Sergio Martínez Ballesteros
Encyclopedia
Sergio Martínez Ballesteros (born 4 September 1975) is a Spanish
footballer who plays for Levante UD
in La Liga
, as a central defender.
, Horta Nord
, Valencian Community
, Ballesteros came through the ranks of local Levante UD
. In January 1996, he moved on loan to the Canary Islands
' CD Tenerife
, making his top flight
debut on 3 January, in a 2–0 home win against Racing de Santander
. After making the move permanent, he went on to become an important defensive player, also starting to garner a reputation as a tough, sometimes to excess, central defender (in 1998–99, as Tenerife ranked second from bottom, Ballesteros was sent off
twice in just eight appearances).
In 2001–02, Ballesteros moved to Madrid
's Rayo Vallecano
(10 yellow cards collected), subsequently spending three years at Villarreal CF
, being an important defensive element as the Valencian outfit consolidated in the first division.
From 2004–08, he represented RCD Mallorca
in the top flight, receiving six additional marching orders in over 100 first team appearances. In July 2008, the 33 year-old was deemed surplus to requirements and released, re-joining Levante (freshly relegated to the second division) after 13 years.
Veteran Ballesteros rarely missed a game for the Valencian in the following seasons, making 34 appearances in 2010–11
(one goal, against CA Osasuna
in a 2–1 home win) as the team finally retained its top division status.
Spain U21
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 plays for Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
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...
, as a central defender.
Football career
Born in BurjassotBurjassot
Burjassot is a municipality in the comarca of Horta Nord in the Valencian Community, Spain. The footballer José Carlos Cerveró was born there on 11th December 1979....
, Horta Nord
Horta Nord
Horta Nord is a comarca in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain.-Municipalities:*Albalat dels Sorells*Alboraya*Albuixech*Alfara del Patriarca*Almàssera*Bonrepòs i Mirambell*Burjassot*Emperador*Foios*Godella*Massalfassar...
, Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, Ballesteros came through the ranks of local Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
. In January 1996, he moved on loan to the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
' CD Tenerife
CD Tenerife
Club Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
, making 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 3 January, in a 2–0 home win against Racing de Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
. After making the move permanent, he went on to become an important defensive player, also starting to garner a reputation as a tough, sometimes to excess, central defender (in 1998–99, as Tenerife ranked second from bottom, Ballesteros was sent off
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
twice in just eight appearances).
In 2001–02, Ballesteros moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
's Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...
(10 yellow cards collected), subsequently spending three years at Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, being an important defensive element as the Valencian outfit consolidated in the first division.
From 2004–08, he represented 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 the top flight, receiving six additional marching orders in over 100 first team appearances. In July 2008, the 33 year-old was deemed surplus to requirements and released, re-joining Levante (freshly relegated to the second division) after 13 years.
Veteran Ballesteros rarely missed a game for the Valencian in the following seasons, making 34 appearances 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...
(one goal, against 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...
in a 2–1 home win) as the team finally retained its top division status.
Honours
Villarreal- UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
: 2003
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 ChampionshipUEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
: 19981998 UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total....