# Jaime Grondona

Jaime Andrés Grondona Bobadilla (born 15 April 1987) is a former Chilean footballer who played as a striker. He is currently a coach of Kleinburg Nobleton SC.

## Club career

Grondona began his professional career in the Chilean Primera División with Santiago Wanderers and made his debut on April 17, 2005. He later signed with Santiago Morning in 2008. After two seasons in the country's capital, he played with O'Higgins for two seasons. In 2011, Ñublense acquired the forward for the remainder of the 2011 season.
In the winter of 2011, he left Ñublense to sign with Deportes Iquique where he would make his debut in the Copa Sudamericana for the 2012 tournament. He had another run in the continental tournament in 2013 with Cobreloa.
Grondona would play the 2014-15 season with San Marcos de Arica. In 2015, he joined league rivals San Luis de Quillota. Following his brief stint with San Luis, he was transferred to C.D. Cobresal in the winter of 2017.

### Primera B de Chile

In 2018, he began featuring in the Chilean second-tier league by initially signing with Deportes Puerto Montt. For the next season, he was transferred to his former club Deportes La Serena. After a season with La Serena, he was released in 2020.

### Europe

In 2020, he went abroad to sign with Atlètic d'Escaldes in Andorra's Primera Divisió. His signing was recommended by former Chilean goalkeeper Guillermo Burgos, who worked in the technical staff of the club. After a season with Atlètic, he signed with league rivals Santa Coloma. In his final season in the Andorran first division, he finished as the league's top goal scorer with 15 goals.

### Canada

After two seasons in Europe, he joined Canadian Soccer League club Scarborough SC in the summer of 2023. He would record his first goal for Scarborough on June 11, 2023, against Weston United. Grondona would help the eastern Toronto side secure the regular season title. He would finish the campaign with 5 goals.

## International career

He was a member of the Chile national under-20 team that won third place at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. In the tournament's opening match, he contributed a goal which helped to defeat Canada. He would help the national team secure the group division which advanced the team to the next round. His next goal came in the quarterfinal round, where Chile defeated Nigeria by a score of 4-0. After his team's semifinal loss against Argentina in Toronto, Grondona was banned by FIFA for nine months over his behavior towards officials.
The Chileans would end up finishing the tournament in third place after defeating Austria. He made five appearances and scored twice at the tournament.

## Coaching career

Grondona began his career coaching the Santa Coloma youth ranks. He emigrated to Canada thanks to the former footballer Pablo González and spent a year making a voluntary service to the Power Soccer Academy.
On 21 March 2024, Grondona joined the coaching staff of Canadian soccer club Kleinburg Nobleton SC, whose sport manager is the Canadian-Chilean Camilo Benzi.

## Honours
### Player

Chile
* FIFA U-20 World Cup: Third place: 2007
Scarborough SC
* Canadian Soccer League Regular Season: 2023
Individual
* Primera Divisió Top Goal Scorer: 2021–22