Julio Arca is the definition of a North East football legend.

That's not something that can be said about many people, particularly someone who wasn't even born in the same continent.

Arca started his career in his native Argentina with Argentinos Juniors before signing for Sunderland in 2000.

It was on Wearside that he first announced himself as a cult hero.

Spending six years at the Stadium Of Light and making 166 appearances, Arca made the decision to leave the Black Cats in 2006 following their relegation to the Championship.

After settling into the area with his family, he took the decision to join Middlesbrough who were led by now-England manager Gareth Southgate.

It was there that he made a further 185 appearances during a seven-year spell at the Riverside Stadium.

Supporters of the Teessiders knew that Arca was a fans' favourite with rivals Sunderland, but soon found for themselves exactly why he was such a popular figure.

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After three years with the club in the Premier League the Argentine stuck with the club for a further four years as they battled and scrapped to find their way out of the second tier.

After making the decision to retire in 2013, Arca decided to stay in the North East as he embarked on the next chapter of his life.

This included working for Sunderland as a youth coach before taking the most unexpected next step.

Two years after retiring, Arca returned to playing football after signing with Northern League Division Two side South Shields where he stayed for almost three years.

During that time the midfielder was named captain of the club and led the side to three promotion and won three trophies, including leading out his side at Wembley in the 2017 FA Vase Final.

Few players can say that they've made a true impact with three different clubs in the North East of England, but it just explains why Julio Arca is among the most popular footballing men in the region.