Saúl Ñíguez
_(cropped).jpg) Saúl with Spain U19 in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Saúl Ñíguez Esclápez | ||
| Date of birth | 21 November 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Elche, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Atlético Madrid | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2008 | Real Madrid | ||
| 2008–2010 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2010–2013 | Atlético Madrid B | 70 | (8) |
| 2012– | Atlético Madrid | 19 | (4) |
| 2013–2014 | → Rayo Vallecano (loan) | 34 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009 | Spain U16 | 4 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Spain U17 | 9 | (2) |
| 2012 | Spain U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Spain U19 | 11 | (0) |
| 2013 | Spain U20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2013– | Spain U21 | 11 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 February 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Saúl Ñíguez Esclápez (born 21 November 1994), known simply as Saúl, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a central or defensive midfielder.
Club career
Born in Elche, Alicante, Valencian Community, Saúl moved to Madrid in 2008 at not yet 14, after starting his formation with neighbouring Real Madrid. He made his senior debuts in the 2010–11 season, appearing with the Colchoneros' reserves in the third division, and his first goal came in a 3–1 away win against Extremadura UD on 10 April 2011,[1] his only of the campaign in an eventual midtable finish.
In the summer of 2011, Saúl joined the Atlético main squad for pre-season training. On 10 July, he netted twice in a 19–1 friendly win with CD Arcángel.[2]
On 8 March 2012, at the age of just 17 years and 108 days, Saúl made his official debut with Atleti's first team, playing the last six minutes in a UEFA Europa League game against Beşiktaş JK (3–1 home win, 6–1 on aggregate).[3] His second appearance came on 20 September, again as a substitute and in the Europa League, against Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC;[4] three days later he scored both goals for Atlético B, in a 2–1 away derby win over Real Madrid C.[5]
Saúl made his La Liga debut on 21 April 2013, playing two minutes in a 1–0 success at Sevilla FC after replacing fellow youth graduate Koke.[6] Again from the bench, he appeared in his second league match with the main squad on 4 May, against Deportivo de La Coruña (0–0).[7]
On 21 July 2013 Saúl signed with Rayo Vallecano, in a season-long loan deal.[8] After returning he featured in both legs of the 2014 Supercopa de España in which Atlético defeated Real Madrid, starting in the first match.[9][10]
In a Madrid derby on 7 February 2015, Saúl replaced the injured Koke after ten minutes, and scored his team's second goal shortly after through a bicycle kick, in an eventual 4–0 win.[11]
Honours
Club
- Atlético Madrid
Country
- Spain U19
Club statistics
- As of 27 April 2015[12]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Madrid B | 2010–11 | 22 | 1 | — | 22 | 1 | |||||
| 2011–12 | 22 | 1 | — | 22 | 1 | ||||||
| 2012–13 | 26 | 6 | — | 26 | 6 | ||||||
| Total | 70 | 8 | — | 70 | 8 | ||||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2011–12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Rayo Vallecano | 2013–14 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | |||
| Total | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| Atlético Madrid | 2014–15 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 4 |
| Total | 19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| Career totals | 125 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 142 | 13 | |
Personal life
Saúl comes from a football family: his father, José Antonio, played several years with Elche CF – including the 1984–85 season in the top division – as a striker. Saúl's brothers Aarón and Jony are also footballers.[13]
References
- ↑ "Atlético B win in Extremadura". Atlético Fans. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ↑ "Twenty goal spectacle in first friendly". Atlético Fans. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ↑ "Saúl Ñíguez debuta con el Atlético" [Saúl Ñíguez makes Atlético debut] (in Spanish). Marca. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
- ↑ Hapoel Tel Aviv 0–3 Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone's men begin defence of title with an easy victory over Israeli side; Goal.com, 20 September 2012
- ↑ Saúl firma la primera victoria de un gran Atlético de Madrid B ante el Real Madrid C (1–2) (Saúl spearheads first win of great Atlético de Madrid B against Real Madrid C (1–2)); Atlético's official website, 23 September 2012 (Spanish)
- ↑ "Falcao nets again". ESPN FC. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ↑ "Draw enough for Rojiblancos". ESPN FC. 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ↑ "Saúl se marcha cedido al Rayo" [Saúl goes on loan to Rayo] (in Spanish). Marca. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ↑ Estepa, Javier (19 August 2014). "El Atleti lo deja todo en el aire" [Atleti leave it open] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ Campos, Tomás (23 August 2014). "Una pequeña revancha" [A small payback] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ↑ "Atl Madrid 4–0 Real Madrid". BBC Sport. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ↑ "Saúl". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ↑ "Los Ñiguez, familia de futbolistas" [The Ñiguezes, footballing family] (in Spanish). Colgados por el Fútbol. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
External links
- BDFutbol profile
- Futbolme profile (Spanish)
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