Gaizka Toquero

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Gaizka Toquero
Personal information
Toquero in action for Athletic Bilbao
Full name	Gaizka Toquero Pinedo
Date of birth	(1984-08-09) 9 August 1984
Place of birth	Vitoria, Spain
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 ¹⁄₂ in)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Athletic Bilbao
Number	2
Youth career
2001–2002	Ariznabarra
2002–2003	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2003–2005	Alavés C
2005–2006	Alavés B	29	(2)
2006–2007	Lemona	33	(0)
2007–2008	Sestao	37	(5)
2008–	Athletic Bilbao	141	(20)
2008	→ Eibar (loan)	16	(4)
National team
2010–	Basque Country	4	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 December 2013. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Toquero and the second or maternal family name is Pinedo.

Gaizka Toquero Pinedo (born 9 August 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga, mainly as a forward.

Club career

Toquero was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava. After a brief youth spell at Real Sociedad, and some seasons with both reserve teams of Deportivo Alavés, he started playing professionally for SD Lemona in the 2006–07 season, later joining Basque neighbours Sestao River Club (both clubs were in the third division).

While playing for Sestao, Athletic de Bilbao showed interested in acquiring Toquero, whom eventually signed him in 2008. After not fitting coach Joaquín Caparrós' plans to play for the rojiblancos he was loaned to another Basque club, SD Eibar, greatly due to new manager Carlos Pouso, who had coached the player before.

After 15 matches in 2008–09's second level, Toquero was re-called by Athletic on 1 January 2009, making his La Liga debut six days later, appearing as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol.^[1] He scored his first goal for the club on 4 March 2009, in a 3–0 Copa del Rey home win against Sevilla FC (4–2 on aggregate), which qualified Athletic to the final: there, he opened the score, albeit in a 1–4 loss to FC Barcelona.^[2]

In the 2009–10 campaign Toquero, blessed with few technical skills but a tremendous hard-worker, blossomed into a first division player. He started most of the campaign as an offensive complement to Fernando Llorente, and also found the net on several occasions, notably a double against Real Valladolid on 7 March 2010 in a 2–0 home success.^[3]

Toquero once again was a regular starter for Athletic during the 2010–11 season. On 30 January 2011 he opened his official goal account, netting twice in a 2–0 away win against Atlético Madrid.^[4]

Honours

References

↑ Athletic 1 – Espanyol 1; Athletic's official website
↑ Athletic Bilbao 1–4 Barcelona; ESPN Star Sports, 14 May 2009
↑ Toquero double sinks Valladolid; ESPN Soccernet, 7 March 2010
↑ Toquero at the double for Athletic; ESPN Soccernet, 30 January 2011

External links

v t e Athletic Bilbao – current squad

1 Iraizoz 2 Toquero 3 Pérez 4 Laporte 5 Morán 6 San José 7 Beñat 8 Iturraspe 9 Sola 10 De Marcos 11 Ibai 12 Albizua 13 Herrerín 14 Susaeta 15 Iraola 16 Etxeita 17 Rico 18 Gurpegui (c) 19 Muniain 20 Aduriz 21 Herrera 22 Saborit 23 Ekiza 24 Balenziaga Coach: Valverde

Persondata
Name	Toquero, Gaizka
Alternative names
Short description	Spanish footballer
Date of birth	9 August 1984
Place of birth	Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Date of death
Place of death

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