Cazorla and the second or maternal family name is González. In this spanish name, the first or agnate surname isand the irregular or enate syndicate name is Santiago Cazorla González ( spanish pronunciation : [ sanˈtjaɣo ˈsanti kaˈθoɾla ɣonˈθaleθ ] ; [ A ] natural 13 December 1984 ) is a spanish professional football player who plays for Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd. A erstwhile spanish international, Cazorla operates chiefly as an attacking midfielder, but can besides play as a winger, cardinal midfielder or as a deep-lying playmaker.
Reading: Santi Cazorla
Cazorla began his master career at Villarreal in 2003 after impressing as a child with his hometown club, Real Oviedo. He continued his development at Villarreal before a short circuit spell at collaborator cabaret, Recreativo de Huelva. After becoming the clubhouse ‘s standout actor in the 2006–07 La Liga season, contributing to their top-ten finish and being awarded Spain ‘s Footballer of the Year, Cazorla returned to Villarreal for €1.2 million the follow season. He then firm established himself as a key subscriber to the side, regularly being named in the La Liga Team of the Season. In 2011, following five fruitful seasons on the spanish coast, Cazorla moved to La Liga side Málaga in a club-record €21 million deal, where he gained a repute for his amphetamine, shooting accuracy, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay, and excellent close manipulate. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] After the 2011–12 season, coupled with Málaga ‘s parlous fiscal situation, he moved to Premier League side Arsenal for a fee of £10 million, where he became a core component to the team in his beginning year at the club, registering thirteen assists, after which he was voted Arsenal Player of the Season, adenine well as becoming ranked one of the best footballers in Europe by Bloomberg. [ 4 ] Cazorla was besides integral in ending the club ‘s nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial free-kick en route to winning the FA Cup in 2014. Injuries plagued his latter years in England, and his six-year association with Arsenal ended in 2018. He then returned to Villarreal for a third gear enchantment ; in his two seasons, he recorded his highest appearance, league goals and help count since 2015. In 2020, he signed for Qatari club Al Sadd. Cazorla made his senior debut for Spain in a victory against Peru in May 2008, [ 5 ] and was a semi-regular participant in the state ‘s victory at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, a well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international finish in a friendly catch against Chile, and went on to amass 81 appearances and 15 goals for the national side .
Club career [edit ]
Villarreal [edit ]
Born in Llanera, Asturias, Cazorla started playing club football for local team Real Oviedo, [ 6 ] being acquired by Villarreal six months before turning 18, as his former club, immersed in a deep fiscal crisis, suffered two relegations at the end of the 2002–03 season which saw it nation in Tercera División. [ 7 ] Cazorla then progressed through the modesty slope, making his debut with the first team on 30 November 2003 in a 1–0 La Liga win at Deportivo de La Coruña, playing one minute in place of Roger, making one more appearance off the terrace over the temper. He scored his inaugural goal in a 3–0 acquire at Odense Boldklub in the adopt summer ‘s UEFA Intertoto Cup, which the Yellow Submarine finally won. [ 8 ] Established in the chief team in the 2004–05 campaign, Cazorla scored four goals in a test to the quarter-finals of the season ‘s UEFA Cup. On 1 May 2005, given an opportunity due to Juan Román Riquelme ‘s abeyance, he scored his foremost league finish in a 4–0 succeed over Getafe at El Madrigal, and followed it a workweek late with a fall upon in a 2–0 victory at Málaga. [ 9 ] [ 10 ] After contributing to an eventual fourth-place stopping point, he besides made two scoreless appearances in the watch season ‘s UEFA Champions League, where Villarreal were semi-finalists .
