Zabaleta and the second or maternal family name is Girod. In this spanish identify, the first or paternal surname isand the second or parental family identify is Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod ( american spanish : [ ˈpaβlo saβaˈleta ] ; born 16 January 1985 ) is an Argentine erstwhile professional football player who played as a right back. Zabaleta could operate on both sides of the pitch as a full-back and was known for his coherent style of play, and has captained his club on numerous occasions.
Reading: Pablo Zabaleta
With Manchester City, Zabaleta won all of English football ‘s major honours : the FA Cup ( 2011 ), the Premier League ( 2012 and 2014 ), the League Cup ( 2014 and 2016 ) and the Community Shield ( 2012 ). Before joining Manchester City, Zabaleta played for La Liga club RCD Espanyol, where he won the 2005–06 Copa del Rey. [ 4 ] He made 333 appearances over nine seasons for Manchester City before signing for London-based clubhouse West Ham United in the summer of 2017. A full international since 2005, Zabaleta represented Argentina at the 2011 and 2015 Copa América, and was separate of their team which finished as runner-up in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was besides in their team which won amber at the 2008 Olympics .
Club career [edit ]
San Lorenzo [edit ]
Born in Buenos Aires, Zabaleta was raised in Arrecifes. He began his career at Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro in 2002 after progressing through their youth ranks, having been signed at the age of 12 from local golf club Obras Sanitarias. He started playing as a defensive midfielder but finally moved to the mighty slope of midfield .
Espanyol [edit ]
Zabaleta was transferred to Espanyol in 2005 for €3 million after being Argentina under-20s master in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, which Argentina won. During the 2005–06 season, Zabaleta helped Espanyol to win the Copa del Rey, playing the full 90 minutes in the 4–1 victory over real Zaragoza in the final. [ 5 ] In January 2007, Zabaleta suffered a shoulder injury that kept him off the deliver for about three months, already having established himself as an undisputed foremost team choice. late in the season, he featured in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup final examination, where Espanyol lost on penalties to fellow spanish slope Sevilla .
Manchester City [edit ]
In the summer of 2008, Zabaleta transferred to Premier League club Manchester City after rejecting an offer from Juventus. He stated upon joining that “ The volunteer is impossible to reject and not equitable because of the money … Juventus besides wanted me but I wanted to come to England, and to Manchester. ” [ 6 ] Having passed a checkup and agreed personal terms, Zabaleta completed a five-year deal with City on 31 August 2008 for an undisclosed tip, believed to be the buy-out article Zabaleta had attached to his abridge of around £6.45 million. [ 5 ] Zabaleta joined a sidereal day before Manchester City was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group, led by Sheikh Mansour, which enabled a wealth of investment in the golf club. On 13 September 2008, Zabaleta made his debut for Manchester City in a 3–1 get the better of to Chelsea at the City of Manchester Stadium. [ 7 ] On 5 October, he received his beginning crimson card in English football when he was sent off in a 3–2 personnel casualty to Liverpool in his fourth Premier League appearance. He scored his first goal for City on 17 January 2009, the only goal of the game in a 1–0 league winnings over Wigan Athletic. [ 8 ] On 21 November 2010, Zabaleta scored his second Premier League goal in Manchester City ‘s 4–1 gain against Fulham. In the lapp match, he assisted a Carlos Tevez goal, helping his compatriot to earn his ninth goal for the club during the 2010–11 season. [ 9 ] On 1 January 2011, Zabaleta played his hundredth game for Manchester City in all competitions, coming off the bench against Blackpool in a 1–0 win at Eastlands. Two weeks by and by, on 15 January, Zabaleta made his second assist of the season in a 4–3 gain over Wolverhampton Wanderers. [ 10 ] This win meant that City went top of the league above local rivals Manchester United. however, City ‘s title challenge faded with a loss of form in February and March 2011. On 1 May 2011, Zabaleta scored his second base goal of the season in a Premier League match against West Ham United. This secured a 2–1 win for the Citizens and put them seven points ahead of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the slipstream for fourth identify. [ 11 ] On 14 May 2011, Zabaleta appeared as an 88th-minute utility for Carlos Tevez in the 2011 FA Cup Final as Manchester City rhythm Stoke City 1–0. [ 12 ] In the summer of 2011, it was reported that italian clubhouse Roma were keen on signing Zabaleta, but Manchester City insisted the musician was not for sale [ 13 ] and Zabaleta agreed a three-year contract in July 2011. On 1 October 2011, Zabaleta started and played the wide 90 minutes at right-back in a 4–0 winnings over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the Premier League, as regular starter Micah Richards was not available. On 23 October, he was an unused alternate in the convert 1–6 succeed over rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, with Richards starting at right-back. [ 14 ] In November 2011, Zabaleta extended his abridge with City until the summer of 2015. Zabaleta said, “ I ‘m in a very good team, and I try to do my best for the club, the team and the fans. I did n’t think twice, I gave a quick answer because I was so happy to sign. ” [ 15 ] [ 16 ] In his first gear three-and-a-half years at the golf club, Zabaleta emerged as a cult hero amongst the Manchester City fans who admire his indomitable attitude and commitment to the clubhouse. On 30 April 2012, he started and played the full 90 minutes in the right-back slot in a 1–0 victory over rivals Manchester United thanks to a first-half stop time heading by Vincent Kompany from a corner at the City of Manchester Stadium. Zabaleta scored the first finish in City ‘s dramatic 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers on the final examination sidereal day of the temper, a consequence which secured the first league title for the club since 1968. [ 17 ] On 9 December 2012, Zabaleta scored a late equal goal in a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United .
