Jordi Alba
Encyclopedia
Jordi Alba Ramos is a Spanish
professional footballer who plays for Valencia CF
in La Liga
, mainly as a left defender - he can also operate as a left midfielder
.
, Barcelona, Catalonia
, Alba started his career in the youth ranks of FC Barcelona
, but was released in 2005 after being deemed too small. He then joined fellow Catalan
club UE Cornellà
and in 2007, after just one season, departed in a €
6,000 deal to Valencia CF
, where he finished his football education. After helping the reserves earn promotion from the fourth division
in 2007–08, he made his professional debut the following season, playing on loan at second level
outfit Gimnàstic de Tarragona
, where he performed consistently (24 starts).
After returning to Los Che, Alba made his La Liga
debut on 13 September 2009, in a 4–2 win at Real Valladolid
. He then started in two consecutive UEFA Europa League group stage contests, against Lille OSC
and SK Slavia Prague (both 1–1 draws, respectively away and home). Due to continuing injuries in Valencia's defensive sector, he played much of the 2009–10 season
as a left back, posting overall good performances; in that position, on 11 April 2010, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–3 away loss against RCD Mallorca
.
In 2010–11
, still with Unai Emery in charge, Alba was used almost exclusively in the defensive sector, battling for first-choice status with Frenchman
Jérémy Mathieu
. He contributed with 27 league games as Valencia again finished third, with the subsequent UEFA Champions League
qualification
.
In the following season
, Emery began using the players simultaneously down Valencia's left side, a strategy he had tested the previous season. This proved an effective tactic as Alba and Mathieu frequently interchanged position and offered support for one another in both attacking and defensive areas; ultimately, the player credited the manager as a "key man" in his successful transition to a more defensive role.
at the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
as well as appearing in all four games as Spain won the gold medal
at the 2009 Mediterranenan Games
, he was also part of the squad at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
in Egypt
.
Alba received his first call-up to the senior national team
on 30 September 2011 for the last two UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers
, against the Czech Republic
and Scotland
. He made his debut in the latter game on 11 October, a 3–1 win in Alicante
in which his cut back from the left wing provided the assist
for the opening goal, scored by former Valencia team mate David Silva
. His impressive debut confirmed his status as a strong candidate to be the long-term successor of Joan Capdevila
as the regular left back for La Roja.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
professional footballer who plays for Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, mainly as a left defender - he can also operate as a left midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Club career
Born in L'Hospitalet de LlobregatL'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or briefly L'Hospitalet is a city to the immediate southwest of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, and the second largest in Catalonia by population...
, Barcelona, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Alba started his career in the youth ranks of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, but was released in 2005 after being deemed too small. He then joined fellow Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
club UE Cornellà
UE Cornellà
Unió Esportiva Cornellà is a Spanish football team based in Cornellà, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1951, it plays in Tercera División - Group 5, holding home games at Estadio Vía Férrea, which has a capacity of 1,500 spectators....
and in 2007, after just one season, departed in a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
6,000 deal to Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
, where he finished his football education. After helping the reserves earn promotion from the fourth division
Tercera División
Tercera División is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.-Current Format:...
in 2007–08, he made his professional debut the following season, playing on loan at second level
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
outfit Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
, where he performed consistently (24 starts).
After returning to Los Che, Alba made his La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
debut on 13 September 2009, in a 4–2 win at Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
. He then started in two consecutive UEFA Europa League group stage contests, against Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
and SK Slavia Prague (both 1–1 draws, respectively away and home). Due to continuing injuries in Valencia's defensive sector, he played much of the 2009–10 season
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
as a left back, posting overall good performances; in that position, on 11 April 2010, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–3 away loss against RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
.
In 2010–11
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, still with Unai Emery in charge, Alba was used almost exclusively in the defensive sector, battling for first-choice status with Frenchman
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Jérémy Mathieu
Jérémy Mathieu
Jérémy Mathieu is a French football player who currently plays for La Liga side Valencia CF in Spain. He primarily operates in the left back position, but can also play as a winger on the same side...
. He contributed with 27 league games as Valencia again finished third, with the subsequent UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualification
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
The 2011–12 UEFA Champions League is the 57th season of the European Cup, Europe's premier football tournament, and the 20th season in its current Champions League format. The final venue will be the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany...
.
In the following season
2011–12 La Liga
The 2011–12 La Liga season is the 81st since its establishment. Barcelona are the defending champions, having won their 21st La Liga title in the previous season for the third time in a row. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and will end on 13 May 2012...
, Emery began using the players simultaneously down Valencia's left side, a strategy he had tested the previous season. This proved an effective tactic as Alba and Mathieu frequently interchanged position and offered support for one another in both attacking and defensive areas; ultimately, the player credited the manager as a "key man" in his successful transition to a more defensive role.
International career
Alba represented the Spain national under-19 teamSpain national under-19 football team
The Spain national under-19 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.-UEFA European Under-19 Championship Record:...
at the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The final tournament of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship was the 24th UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, UEFA's premier competition for players under the age of 19. The tournament was held in the Czech Republic with matches played from 14 July to 26 July 2008. Players born...
as well as appearing in all four games as Spain won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2009 Mediterranenan Games
Football at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
The football competition at the 2009 Mediterranean Games took place between June 25 and July 5, 2009 and were contested by 12 teams.-System:The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams. Teams are awarded three points for a win and one for a draw. No points are awarded for a defeat....
, he was also part of the squad at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, was the 17th U-20 tournament, which was hosted by Egypt from 24 September to 16 October, in the cities of Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Ismaïlia...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Alba received his first call-up to the senior national team
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
on 30 September 2011 for the last two UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
, against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. He made his debut in the latter game on 11 October, a 3–1 win in Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
in which his cut back from the left wing provided the assist
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
for the opening goal, scored by former Valencia team mate David Silva
David Silva
David Josué Jiménez Silva is a Spanish footballer who plays for Manchester City and the Spanish national team. Silva is capable of playing on the wing, as a traditional number 10 and sometimes as a supporting striker...
. His impressive debut confirmed his status as a strong candidate to be the long-term successor of Joan Capdevila
Joan Capdevila
Joan Capdevila i Méndez is a Spanish footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, and the Spanish national team.His usual position is left defender, but he is also capable of operating as a winger and, from a defensive position, often contributes with goals...
as the regular left back for La Roja.
Club
(Correct as of 20 November 2011)| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Gimnàstic Gimnàstic de Tarragona Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División.... |
2008–09 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 38 | 4 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Valencia Valencia CF Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the... |
2009–10 2009–10 La Liga - Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|... |
15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 La Liga The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División... |
27 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 1 | |
| Career totals | 89 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 111 | 8 | 4 | |
International
- (Correct as of 13 November 2011)
National team Season Apps Goals Assists Spain Spain national football teamThe Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...2011–12 2 0 1 Total 2 0 1