Recreativo [edit ]
On 7 July 2006, newly promoted Recreativo de Huelva signed Cazorla for € 600,000 on a four-year deal, with a clause in his contract whereby he could return to Villarreal ( for €1.2 million ), [ 11 ] going on to score in his official introduction, a 1–1 family draw with Mallorca, on 27 August. The following 22 April, he dedicated a goal to his father, José Manuel, [ 12 ] who had died recently, in a 4–2 home win against Racing de Santander ; in the penult repair on 10 June, he struck twice in a 5–2 gain at Deportivo de La Coruña. [ 13 ] His performances helped the Andalusians finish eighth, and he was named Spain ‘s Player of the year according to Don Balón, a member of european Sports Magazines, after topping its rat list. [ 14 ]
reappearance to Villarreal [edit ]
The trace year, Villarreal took advantage of the article in Cazorla ‘s abridge and bought him back, as the team believed he had proven himself. In his first season in his second spell, he was instrumental in Villarreal ‘s concluding runner-up target, providing assists for Nihat Kahveci and Giuseppe Rossi and netting five goals himself. On 26 August 2008, Cazorla announced that real Madrid were interest in signing him. [ 15 ] He then went on to cause a raise in the media by rejecting the team, announcing that, “ There are many other things in football besides substantial Madrid. It ‘s clear that it is possible to say ‘no ‘ to them, there is no doubt that they are a capital team, but I besides feel identical quenched and valued at my club. ” He added, “ I hope I can continue growing at Villarreal because I am young and I ’ m only starting off with the national team. ” [ 16 ] During a league game against Almería in early April 2009, Cazorla injured his right fibula after suffering a challenge from two opponents. [ 17 ] He missed several games but el Submarino Amarillo hush managed to qualify for the Europa League, as the player made his rejoinder earlier than expected in the side ‘s final pit, a 3–2 win at Mallorca, and finished the league campaign with a career-high eight goals. Cazorla struggled heavily with wound in the 2009–10 season, [ 18 ] [ 19 ] going on to miss the 2010 World Cup. [ 20 ] He returned to wide fitness in the play along political campaign, only missing one game and scoring five times as Villarreal finished fourthly and qualified to the Champions League .
Málaga [edit ]
On 26 July 2011, Cazorla left Villarreal and returned to Andalusia to join high-spending Málaga for a fee of €21 million. [ 21 ] [ 22 ] He scored on his official debut on 28 August, netting from a wonderfully taken free complain in a 1–2 away loss against neighbouring Sevilla. [ 23 ] On 12 September, he scored a brace and gave an help in another local bowler hat, a 4–0 home winnings against Granada, [ 24 ] and netted his fourth in only four games nine days later – again from a detached kick – in a 1–0 home success over athletic Bilbao. [ 25 ] On 18 March 2012, Cazorla scored from an injury-time release kick in a 1–1 away draw against Real Madrid, [ 26 ] and finished the season as the team ‘s second top scorer ( only behind Salomón Rondón ) as Málaga finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club ‘s history .
armory [edit ]
On 7 August 2012, it was officially announced that Cazorla had signed a long-run deal with Premier League club Arsenal, worth £10 million. [ 27 ] He became Arsène Wenger ‘s third major sign of the summer after the arrivals of german attacker Lukas Podolski and french striker Olivier Giroud. Cazorla picked up the man of the match prize on his debut for the club against Sunderland. [ 28 ]
Cazorla taking a recess for Arsenal He scored his first Arsenal finish in a 2–0 gain against Liverpool at Anfield [ 29 ] and scored his first hat-trick for the club against Reading, a performance that saw him pick up another man of the match prize. Despite his successful start to the campaign, Cazorla was mired in controversy during the meet against West Bromwich Albion, as he earned a penalty upon obviously being tripped by Steven Reid, which was converted to make it 1–0 in an eventual 2–0 home success. Television replays, however, showed that there had been no contact between Reid and Cazorla ; this led to Wenger issuing an apology for Cazorla being awarded a penalty and suggesting that the Spaniard could face corrective action for going