# Franco Jara

Franco Daniel Jara (born 15 July 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Belgrano.
Jara is the all-time leading scorer for Pachuca.

## Club career

Born in Villa María, Córdoba, Jara made his professional debut with Arsenal de Sarandí, first appearing in the Primera División in a 0–1 home loss against Argentinos Juniors on 23 May 2008. He scored his first goal for the club on 10 April of the following year, in a 1–1 draw at Club Atlético Colón.
On 30 January 2010, Jara signed a five-year deal with Portuguese champions S.L. Benfica for a transfer fee of €5.5 million, effective for the beginning of 2010–11. He scored in his second official game, a 1–2 home loss to Académica de Coimbra on 15 August, and finished his first season with 43 competitive appearances (11 goals).
Jara was loaned to newly promoted La Liga side Granada CF in late August 2011, moving to Andalusia alongside several other Benfica teammates. On 21 July of the following year, still owned by the latter, he joined San Lorenzo de Almagro, and the same happened in the 2013–14 campaign, this time with Estudiantes de La Plata.
On 24 January 2015, Jara signed for two and a half years with Olympiacos F.C. in a €1.5 million transfer fee. His Super League Greece debut occurred on 1 February in a 2–0 away win over Veria FC. He scored his first goal two months later, in a 3–1 victory at Panthrakikos FC.
On 23 May 2015, Jara intercepted a backward pass inside the area in the last minute of the first half of the final of the Greek Football Cup, helping the Piraeus-based team to a record 27th conquest after defeating Skoda Xanthi F.C. 3–1 at the Olympic Stadium. On 9 September, he joined Mexican club C.F. Pachuca on a free transfer. He scored a career-best 17 times while at the service of the latter side in 2015–16's Liga MX, helping them win the Clausura tournament, adding six in eight matches for the champions of the following season's CONCACAF Champions League and being voted the competition's best player.
Jara signed for FC Dallas of the Major League Soccer on 21 January 2020, with the deal being made effective in July. On 10 January 2023, Jara and Dallas mutually agreed to terminate his contract at the club.
On 11 January 2023, Jara signed a contract with Belgrano while he was a free agent.

## International career

On 19 January 2010, Jara was called up to the Argentina national team for a friendly match with Costa Rica on the 27th. The game finished 3–2, and he scored the match-winning goal.
Jara earned his second cap on 10 February 2010, in a 2–1 win against Jamaica.

## Personal life

On 10 September 2014, Jara suffered a car accident and crashed into a tree, but did not suffer major injuries.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 10 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Arsenal Sarandí | 2007–08 | Primera División | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Arsenal Sarandí | 2008–09 | Primera División | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Arsenal Sarandí | 2009–10 | Primera División | 34 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 7 |
| Arsenal Sarandí | Total | Total | 49 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 7 |
| Benfica | 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 11 |
| Benfica | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Benfica | 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Benfica | Total | Total | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 11 |
| Granada (loan) | 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | 3 |
| San Lorenzo (loan) | 2012–13 | Primera División | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | 2 |
| Estudiantes (loan) | 2013–14 | Primera División | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 4 |
| Olympiacos | 2014–15 | Super League | 10 | 3 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 6 |
| Olympiacos | 2015–16 | Super League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Olympiacos | Total | Total | 12 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
| Pachuca | 2015–16 | Liga MX | 25 | 14 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | 37 | 18 |
| Pachuca | 2016–17 | Liga MX | 25 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 20 |
| Pachuca | 2017–18 | Liga MX | 22 | 4 | 7 | 3 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 8 |
| Pachuca | 2018–19 | Liga MX | 32 | 16 | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 21 |
| Pachuca | 2019–20 | Liga MX | 26 | 15 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | 16 |
| Pachuca | Total | Total | 130 | 63 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 169 | 83 |
| FC Dallas | 2020 | MLS | 21 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 23 | 7 |
| FC Dallas | 2021 | MLS | 29 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 7 |
| FC Dallas | 2022 | MLS | 32 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 5 |
| FC Dallas | Total | Total | 82 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 19 |
| Belgrano | 2023 | Primera División | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 3 |
| Belgrano | 2024 | Primera División | 23 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | 30 | 18 |
| Belgrano | Total | Total | 48 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 21 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 430 | 125 | 31 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 29 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 509 | 153 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
* ↑ Six appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League and three appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Six Appearances and three goals in Liga MX Playoffs and one appearance in Copa Campeón de Campeones
* ↑ Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in Liga MX Playoffs
* ↑ Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Argentina | 2010 | 3 | 1 |
| Argentina | 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 4 | 1 |

### International goals

| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
| 1 | 26 January 2010 | Ingeniero Hilario Sánchez, San Juan, Argentina | Costa Rica | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly | |

## Honours

Benfica
* Primeira Liga: 2014–15
* Taça da Liga: 2010–11
* Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2014
Olympiacos
* Super League Greece: 2014–15
* Greek Cup: 2014–15
Pachuca
* Liga MX: Clausura 2016
* CONCACAF Champions League: 2016–17
Individual
* CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball: 2016–17