Alberto Zapater
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alberto Zapater Arjol | ||
Date of birth | 13 June 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Ejea de los Caballeros, Spain | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Zaragoza | ||
Number | 21 | ||
Youth career | |||
Ejea | |||
1997–2004 | Zaragoza | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2004–2009 | Zaragoza | 177 | (5) |
2009–2010 | Genoa | 28 | (3) |
2010–2011 | Sporting CP | 22 | (2) |
2011–2015 | Lokomotiv Moscow | 27 | (1) |
2016– | Zaragoza | 161 | (4) |
National team | |||
2005 | Spain U20 | 5 | (1) |
2004–2006 | Spain U21 | 14 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:35, 20 December 2021 (UTC) |
Alberto Zapater Arjol (born 13 June 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for and captains Real Zaragoza mainly as a defensive midfielder.
He spent most of his career with Zaragoza, appearing in 358 official games and scoring 11 goals.[1]
Club career[]
Zaragoza[]
Zapater was born in Ejea de los Caballeros, Province of Zaragoza. In 2004, he was first touted as a promising player after scoring 12 goals for hometown's Real Zaragoza in the youth leagues.
The first-team manager, former Spanish international Víctor Muñoz, was impressed enough, allowing Zapater to join the first team in pre-season training. He was given his official debut on Zaragoza's first game of 2004–05, against Valencia CF in the Spanish Supercup: although the Aragonese ended up losing 0–1 he put up a solid performance overall, confirmed in the 3–1 second leg away win.[2]
At just 19, Zapater went on to feature in 31 La Liga matches during the league campaign, netting in a 2 March 2005 defeat at Real Sociedad where he was also sent off.[3] In the following season, he helped the club finish as runners-up in the Copa del Rey – losing the final to RCD Espanyol – while also only missing three league matches; his strong tackling and the amount of fouls he committed earned him the nickname of 'The Bull', given by Diego Maradona.[4]
In the following two seasons, after renewing his contract until June 2010,[5] Zapater remained an undisputed starter, only missing four games while experiencing qualification honours to the UEFA Cup in 2006–07, and relegation the following year.
Abroad[]
In late July 2009, after being instrumental in Zaragoza's return to the top division, and already playing pre-season football with the Maños, Zapater left for Genoa C.F.C. for around €4.5 million, as the Spaniards were also immerse in a deep financial crisis.[6][7] He held an emotional press conference before parting ways with his boyhood team,[8] whilst fans paid tribute to the player dedicating a song to him.[9]
On 17 September 2009, Zapater had the distinction of scoring the first ever goal in the Europa League proper, with a fourth-minute strike against SK Slavia Prague.[10] He started throughout most of his debut season in Serie A – his maiden appearance in the competition being marked with a goal and an assist in a 3–2 home win over A.S. Roma[11]– as Genoa finished in mid-table. Before the end of the campaign and during the subsequent off-season he was linked with a move to several clubs,[12][13][14] but nothing ever materialized.
Zapater was sold to Sporting CP on 30 July 2010, as Miguel Veloso moved in the opposite direction.[15] Used intermittently in his only season[16] he did appear in 34 official games for the Lions, scoring four times.[17]
On 3 August 2011, Zapater moved to FC Lokomotiv Moscow on a free transfer, signing a five-year contract.[18] He made his first Russian Premier League appearance on 11 September, setting up Manuel da Costa's goal in a 4–2 win over FC Zenit Saint Petersburg. In an interview with a newspaper from his native region (El Periódico de Aragón) in late 2012, he spoke of his development in the new reality and his efforts to learn the Russian language.[19]
Return to Zaragoza[]
On 19 June 2016, Zapater returned to Zaragoza after agreeing to a two-year deal.[20]
International career[]
Zapater took part in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, in a Spanish team that also featured future senior internationals Cesc Fàbregas, Fernando Llorente and David Silva. He scored his first and the only goal in a 3–1 defeat to Argentina in the quarter-finals.[21]
After that, Zapater immediately established himself as an under-21 regular.[22]
Career statistics[]
- As of 12 March 2021[23]
Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Zaragoza | 2004–05 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
2005–06 | 35 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 44 | 0 | |||||
2006–07 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 39 | 0 | |||||
2007–08 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | ||||
2008–09 | Segunda División | 39 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 40 | 2 | ||||
Total | 177 | 5 | 18 | 1 | — | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 207 | 6 | |||
Genoa | 2009–10 | Serie A | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 36 | 4 | ||
Sporting CP | 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | 34 | 4 | |
Lokomotiv Moscow | 2011–12 | Russian Premier League | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 32 | 1 | ||
2012–13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||||
2013–14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
2014–15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