to ground besides easily ; the director besides revealed that the playmaker had told him that he “ was touched, lost his remainder. ” [ 30 ] On 14 May 2013, Cazorla assisted all four of Arsenal ‘s goals in a critical 4–1 acquire over Wigan Athletic, which relegated their opponents and kept the Gunners in one-fourth position, with the eventual qualification to the Champions League. [ 31 ] Cazorla finished an exceptional first season in England as the only Arsenal actor to feature in all 38 league games, and on 31 May 2013, he was named Arsenal ‘s Player of the Season for 2012–13. [ 32 ] He ended his beginning season at Arsenal with 12 goals and 14 assists from 49 appearances. [ 32 ] “ I think he is a spot of an underestimate musician in the Premier League, ” Wenger told Arsenal. “ When you think he was not in the [ PFA ] team of the season picked by the players, it ‘s quite coarse. personally I would have put him in there. ” [ 33 ]
Cazorla preparing to take a corner against Sunderland in a Premier League match on 22 February 2014 Cazorla returned to pre-season education a few weeks late than normal after his affair in the Confederations Cup for Spain. He started from the bench against Aston Villa but was introduced at half-time after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ‘s injury. He played in every minute of Arsenal ‘s games after that and played an important function in the side ‘s three-straight wins early on in the season. [ 34 ] The Spaniard picked up an ankle injury in September before the Sunderland game that kept him out of action for the rest of the month. [ 35 ] On 30 November 2013, Cazorla made his three-hundredth career top-flight league appearance, when he started for Arsenal in a 3–0 gain against Cardiff City. Cazorla produced a string of sparkling performances in January. He thumped dwelling Arsenal ‘s first against Tottenham before scoring a brace in the acquire at home to Fulham. The goals kept coming for the 29-year-old with far strikes against Coventry City and Southampton. [ 36 ] Cazorla played every minute of Arsenal ‘s seven fixtures in March and committed his long-run future to Arsenal by signing a new contract. [ 37 ] Cazorla tucked home the winning penalty in the gunfight against Wigan to send Arsenal to the final examination of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. [ 38 ] The Spaniard besides added to his help tally when his corner was headed home by Giroud against West Brom and scored Arsenal ‘s first goal – a direct free-kick – as the team came from 2–0 polish to defeat Hull City 3–2 in the 2014 FA Cup Final, winning his first firearm of silverware with the club. [ 39 ] He finished the crusade with 7 goals and 47 appearances in all competitions. [ 40 ] Cazorla began the 2014–15 campaign with another goal at Wembley, slotting home Arsenal ‘s opener against Manchester City in the 2014 FA Community Shield. [ 41 ] On 30 May 2015, Cazorla was selected to start in the 2015 FA Cup Final, playing the wax 90 minutes and being vote man of the match in a 4–0 frustration of Aston Villa at Wembley. [ 42 ] He finished the Premier League season with 11 assists, the second-highest in the League behind Chelsea ‘s Cesc Fàbregas, and seven goals. [ 43 ] [ 44 ] Cazorla began the 2015–16 temper powerfully, featuring in every equal for Arsenal from the start of the campaign, [ 45 ] with analysis showing him to be the league ‘s busiest and most accurate passer. [ 46 ] however, on 30 November 2015 he suffered a knee injury in a match against Norwich City and was ruled out for at least three months. [ 45 ] In fact he did not return to the team until the end matchday on 15 May 2016, when he was named as player of the match in a 4–0 winnings over demote Aston Villa which secured runner-up topographic point for the Gunners. [ 47 ] At the beginning of 2016–17 Cazorla was once again an authoritative player for Arsenal, making 11 appearances and scoring doubly, before he injured his right Achilles tendon during a Champions League fixture against Ludogorets Razgrad on 19 October 2016, sustaining the wound from a challenge while providing an help for a Mesut Özil goal in the 6–0 victory. [ 48 ] Standard reclamation did not prove effective and in December it was confirmed that he would require surgery. [ 49 ] He finally endured eight operations on the problem ( the ankle in the first place