| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Santiago Jose Muñez Hernández | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking Midfielder Forward |
||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Manchester United | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2003 | Los Americanos Jovenes FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003 | Newcastle United | 93 | (72) |
| 2003-2005 | Real Madrid | 51 | (12) |
| 2005-2006 | Tottenham Hotspur | 102 | (46) |
| 2008- | Manchester United | 143 | (123) |
| Total | 389 | (253) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005– | Mexico | 43 | (9) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 April 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Santiago Muñez is a fictional professional football player. His playing style has been compared to that of David Silva and Kaká.
Contents |
Prior to his debut whilst playing for Newcastle reserves playing against Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy, Santiago's inhaler was stepped on and crushed by a fellow Newcastle player. Without his inhaler, he struggled through the match due to lack of oxygen. With the poor performance in the match and in training, Santiago was sacked by the club and intended to return to Los Angeles.
The following day, Gavin Harris , a fellow Newcastle player, was late for training due to his car being vandalised by the wheels being removed. Harris calling for a taxi, and later shared it with Santiago, who had been planning to head to the airport. After informing him of the situation, Harris spoke to Dornhelm and asked that Santiago was given another chance, while also informing Dornhelm of Santiago's asthma.
After being given a second chance with Newcastle, Santiago was placed back into the reserves lineup. In the following game, he scored his first goal for the club, which, along with training, prompted Dornhelm to place him on the bench for the first team's next match. Santiago made his debut in a Premier League game versus Fulham, coming on as a substitute and becoming Newcastle's youngest ever player (according to Martin Tyler). After some time in the game, Santiago was fouled in the penalty area, giving Newcastle a penalty kick, which Harris scored. In the following game against Liverpool at St James' Park, he assisted in a goal, while scoring from a direct free kick shortly before the end of the game. His late goal gave Newcastle a 3–2 win, which pushed the club to fourth place in the standings and earned Newcastle a place in the Champions League for the following season.
In August 2005, Santiago received the news from his agent that Real Madrid were keen on his services. A 15 million pound fee was agreed with Michael Owen heading to Newcastle as part of the deal. Santiago is presented to the Bernabeu faithful the day he signs. Over 40,000 arrived to greet him. Huge expectation arrived with Santiago to the Spanish capital, with pundits going as far as claiming he was the next best player in the world. Santiago was going to make his debut on the opening day of the 2005-06 La Liga season after being named in the starting line-up against Vallodolid but a knee injury sustained in the training session before the match went his long awaited debut would have to be postponed for 3 weeks. Santiago eventually made his debut on September 14 in a Champions League match against Olympiacos. Having started on the bench and with a team of world-class players playing in front of him, Santiago could have been forgiven for thinking that this might not be his day. But a series of shocking misses by good friend and former Newcastle teammate Gavin Harris paved the way for his debut in front of a roaring and frustrated Bernabeu. With time running out, Santiago scores a wonderful 25 yard blast to steal the 3 points for Real Madrid. He eventually makes his La Liga debut against Valencia but gets shamefully sent off for a terrible lunge on Joaquin. His blushes are somewhat spared, however, as Real Madrid win the match thanks to a goal from Gavin Harris, his first goal for the club. Santiago eventually forces his way into the side, mainly thanks to some awful form from Gavin Harris and some dazzling goals in the Champions League against Rosenborg and Olympiacos. He gradually begins to find his feet in Spain, getting some league matches under his belt and scoring his first La Liga goal at home to Osasuna. He follows this match up by producing a man-of-the-match performance against city rivals Atletico de Madrid. After opening the scoring with a 30 yard rocket, he assists three more goals as Real cruise to a 4-1 win. Santiago seems to be finding his feet and fulfilling his potential when all of a sudden he is involved in a car accident. He is ruled out for 4 months. He makes his comeback against Mallorca in early March but struggles and is replaced 18 minutes after coming off the bench. Personal problems overshadow most of his season as Santiago is simply unable to focus solely on his football and put in good performances on a consistent basis. He is dropped from the side but an injury to Ronaldo leads to him being recalled for a tough match against Villareal. Villareal take the game to Madrid and open the scoring through Riquelme but Beckham levels the match with a trademark free kick. With twelve minutes to go, Santiago makes his mark. He collects the ball at the halfway line and charges past three opponents. He then exchanges passes with Zidane before firing the ball into the roof of the net from 18 yards. That goal leads to the Real Madrid manager saying that Santiago is on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world. Munez's performance against Villareal grants him a place on the bench for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Lyon in France. However, Santiago falls ill and misses the match. Instead he is placed on the bench for the return leg and comes on for Gavin Harris with 5 minutes left to play and Real Madrid leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Harris. Santiago leaves his mark on the match thanks to a fantastic goal in injury time. Real Madrid win 2-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate. Santiago forces his way back into the Real Madrid side and is placed on the bench for the Champions League Final against Arsenal. Having watched Arsenal take a 1-0 halftime lead at the Bernabeu, he is introduced at the break to partner Gavin Harris. This is the first time this season that they were put up front together. That tactic looks to have backfired when Arsenal score again through Thierry Henry. And Real look buried after Arsenal win a penalty and look to make it 3-0. However, they miss the spot kick and Santiago finds Harris who scores a wonderful goal to make it 2-1. Santiago then equalizes with two minutes to go before Beckham wins it in injury time with a free kick. Real Madrid win their 10th Champions League title and set a new record in competition wins. However, they lose out on the league to bitter rivals Barcelona.
After the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, Munez was sold to AC Milan for an undisclosed fee. Making only 10 appearances for the team after being sidelined with an ankle injury for most of the season, he was expected to leave the club at the start of the 2007-2008 season. However, Munez found his form and smashed in 30 league goals becoming the leagues top scorer.
A surprise coup for the English side, Santiago was assigned the shirt number 47 and was initially restricted to the bench. But after injuries hit the first team, he made regular appearances, and became the clubs top scorer in his first season.
Santiago was named in the Mexico team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but after being involved in a car accident during a pre-tournament trip to Romania, he suffers serious injuries and is unable to play. He does, however, still go to the World Cup to cheer on team-mates, and good friends, Charlie Braithwaite and Liam Adams, who are chosen in the England squad. His friend Gavin Harris did not end up making the squad. Santiago eventually makes his Mexico debut against New Zealand in september 2006 and scores . He becomes a Mexico regular during his time at Tottenham and is selected in the last 23 man Mexico national football team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Munez makes his World Cup debut against South Africa and assists a goal for Rafael Marquez in a 1-1 draw. He follows this with a hat-trick in a 4-0 drubbing of France. Mexico finish second in Group A but bow out to Argentina 3-1 in the Second Round.