inspires Argentina to 4–3 win over Algeria| work = China Daily| date = 5 June 2007|access-date=6 June 2007}}</ref> He played in three [[FIFA World Cup]]s and made a total of 116 international appearances, behind only [[Javier Mascherano]], [[Javier Zanetti]] and [[Lionel Messi]] in terms of international appearances.