having been damaged playing for Spain in 2013 ), [ 50 ] and contracted gangrene on the involve area with the infection ‘eating ‘ part of the tendon. It had been feared that he could be ineffective to walk again or could even lose the involve leg. [ 51 ] The condition required antibiotic treatment and a skin graft, with the skin sourced from Cazorla ‘s left forearm where a tattoo of his daughter ‘s identify had featured. [ 50 ] [ 52 ] He temporarily relocated to Salamanca to complete a promote recovery program, with the bearing of returning to play football in 2018 ; [ 51 ] [ 50 ] after foster operations, however, this was revised to 2019. [ 53 ] With his abridge ending at the goal of the 2017–18 season, it was announced that Cazorla would be leaving Arsenal. [ 54 ] In 2020, he voiced his desire to return to Arsenal for a farewell meet. [ 55 ]
second return key to Villarreal [edit ]
After his departure from Arsenal, Cazorla spent a brief period train with the young person team at Alavés. [ 56 ] [ 57 ] He then returned to former club Villarreal in regulate to train with them during the rest of the pre-season period and prove his fitness. [ 58 ] [ 59 ] He played his first game in 636 days when he appeared in a friendly against Hércules. He came on as a ersatz in the 57th minute to a standing ovation. [ 60 ] On 9 August 2018, his sign was officially announced by the club. [ 61 ]
Cazorla scored his team ‘s second base goal in a 5–1 cream of Real Betis on 27 September 2019. [ 62 ] With this goal, he became the highest-scoring midfielder in Villarreal ‘s history with 46 goals, a record previously held by Juan Román Riquelme. He ended the season with 10 assists, the third-most in the league. [ 63 ] On 19 July 2020, Cazorla made his last appearance for Villarreal, in a 4–0 league succeed over Eibar. Before being substituted in the 82nd infinitesimal of the match, he assisted the open goal, which was scored by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. [ 64 ] He ended the season with 11 goals ( joint 10th most ) and 9 assists ( the third-most ) in the league. Cazorla was given a guard of award by teammates and opponents as he exited the pitch. [ 65 ]
Al Sadd [edit ]
On 20 July 2020, Al Sadd confirmed that Cazorla joined the club to play under his former teammate Xavi. [ 66 ] On 30 August, Cazorla scored on his debut match in a Qatari Stars Cup semi-final winnings against Al Ahli. [ 67 ] This followed with a brace four days former on the 2020–21 QSL matchday one regular against Al-Kharaitiyat. [ citation needed ]
International career [edit ]
Cazorla began his international career in the Spain under-21 team, under Iñaki Sáez. He was called up for play-off games against Italy for the 2004 Summer Olympics, playing the beginning match which ended 0–1 – coming in on the 77th minute for Javier Arizmendi – but missing the moment leg as the nation did not finally qualify for the competition. [ 68 ] Despite his club football success, Cazorla had struggled to start regularly for Spain during their celebrated and highly successful run under Vicente del Bosque. [ 69 ] On 17 May 2008, senior side boss Luis Aragonés surprised the Spain ‘s press by including the uncapped Cazorla and Sergio García in his UEFA Euro 2008 squad, over more conventional wingers such as Joaquín and Albert Riera. [ 70 ] Justifying the decision, Aragonés stated, “ They are players [ Cazorla and García ] who are performing very well and had the possibility of coming. I made myself decide between Riera and Cazorla where I considered each player ‘s form. ” [ 71 ] After making his debut on 31 May 2008 in a 2–1 friendly acquire over Peru, Cazorla made substitute appearances in the tournament ‘s group stagecoach matches against Russia, [ 72 ] Sweden [ 73 ] and Greece, [ 74 ] besides coming from the workbench in the quarterfinals against Italy, converting his penalty in the ensuing gunfight which Spain won. [ 75 ] In the final examination, he played the death 25 minutes for David Silva, as Spain defeated Germany 1–0 and aided his country in winning their first major tournament in 44 years. [ 76 ] On 19 November 2008, Cazorla scored his beginning international goal against Chile, a 3–0 friendly acquire at his golf club ‘s home grind. He was summoned for the stick to year ‘s FIFA Confederations Cup, where he made a couple of substitute