On 1 January 2013, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 succeed at the City of Manchester Stadium over Stoke City, doubling his finish reckoning from the previous season. On 25 January 2013, Zabaleta scored his third gear goal of the season and the lone goal of the match in a 1–0 winnings off against Stoke City in the FA Cup, fourth round. His goal took Manchester City through to the fifth round. Zabaleta was voted Manchester City ‘s Player of the Month for both December 2012 [ 18 ] and January 2013, [ 19 ] and was stand-in captain for the club during Vincent Kompany ‘s injury absence between January and March 2013. [ 20 ] He was the only City musician to be named in the 2012–13 Premier League PFA Team of the Year. [ 21 ] After a brilliant temper, Zabaleta was voted 2012–13 Manchester City Player of the Year. [ 22 ] Zabaleta was sent off in the 2013 FA Cup Final against Wigan Athletic for a second yellow wag after a clear afoul on Callum McManaman 84 minutes into the catch. Wigan went on to win 1–0 through a Ben Watson goal in blockage time. He was the third base actor to be sent off in an FA Cup final examination and first for the fall back side. On 2 March 2014, Zabaleta played the wide 90 minutes as Manchester City beat Sunderland 3–1 in the 2014 League Cup Final to complete a full moon set of major honours in English football. [ 23 ] On 21 April, he scored his first finish of the season in a 3–1 frustration of West Bromwich Albion at the City of Manchester Stadium. [ 24 ] On 11 May, Zabaleta was part of the victory against West Ham that won Manchester City the Premier League, his second in three seasons. On 21 September 2014, Zabaleta was sent off for a second chicken circuit board due to a challenge on Chelsea ‘s Diego Costa. Both players received a chicken poster, Zabaleta for the initial challenge and Costa for his reaction.
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On 21 August 2015, it was announced that Zabaleta was out for a month with knee wound. [ 25 ] On 17 January 2016, Zabaleta reached 200 appearances for Manchester City in the baseball club ‘s 4–0 victory over Crystal Palace. [ 26 ] Zabaleta made 32 appearances in all competitions in the 2016–17 season scoring two goals ; against Watford in the Premier League and against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup. His final appearance for Manchester City came on 16 May 2017, a 3–1 home winnings against West Bromwich Albion. [ 27 ] After the game he was praised by the City coach, Pep Guardiola, as a “ caption ”. [ 28 ] Zabaleta was given a life season ticket for Manchester City and a shirt that read “ Zabaleta 333 ”, to mark the number of City appearances he made. [ 29 ]
West Ham United [edit ]
On 26 May 2017, Zabaleta signed for Premier League club West Ham United on a free transfer, agreeing to a biennial contract. He was given number five as his team number. [ 30 ] On 22 May 2018, Manuel Pellegrini was confirmed as director of West Ham United, [ 31 ] reuniting him with his early director at Manchester City. In May 2019, Zabaleta extended his contract with West Ham Until the summer of 2020. [ 32 ] On 5 January 2020, Zabaleta scored his entirely goal for West Ham, in a 2–0 acquire against Gillingham in the FA Cup third base round. [ 33 ] On 10 January 2020, in a match against Sheffield United, Zabaleta became the first Argentinean, and merely the third South American, to record 300 Premier League appearances. [ 34 ] In June 2020, West Ham confirmed his deviation from the club at the end of the month. [ 35 ] Zabaleta played 80 times for West Ham over three seasons, scoring one goal. [ 36 ]
retirement [edit ]
On 16 October 2020, Zabaleta formally announced his retirement from master football after 18 years. [ 37 ] [ 38 ]
International career [edit ]
Zabaleta ( middle ) lining up for Argentina in 2014 At the historic period of 14, Zabaleta was called up by Hugo Tocalli to the Argentina under-15 team. He took part in many youth tournaments, including the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003 and 2005, winning the latter in the Netherlands. He received complete 75 caps to national youth sides, and started representing the senior side in 2005. He was besides a member of the aureate medal-winning team at the 2008 Summer Olympics, starting at right-back and playing all six matches. After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which Zabaleta was not selected by forefront passenger car Diego Maradona, under the new Argentina coach he has established himself as first-choice right-back. On 1 June 2011, Zabaleta captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly against Nigeria. In June 2014, Zabaleta was named in Argentina ‘s team for the 2014 World Cup. [ 39 ] He made his World Cup debut in Argentina ‘s 2–1 acquire over Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã, playing the full match in defense. [ 40 ] At the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the crossbreed from which his Manchester City teammate Sergio Agüero headed the only finish of the game as Argentina defeated holders Uruguay in their moment group couple. [ 41 ]
personal life [edit ]
Zabaleta was born in Buenos Aires, to a kin of spanish ( Basque ) descent. [ 42 ] Zabaleta has a tattoo on his thorax which bears the appoint of his mother. [ 43 ] In June 2018, he worked as a initiate for the BBC ‘s Match of the Day 2018 World Cup coverage from Russia. [ 44 ] He nowadays works for ESPN on their La Liga coverage .
career statistics [edit ]
golf club [edit ]
International [edit ]
Appearances and goals by national team and year[46]
National team
Year
Apps
Goals
Argentina
2005
2
0
2006
2
0
2008
3
0
2010
1
0
2011
13
0
2012
7
0
2013
7
0
2014
12
0
2015
7
0
2016
4
0
Total
58
0
Honours [edit ]
Zabaleta with the FA Cup on Manchester City ‘s 2011 victory parade in May 2011 Espanyol
Manchester City
Individual
References [edit ]
Read more: Real Sociedad