David Albelda

David Albelda Aliqués (Spanish pronunciation: [daˈβið alˈβelda aliˈkes]; born 1 September 1977) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.[3]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Albelda and the second or maternal family name is Aliqués.

David Albelda
Albelda as a Valencia player (2010)
Personal information
Full name David Albelda Aliqués[1]
Date of birth (1977-09-01) 1 September 1977[2]
Place of birth La Pobla Llarga, Spain[1]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1992–1995 Alzira
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Valencia B 31 (4)
1995–2013 Valencia 351 (6)
1996–1997 → Villarreal (loan) 34 (0)
1998–1999 → Villarreal (loan) 35 (2)
Total 451 (12)
National team
1996 Spain U18 8 (0)
1997 Spain U20 5 (1)
1998–2000 Spain U21 12 (1)
2000 Spain U23 6 (0)
2001–2008 Spain 51 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played mainly for local Valencia during his extensive professional career, being team captain for over a decade and appearing in 480 competitive matches.[4]

A Spanish international in the 2000s, Albelda won 51 caps for the country, representing it in two World Cups and at Euro 2004.

Club career

Born in La Pobla Llarga, Valencian Community, Albelda started his career as a central defender with local UD Alzira and, after having served two separate loans with Villarreal CF, also in the region, returned for good to first professional club Valencia CF in the 1999–2000 season, playing a major role in a squad that was crowned La Liga champions in 2002 and 2004, adding to that the 2004 UEFA Cup;[5] since summer 2001, with Gaizka Mendieta's departure, he was also awarded team captaincy.

On 20 December 2007 Albelda, along with teammates Santiago Cañizares and Miguel Ángel Angulo was axed from the Valencia squad by recently arrived coach Ronald Koeman.[6] In the captain's case, he had ironically just renewed his link with the Che until 2011.[7]

In response, on 2 January 2008, Albelda's lawyer claimed that Valencia had ignored his client's plea for an amicable end to the player's contract, with legal recourse the only possible avenue left.[8] With news of this hitting the media, several teams, although he would not be able to join any Spanish team for the remainder of the season, having played more than four league games, studied the possibility of signing him in the winter transfer window, with hopes of a free transfer.

In late April 2008, however, with Koeman's sacking, all three were reinstated by new manager Voro in a squad seriously threatened with relegation, with five remaining rounds. He returned to action in the second half of the 0–6 away loss against FC Barcelona on 4 May, and received his first post-reinstatement start in a 5–1 victory in the derby away at Levante UD in the following week, as the side mathematically retained top-flight status.[9]

For 2008–09 Albelda remained a regular fixture, alongside longtime central midfield teammate Rubén Baraja.[10] On 10 January 2009 he delivered an outstanding performance at right back, replacing suspended Miguel in a 3–3 home derby against Villarreal.[11][12]

Albelda in action for Valencia in 2012.

Albelda was played intermittently by Valencia from 2010 to 2013, also suffering several injury problems.[13][14][15] On 10 June 2013, it was announced that the 35-year-old would not renew his contract with the club, leaving as a free agent;[16] he announced his retirement two months later.[17]

International career

A Spanish international since 5 September 2001, in 2–0 away win against Liechtenstein for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Albelda was part of the Spanish squad in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. He also played in UEFA Euro 2004.[18]

After having been ousted from the Valencia squad, Albelda would still be called by national team boss Luis Aragonés to a 6 February 2008 friendly with France,[19] but would eventually not make the final cut for Euro 2008 as Spain emerged victorious.

In addition, he also won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney,[2] and represented his nation in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Career statistics

Club

[20][21]

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Valencia B 1995–96 36151––––365
Total 3650000365
Villarreal (loan) 1996–97 34050––390
Total 3405000390
Valencia 1997–98 5000––50
Total 50000050
Villarreal (loan) 1998–99 372240––412
Total 3724000412
Valencia 1999–00 2103313110351
2000–01 21000130340
2001–02 3220071393
2002–03 26000110370
2003–04 3313081442
2004–05 280340740380
2005–06 3223050402
2006–07 2502070340
2007–08 1500060210
2008–09 30055050400
2009–10 2811060351
2010–11 1602040220
2011–12 2107060340
2012–13 1804050270
Total 346633110124809
Career total 45813421101260116

1 Included 5 appearances and 1 goal in Segunda División promotion play-off 1996

2 Included 2 appearances in La Liga relegation play-off 1999

3 Included 2 appearances and 1 goal in Supercopa de Espana 1999

4 Included 2 appearances in Supercopa de Espana 2004 and 1 appearance in UEFA Super Cup 2004

5 Included 2 appearances in Supercopa de Espana 2008

International

[22]

Spain
YearAppsGoals
200110
200250
200360
2004110
200560
2006110
2007100
200810
Total510

Honours

Club

Valencia

International

Spain U23

References
  1. "David ALBELDA Aliqués". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. Casado, Edu (6 September 2019). "Qué fue de… David Albelda: leyenda del Valencia con fama de leñero en Madrid" [What happened to… David Albelda: Valencia legend with a hacker reputation in Madrid]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  3. "David Albelda". BBC Sport. 29 May 2002. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  4. Valle, Conrado (26 May 2013). "La noche del dorsal '6': de Puchades a David Albelda" [The night of the number '6': from Puchades to David Albelda]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  5. "Valencia 2–0 Marseille". BBC Sport. 19 May 2004. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  6. Brown, Lucas (18 December 2007). "Koeman sticks the boot into Cañizares, Albelda". Goal. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  7. "Valencia reach Albelda agreement". UEFA. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  8. "Albelda reclama la extinción de su contrato por vía judicial tras la ausencia de respuesta del Valencia" [Albelda wants out of contract judicially after no response from Valencia] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 2 January 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  9. "Levante 1–5 Valencia". ESPN Soccernet. 11 May 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  10. Furió, Luis (11 May 2008). "Voro recupera la pareja de los grandes éxitos" [Voro recovers duo of great successes]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  11. "Valencia 3–3 Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  12. "Albelda se convierte en un jugador polivalente un año después de ser excluido" [Albelda becomes a versatile player one year after being outcast] (in Spanish). Soitu. 11 January 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  13. "David Albelda withdraws from Valencia training". Inside Spanish Football. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  14. Mínguez, Jesús (14 September 2012). "La lesión de Albelda les reafirma en buscar pivotes" [Albelda injury makes their search for holding midfielders more pressing]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  15. "Valencia: La maldición de Chamartín" [Valencia: The curse of Chamartín] (in Spanish). Goal. 24 February 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  16. Álvarez, Fernando (10 June 2013). "Albelda no renueva con el Valencia" [Albelda does not renew with Valencia]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  17. "Albelda se retira del fútbol profesional" [Albelda retires from professional football]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 7 August 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  18. Modia, Iván (20 May 2004). "Sáez selects Spain squad". UEFA. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  19. "Luis Aragonés, sin perdón" [Luis Aragonés, unforgiven] (in Spanish). Notas de Fútbol. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  20. "Albelda". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  21. "David Albelda". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  22. "David Albelda". European Football. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
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