Santiago Ezquerro
Encyclopedia
Santiago 'Santi' Ezquerro Marín (born 14 December 1976) is a retired Spanish
footballer who played as a forward.
Having made a name for himself at Athletic Bilbao
, appearing in nearly 300 official games for the club in seven years, he subsequently earned himself a transfer to FC Barcelona
, but languished on the bench for three seasons.
Over 13 seasons in La Liga
, Ezquerro amassed totals of 278 games and 55 goals.
, La Rioja, Ezquerro emerged through the youth ranks of CA Osasuna
, playing two second division
seasons with the Navarre
se before signing with Atlético Madrid in 1996–97.
He made his top flight
debut on 21 September 1996, in a 3–0 away success against CD Logroñés
, but would be mainly registered with the club's B side
.
, which he helped achieve Spanish Cup
runner-up accolades in his six-month stint. Subsequently, Ezquerro joined Athletic de Bilbao
in 1998, with which he appeared in his first UEFA Champions League
contests, while establishing as one of the most promising forwards in Spain's top flight, notably scoring in a 3–0 derby
home win over Real Sociedad
, on 9 April 2005.
His stellar form in 2004–05
– 47 official matches, 19 goals, including a hat-trick
against Standard Liège
for the season's UEFA Cup group stage (7–1 away win) – led to Ezquerro signing for FC Barcelona
in a period of 3+1 years, on a free transfer.
. His best league output consisted of 12 games in his first year
(two goals, three starts, in 469 minutes of play).
In 2007–08, Ezquerro was not given the free transfer by the Catalan
club and, not being signed by any team in the summer on in the January transfer window
, was virtually absent for the season's duration, although he did score twice in a January Spanish Cup
round-of-32 contest against lowly CD Alcoyano
, in a 2–2 second leg home draw (5–2 aggregate).
's plans, and did not make the list of 18 in any of Osasuna's final matches.
After just one year Ezquerro was released - earning €
1.4 million - and retired at 33, after not being able to find a new club in the following months.
for Spain
, in an infamous UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier against Cyprus
, which ended with a 2–3 away loss and the sacking of coach Javier Clemente
, on 5 September 1998.
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...
footballer who played as a forward.
Having made a name for himself at Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
, appearing in nearly 300 official games for the club in seven years, he subsequently earned himself a transfer to 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 languished on the bench for three seasons.
Over 13 seasons 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...
, Ezquerro amassed totals of 278 games and 55 goals.
Osasuna / Atlético
Born in CalahorraCalahorra
Calahorra, , La Rioja, Spain is a municipality in the comarca of Rioja Baja, near the border with Navarre on the right bank of the Ebro. During ancient Roman times, Calahorra was a municipium known as Calagurris.-Location:...
, La Rioja, Ezquerro emerged through the youth ranks of CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
, playing two second division
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:...
seasons with the Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se before signing with Atlético Madrid in 1996–97.
He made his top flight
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 21 September 1996, in a 3–0 away success against CD Logroñés
CD Logroñés
Club Deportivo Logroñés, S.A.D. was a Spanish football team based in Logroño, in the autonomous community of La Rioja. Founded in 1940, it last played in Regional Preferente de La Rioja....
, but would be mainly registered with the club's B side
Atlético Madrid B
Atlético Madrid B is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the namesake community. Founded in 1963, it is the reserve team of Atlético Madrid, and currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Nuevo Cerro del Espino.-History:...
.
Athletic
Lack of playing opportunities with the Colchoneros prompted a January 1998 move to RCD MallorcaRCD 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....
, which he helped achieve Spanish Cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
runner-up accolades in his six-month stint. Subsequently, Ezquerro joined Athletic de Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
in 1998, with which he appeared in his first 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...
contests, while establishing as one of the most promising forwards in Spain's top flight, notably scoring in a 3–0 derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
home win over Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
, on 9 April 2005.
His stellar form in 2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
– 47 official matches, 19 goals, including a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
against Standard Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
for the season's UEFA Cup group stage (7–1 away win) – led to Ezquerro signing for 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....
in a period of 3+1 years, on a free transfer.
Barcelona
Ezquerro was never able to establish himself in Barcelona's first team, his progress at the club being further hindered after the emergence of youth graduate Lionel MessiLionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
. His best league output consisted of 12 games in his first year
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
(two goals, three starts, in 469 minutes of play).
In 2007–08, Ezquerro was not given the free transfer by the 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 and, not being signed by any team in the summer on in the January transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, was virtually absent for the season's duration, although he did score twice in a January Spanish Cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
round-of-32 contest against lowly CD Alcoyano
CD Alcoyano
Club Deportivo Alcoyano is a Spanish football team based in Alcoy, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1929, it plays in Segunda División, holding home games in Estadio El Collao, with a 5,000-seat capacity...
, in a 2–2 second leg home draw (5–2 aggregate).
Osasuna return / Retirement
In July 2008, Ezquerro was released by Barça and, late in the month, rejoined Osasuna, in a 2+1-years deal. During his first season after his return, he struggled with injuries, and also failed to fit newly-appointed coach José Antonio CamachoJosé Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
's plans, and did not make the list of 18 in any of Osasuna's final matches.
After just one year Ezquerro was released - earning €
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,...
1.4 million - and retired at 33, after not being able to find a new club in the following months.
International career
During his debut season for Athletic, Ezquerro gained his sole capCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Spain
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...
, in an infamous UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier against Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
, which ended with a 2–3 away loss and the sacking of coach Javier Clemente
Javier Clemente
Javier Clemente Lázaro, is a Spanish football manager. The veteran La Liga manager has spent most of his career at two clubs: Athletic Bilbao and RCD Espanyol. Between 1992 and 1998, he managed Spain and went 31 games unbeaten. He was also the the first foreign manager of Serbia. His most recent...
, on 5 September 1998.
Honours
- Barcelona:
- UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe 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...
: 2005–06 - Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe 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...
: 2005–062005–06 La Liga* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC... - Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20052005 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2005 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 13 and 20 August 2005.It contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners Real Betis. FC Barcelona won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20062006 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2006 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 17 and 20 August 2006.It was contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners RCD Espanyol . FC Barcelona won 4–0 on aggregate.-First leg:... - Catalonia Cup: 2007
- UEFA Champions League