Roberto Soldado

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Roberto Soldado
Personal information
Full name Roberto Soldado Rillo
Date of birth May 27, 1985 (1985-05-27) (age 23)
Place of birth    Valencia, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft +12 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 9
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2002–2006
2005–
2006–2007
Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid
Osasuna (loan)
129 (70)
016 0(2)
029 (11)   
National team2
2003–2006
2007–
Spain U-21
Spain
017 0(7)
002 0(0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of May 7, 2008.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of May 7, 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

Roberto Soldado Rillo, Soldado (born May 27, 1985 in Valencia), is a striker currently with the Spanish football club Real Madrid.

Contents

[edit] Club career

Soldado joined Real Madrid at the age of 13 from Valencia CF. In 2005-06, he debuted with the first team on October 23, 2005, precisely against Valencia (1-2 home loss), while also playing for the reserve side Real Madrid Castilla. Previously, on September 28, he scored an 86th minute winner, after just six minutes on the pitch, in the UEFA Champions League contest against Olympiakos (2-1 home win) adding a late equalizer against CA Osasuna and another in a 3-2 away success at Racing Santander, also netting in the 4-0 Copa del Rey victory against Athletic Bilbao. [1]

In 2005–06, with Castilla, Soldado scored 19 goals in the second division (two penalties) to become joint second highest goal-scorer alongside José Juan Luque of Ciudad de Murcia, one goal behind Nigerian stiker Ikechuwku Uche of Recreativo de Huelva.

On July 24, 2006, Soldado officially became the first member of Real Madrid to leave under new manager Fabio Capello and new president Ramón Calderón. Soldado left on a one-season loan to fellow La Liga club CA Osasuna. Set to score goals and return to Real Madrid as a better footballer, Soldado stated: "The idea is to leave and have a good season with a La Liga team scoring goals, and to develop as a footballer".[2] Osasuna had finished fourth in the previous campaign, to earn themselves a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, hence Soldado chose them over a number of other Spanish clubs competing for his presence. "The following year I want to return to the Real first team. I chose Osasuna because it gives me the chance to play in the Champions League", Soldado said to Real Madrid's website after his signing. He would finish 2006–07 with a total of 14 goals, making him the highest scorer of Osasuna, with 11 of those coming in the league.

He returned to Real Madrid, where on July 11, 2007, he renewed his contract with the team until June 30, 2012.[3]In a July 21 interview with Spanish newspaper Diario AS, Soldado revealed that he would be wearing number 9 shirt on this new Madrid stint. "During the preseason I'll be number 9, the number I've always dreamed of. When I step onto the pitch at the Bernabéu I'll remember all the hard work it took to get here".[4]However, he would finish the season with just five league appearances (one start, at Deportivo de La Coruña), the second with fewer minutes for the league champions.

[edit] International career

Soldado was called up for the first time by Spain for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Latvia and Liechtenstein in June 2007, playing in both. [5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Real leaves it late
  2. ^ Real's Soldado to join Osasuna
  3. ^ Soldado inks new deal until 2012
  4. ^ "They placed their faith in me and I'll return the favour with goals"
  5. ^ Soldado gets Spain's approval

[edit] External links