Santiago Aragón

Santiago Aragón
Personal information
Full name Santiago Aragón Martínez
Date of birth April 3, 1968 (1968-04-03) (age 43)
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1988 Real Madrid B 69 (6)
1988–1993 Real Madrid 18 (1)
1989 Español (loan) 8 (0)
1989–1990 Logroñés (loan) 21 (3)
1991–1992 Valladolid (loan) 17 (3)
1992–1993 Zaragoza (loan) 10 (2)
1993–2003 Zaragoza 293 (33)
Total 414 (46)
National team
1985 Spain U18 1 (0)
1989 Spain U21 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Santiago Aragón Martínez (born 3 April 1968 in Málaga, Andalusia) is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder.

He was a technically evolved player who often assumed playmaker duties, and played mainly for Real Zaragoza, appearing in more than 350 official games in 11 seasons - 10 in La Liga - and winning three major titles.

Football career

A Real Madrid youth graduate, Aragón played one game (16 April 1988, 0–0 at Celta de Vigo) for the 1988 league champions, also appearing in two 1/2 seasons with the reserve team in Segunda División. Barred by Rafael Martín Vázquez first and Gheorghe Hagi afterwards, Aragón was loaned successively to RCD Español and CD Logroñés, both in La Liga, where he was also rarely used (29 appearances combined).

After another loan at Real Valladolid (with top flight relegation), Aragón's career was threatened with fading into obscurity until he joined Real Zaragoza, first on loan. He would be the Aragonese side's dictator of play for several seasons (providing for the likes of Miguel Pardeza, Juan Esnáider and Gustavo Poyet), only missing nine combined matches in his first four seasons, while also netting 17 goals himself.

Aragón was part of the sides that won the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, having conquered the domestic cup the previous season. After contributing with four goals to Zaragoza's return to the top division in 2003, he retired aged 35, with nearly 500 official matches to his credit.

In January 2008, Aragón had his first coaching experience, joining former Zaragoza teammate Ander Garitano's coaching staff, precisely at the club. After only one week and two matches (one in the cup), the head manager cited personal reasons for leaving his post, and his assistant followed him.

Honours

External links