Fabian Caballero was a Dundee cult hero who possessed the ability to win a game on his own.
His skills appeared to come from a higher force and fans soon found themselves chanting he “came down from heaven to wear number 7”.
He might have been one of the all-time greats had it not been for injury.
Born in Argentina, Caballero rose to prominence in Paraguay and caught the eye of Arsene Wenger while playing for Cerro Porteno in the Copa Libertadores.
Caballero joined Arsenal in October 1998 and made three first-team appearances after making his debut against Chelsea.
Arsenal opted against making the loan into a permanent transfer.
How Bonetti sold Caballero on move to Dens Park
Caballero returned to Paraguay with Atletico Tembetary and Sol de America.
He turned down Bari and Porto and joined Dundee in July 2000 where former Juventus and Sampdoria midfielder Ivano Bonetti had taken charge in the summer.
He was engineering a colourful overhaul of the playing squad with brother Dario.
Caballero joined the cosmopolitan ranks alongside Marco de Marchi, Marcello Marrocco, Georgi Nemsadze, Walter del Rio and Juan Sara.
He was initially signed on loan.
“Naturally my agents made me aware of all the options available to me but I had already made up my mind to go to Scotland,” said Caballero.
“Dundee had shown a strong interest in me for some time leading to the offer to fly over to Italy to meet the management at the club’s training camp and hear what they had to say.
“That impressed me in itself but it was what the Bonetti brothers Ivano and Dario told me of their plans that sold the move.
“It was clear they came from a top-class football background and had big ambitions plus a clear view of how to achieve them.
“It’s not a league I know that well but I believe I can score goals for the club.”
He did.
Argentine forward was good enough to play in Serie A
Things started well.
Caballero impressed on his debut in a friendly against Raith Rovers at Starks Park and scored on 75 minutes from a Steven Boyack cross in a 2-1 win.
He was outstanding when he made his competitive debut in the first game of the season, at Motherwell, and won the man of the match award in the 2-0 win.
He scored his first competitive goal the following week against Dunfermline Athletic from the penalty spot and Dundee went top of the league following the 3-0 win.
Dundee’s fine start came to a crashing halt with a 5-1 league defeat at Hibs, despite taking the lead with a brilliant strike from Caballero after 10 minutes.
Caballero blew his top following a nasty challenge from Matthias Jack.
He was sent off for retaliation just before the break.
In the next home game, Caballero grabbed a dazzling double against Montrose in a 3-0 League Cup win that left his manager singing his praises.
“Fabian is ready now to play for a good team in Serie A,” he said.
“He is skilful, strong, mentally tough and a goalscorer.
“But while he is already capable of going to Italy, at the moment I think it would be good for him to remain here for two or three years and learn his football with us.”
Serious injury was devastating blow
Caballero scored his fifth goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against Hearts at Dens, before an early exit from the League Cup at the hands of St Mirren.
Dundee got back on track with a 3-0 win against United at Dens in September.
The victory was overshadowed by a serious knee injury to Caballero in a three-way clash with Jason De Vos and Kevin McDonald.
He was forced to undergo surgery and intensive rehabilitation in Italy.
The injury prompted a search for a replacement which ironically culminated in the arrival of Argentine World Cup superstar Claudio Caniggia in October 2000.
Caniggia was Caballero’s boyhood hero.
Caballero flew back to watch the 2-0 derby win against United in November and was given a standing ovation by the Dundee fans before the game.
Caballero made scoring return
He returned as a substitute in the 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock at Dens in March 2001.
After six months out, he was back with a bigger frame than normal.
“I have got bigger legs than before due to the hard work I have done building up the muscles following my operation,” he said.
“But I also have a spare tyre, which I have got to get rid of.
“And I will be looking to lose the weight over the next week or so.”
He was back in the starting XI in April and scored in the 2-0 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie that secured Dundee’s place in the top six.
Caballero and his team-mates then danced for joy in front of their fans.
He signed a permanent three-year deal for a club record £600,000 and finished the season strongly with both goals in a 2-0 win over Celtic at Parkhead.
“I’ll stay here and do my very best for the side because that’s why I’m here,” he said.
“I love it at Dundee and I will give my all for them.”
Star forward was flying high under Dens Park boss Jim Duffy
Claudio Caniggia left for Rangers in the summer.
Caballero struggled with his weight and fitness in his second season and managed just eight goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.
Dundee finished ninth in the league and Ivano Bonetti was given his marching orders by chief executive Peter Marr and replaced by Jim Duffy in the summer.
Duffy was a much harder disciplinarian.
Caballero weighed 14 stone when he reported back for pre-season training and Duffy put him on a strict fitness regime to shed the excess weight.
He was doing extra sessions on his days off.
It paid off.
He scored against Hearts in the first game of the season.
His form was sensational.
He played alongside Nacho Novo and Steve Lovell and his legendary status increased when he scored twice in a 3-2 win over United in November 2002.
A 14-match unbeaten run helped Dundee secure a top-six finish and reach the Scottish Cup final in 2003, where they would face league champions Rangers at Hampden.
Caballero was flying high again.
The Dundee fans were singing his song when he scored two sensational goals in a Scottish Cup Final rehearsal against Rangers at Dens that finished 2-2.
Duffy said: “Fabian is good enough to play at the very highest level.
“There are a lot of players playing at the highest level in England who couldn’t lace Fabian’s boots.”
Caballero postponed his wedding in Paraguay because of the final but there was to be no fairytale ending as Rangers won the game 1-0.
Caballero left on Dundee FC’s darkest day
Giovanni di Stefano joined the board in August 2003 but his financial promises failed to materialise, despite the signing of Fabrizio Ravanelli to partner Caballero.
The club was plunged into voluntary administration in November and Caballero was among 25 Dens Park employees who had their contracts scrapped.
“It is very sad,” he said.
“I was very happy here and the fans were very good to me.”
Caballero failed to find a club.
He returned to Dens in November 2004.
The Dee 4 Life supporters’ trust helped to finance the signing and Caballero wore number 26 in honour of daughter Tahira who was born on February 26.
Things did not work out second time round.
Dundee were relegated to the First Division and Caballero was released.
He returned to Paraguay and later plied his trade in South Korea, Cyprus, Chile, Greece, Guatemala and Argentina, before hanging up his boots in 2014.
Caballero pulled on the Dundee shirt in Julian Speroni’s testimonial in May 2015.
His love for Dundee never wavered and he played a final game at Dens Park in November 2023 in Cammy Kerr’s testimonial against Celtic.
His song rang around the ground once again.
Caballero made 142 appearances for Dundee and scored 27 goals.
His sudden passing at the age of 46 has shocked everyone at Dens Park.
As one Dundee fan said: “He came down from heaven, and now sadly he’s gone back there.”
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