Saúl Ñíguez

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ñíguez and the second or maternal family name is Esclápez.

<templatestyles src="Module:Infobox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Saúl
250px
Saúl with Spain U19 in 2012
Personal information
Full name Saúl Ñíguez Esclápez
Date of birth (1994-11-21) 21 November 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Elche, Spain
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Madrid
Number 17
Youth career
2006–2008 Real Madrid
2008–2010 Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Atlético Madrid B 70 (8)
2012– Atlético Madrid 57 (8)
2013–2014 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 34 (2)
International career‡
2009 Spain U16 4 (1)
2010–2011 Spain U17 9 (2)
2012 Spain U18 3 (0)
2012–2013 Spain U19 11 (0)
2013 Spain U20 8 (0)
2013– Spain U21 16 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 May 2016
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2016

Saúl Ñíguez Esclápez (Spanish pronunciation: [saˈul ˈɲiɣeθ]; born 21 November 1994), known simply as Saúl, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a central or defensive midfielder.

Club career

Born in Elche, Alicante, Valencian Community, Saúl moved to Madrid in 2008 at not yet 14, after starting in the youth team of neighbouring Real Madrid. He made his senior debuts in the 2010–11 season, appearing with the Colchoneros' reserves in the third division, and his first goal came in a 3–1 away win against Extremadura UD on 10 April 2011,[1] his only of the campaign in an eventual midtable finish.

In the summer of 2011, Saúl joined the Atlético main squad for pre-season training. On 10 July, he netted twice in a 19–1 friendly win with CD Arcángel.[2]

On 8 March 2012, at the age of just 17 years and 108 days, Saúl made his official debut with Atleti's first team, playing the last six minutes in a UEFA Europa League game against Beşiktaş JK (3–1 home win, 6–1 on aggregate).[3] His second appearance came on 20 September, again as a substitute and in the Europa League, against Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC;[4] three days later he scored both goals for Atlético B, in a 2–1 away derby win over Real Madrid C.[5]

Saúl made his La Liga debut on 21 April 2013, playing two minutes in a 1–0 success at Sevilla FC after replacing fellow youth graduate Koke.[6] Again from the bench, he appeared in his second league match with the main squad on 4 May, against Deportivo de La Coruña (0–0).[7]

On 21 July 2013, Saúl signed with Rayo Vallecano in a season-long loan deal.[8] After returning, he featured in both legs of the 2014 Supercopa de España in which Atlético defeated Real Madrid, starting in the first match.[9][10]

In a Madrid derby on 7 February 2015, Saúl replaced the injured Koke after ten minutes, and scored his team's second goal shortly after through a bicycle kick, in an eventual 4–0 win.[11] From the 2015–16 season onwards, after the departure of Mario Suárez and the injury of Tiago Mendes, he became a nuclear midfield element for the Diego Simeone-led team.[12][13]

On 27 April 2016, Saúl played 85 minutes in the first leg of the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League against FC Bayern Munich, and also scored the only goal at the Vicente Calderón Stadium after an individual effort.[14]

International career

Saúl gained 47 caps for Spain all youth levels comprised. On 26 May 2015, he was called to the full side for a friendly with Costa Rica and a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Belarus,[15] but did not make his debut on either occasion; he, Sergio Rico and Lucas Vázquez were the three uncapped players in a provisional squad for the final tournament in France,[16] but he was eventually cut alongside Isco.[17]

Personal life

Saúl comes from a football family: his father, José Antonio, played several years with Elche CF – including the 1984–85 season in the top division – as a striker. Saúl's brothers Aarón and Jonathan are also footballers.[18]

Club statistics

As of 13 March 2016[19]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Atlético Madrid B 2010–11 22 1 — 22 1
2011–12 22 1 — 22 1
2012–13 26 6 — 26 6
Total 70 8 — 70 8
Atlético Madrid 2011–12 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
2012–13 2 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 11 0
Total 2 0 2 0 8 0 0 0 12 0
Rayo Vallecano 2013–14 34 2 3 0 — 37 2
Total 34 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 37 2
Atlético Madrid 2014–15 24 4 4 0 5 0 2 0 35 4
2015–16 23 4 4 2 7 2 0 0 34 8
Total 47 8 8 2 12 2 2 0 69 12
Career totals 153 18 13 2 20 2 2 0 181 21

Honours

Club

Atlético Madrid[20]

International

Spain U19[20]

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.

Use <references />, or <references group="..." />

External links

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Hapoel Tel Aviv 0–3 Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone's men begin defence of title with an easy victory over Israeli side; Goal.com, 20 September 2012
  5. ↑ Saúl firma la primera victoria de un gran Atlético de Madrid B ante el Real Madrid C (1–2) (Saúl spearheads first win of great Atlético de Madrid B against Real Madrid C (1–2)); Atlético Madrid, 23 September 2012 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Saúl_Ñíguez&oldid=723044310"