Enrique Saura

Enrique Saura
Personal information
Full nameEnrique Saura Gil
Date of birth2 August 1954
Place of birthOnda, Spain
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
1969–1972Onda
1972–1974Castellón
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1974–1975Castellón34(6)
1975–1985Valencia304(37)
1985–1988Castellón67(6)
1988–1992Onda
National team
1976Spain amateur2(0)
1980–1981Spain B3(0)
1978–1982Spain23(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Saura and the second or maternal family name is Gil.

Enrique Saura Gil (born 2 August 1954) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

In his career he played mainly for Castellón and Valencia, appearing in more than 400 official games with the latter and winning three major titles.

Saura represented Spain at the 1982 World Cup and Euro 1980.

Club career

Saura was born in Onda, Castellón, Valencian Community. During his career, he played exclusively in his native region: after starting at CD Castellón he moved to local giants Valencia CF, where he would be an undisputed starter throughout his ten-year spell. He helped the Che win three titles in one year, most notably the 1979–80 European Cup Winners' Cup, while he added 37 goals in La Liga.

After leaving Valencia at 31 Saura returned to Castellón, for three Segunda División seasons. He then moved to amateurs CD Onda, his very first youth club, where he retired at nearly 38.

International career

Saura gained 23 caps for Spain, the first coming on 8 November 1978 in a friendly with France. During Valencia's stellar 1979–80 he began being a regular for the national team, and was called up for the squads at both UEFA Euro 1980 and the 1982 FIFA World Cup; in the latter he scored one of his four international goals, netting in a crucial 2–1 win against Yugoslavia after he had been in the pitch for only three minutes.

Saura also represented Spain at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as the nation was eliminated in the first round.

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 9 December 1979 Trisiron, Limassol, Cyprus  Cyprus 1–3 1–3 Euro 1980 qualifying
2. 21 May 1980 Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark  Denmark 0–1 2–2 Friendly
3. 14 October 1981 Mestalla, Valencia, Spain  Luxembourg 2–0 3–0 Friendly
4. 20 June 1982 Mestalla, Valencia, Spain  Yugoslavia 2–1 2–1 1982 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Valencia

External links