appearances. After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to a hernia, [ 18 ] [ 20 ] [ 19 ] [ 50 ] Cazorla returned to the national team ‘s setup. On 4 June 2011, during the beginning half of a friendly against the United States in Foxborough, Massachusetts, he scored doubly in a 4–0 acquire. [ 77 ] [ 19 ] Cazorla was selected by Vicente del Bosque for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. He played ten minutes against Ireland ( 4–0 group stage win ) [ 78 ] and six against France ( 2–0, quarterfinals ) [ 79 ] for the eventual champions. Cazorla was named in Spain ‘s 30-man probationary squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, [ 80 ] and was besides included in the concluding list for the contest. [ 81 ] On 19 June, he made his debut in the tournament by coming on for the last 14 minutes in seat of Pedro against Chile at the Maracanã in the second group game. Spain lost 2–0 and were eliminated. [ 82 ] He started the dead rubberize third peer, a victory over Australia. On 9 October 2015, Cazorla scored twice in a 4–0 win over Luxembourg at the Estadio Las Gaunas in Logroño, a result which sent Spain to Euro 2016. [ 83 ] He played and scored in a friendly victory over England the following calendar month, [ 84 ] but was not selected for the Euro 2016 finals squad having merely come back from injury, [ 47 ] and did not feature of speech for his state in 2016 or 2017 due to farther long-run injury problems. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] Having overcome his injury problems and returned to playing regularly at Villarreal, in May 2019 Cazorla was recalled to the Spain team for upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 reservation fixtures. [ 85 ] On 7 June, he made his first gear appearance for Spain since November 2015, a gap of 1302 days, when he started in a 4–1 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying winnings over Faroe Islands. It was besides a milestone juncture for Cazorla as he captained the national team for the first time in the second half of the match, assuming the armband following the substitution of regular captain Sergio Ramos. [ 86 ] [ 87 ]
style of play [edit ]
A hard-working, versatile, and highly technical bipedal player, Cazorla primarily operates as an attacking midfielder, but can besides play as a winger on either slope of the pitch, as a cardinal midfielder, or even as a deep-lying playmaker. In his prime, his chief traits were his speed, creativity, shooting accuracy – in particular from outside the box –, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay in midfield, crossing ability, and passing, which allowed him to set the tempo and dictate play in midfield, or cut inside from the flank, link-up with team-mates, make runs into the punishment area, and either create chances or score goals. A bantam musician, he besides possessed excellent close control, a low center of gravity, and immediate feet, angstrom well as his dribble skills, which allowed him to retain the ball in close spaces. He is besides accurate from set pieces. [ nota bene 1 ] Despite his ability, however, he has much struggled with injuries throughout his career. [ 97 ]
personal life [edit ]
Cazorla has three dogs, one of which is named Zlatan after the swedish football player. [ 98 ] He has a son, Enzo, and a daughter, India ; their names were tattooed on his forearms, which he would kiss after scoring goals, although the design on his left arm was ruined in 2017 when the skin was needed for use as a graft over his infect right heel. [ 52 ] Cazorla ‘s childhood footballing hero was danish big Michael Laudrup. [ 99 ] In November 2012, along with fellow Premier League stars Michu and Juan Mata, he bought shares in his erstwhile club Oviedo as they struggled to raise €2 million to stay afloat in Spain ‘s third class. [ 100 ]
career statistics [edit ]
club [edit ]
- As of 26 May 2021[101][102][103]
International [edit ]
source : [ 104 ]
Spain
Year
Apps
Goals
2008
13
1
2009
11
1
2010
5
0
2011
10
2
2012
11
4
2013
11
3
2014
8
0
2015
8
3
2019
4
1
Total
81
15
- Scores and results lists Spain’s goal tally first.[105][106]
Honours [edit ]
club [edit ]
Villarreal
Arsenal [ 109 ]
Al Sadd
International [edit ]
Spain [ 109 ]
individual [edit ]
Notes [edit ]
- ^González is pronounced [ɡonˈθaleθ] In isolation, is pronounced
References [edit ]
Read more: Swansea City A.F.C.