2015–16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |||
Zaragoza | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 42 | 0 | |||
2017–18 | 39 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2[b] | 1 | 44 | 5 | ||||
2018–19 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||||
2019–20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||||
2020–21 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||||
Total | 130 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 138 | 5 | ||||
Zaragoza total | 307 | 9 | 23 | 1 | — | 10 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 345 | 11 | |||
Career total | 384 | 15 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 453 | 20 |
- ^ Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in La Liga play-offs
Honours[]
Zaragoza
- Supercopa de España: 2004[2]
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2005–06
References[]
- ^ Ramírez, A. (4 May 2009). "Alberto Zapater: "Estoy orgulloso de llevar ya 200 partidos"" [Alberto Zapater: "I am proud to have played 200 games already"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ a b "El Zaragoza noquea al Valencia y gana la Supercopa" [Zaragoza knock Valencia out and win the Supercup]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 24 August 2004. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ^ Rodrigálvarez, Eduardo (3 March 2005). "La Real se impone a un Zaragoza desafortunado" [Real overcome hapless Zaragoza]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ^ "Alberto Zapater: "Sé dónde quiero estar"" [Alberto Zapater: "I know where I want to be"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 27 June 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Acedo, Francisco (28 July 2006). "Zapater stays with Zaragoza". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ "Genoa get hold of Zapater". UEFA. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Quixano, Jordi (31 July 2009). "Un descosido en el escudo" [Badge comes undone]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ R. Bravo, Chema (29 July 2009). "Gracias a la gente" [Thanks to the people]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ "Hubo cánticos en recuerdo de Alberto Zapater" [Chants in memory of Alberto Zapater]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 30 August 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ "In-form Genoa see off Slavia". UEFA. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ Manfredi, Jacopo (23 August 2009). "Genoa spettacolo – La Roma cade" [Genoa show – Roma fall]. La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ Masiello, Vince (4 January 2010). "Juventus target Genoa midfielder Alberto Zapater – Report". Goal. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ Fryer, Rupert (12 January 2010). "Lazio closing in on Genoa midfielder Alberto Zapater – Report". Goal. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ Coerts, Stefan (26 May 2010). "Valencia tracking Genoa midfielder Alberto Zapater – Report". Goal. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ "Veloso leaves Sporting in Zapater swap". UEFA. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ "El Sporting coloca el cartel de transferible al español Alberto Zapater" [Sporting transferlist Spaniard Alberto Zapater]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 11 July 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ ""El Toro" Zapater es el protagonista de la prensa deportiva lusa" ["The Bull" Zapater is the protagonist in Portugal's sports press]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 25 January 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- ^ Альберто Сапатер: "В "Локомотиве" можно решать самые амбициозные задачи" [Alberto Zapater: "Lokomotiv can take on whatever comes"] (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ Martín, Ignacio (26 November 2012). "Alberto Zapater: "Un ruso te dice que le caes bien y te parece que te está insultando"" [Alberto Zapater: "A Russian tells you he likes you and it looks like you're being insulted"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
- ^ "El Real Zaragoza llega a un acuerdo para la incorporación de Alberto Zapater" [Real Zaragoza reach an agreement to add Alberto Zapater] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ "2005, Mundial sub'20 (I): Sueños de gloria" [2005, under'20 World Cup (I): Dreams of glory] (in Spanish). Recuerdos de Nigeria. 19 July 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ Turner, Lucy (6 September 2006). ""Sense of fury" keeps Spain alive". UEFA. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "A. Zapater". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
External links[]
- Alberto Zapater at BDFutbol
- Alberto Zapater at ForaDeJogo
- Alberto Zapater – FIFA competition record (archived)
- 1985 births
- Living people
- People from Cinco Villas, Aragon
- Spanish footballers
- Footballers from Aragon
- Association football midfielders
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Real Zaragoza players
- Serie A players
- Genoa C.F.C. players
- Primeira Liga players
- Sporting CP footballers
- Russian Premier League players
- FC Lokomotiv Moscow players
- Spain youth international footballers
- Spain under-21 international footballers
- Spanish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Italy
- Expatriate footballers in Portugal
- Expatriate footballers in Russia
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Russia