Santiago Cazorla González

Profile Football Stars | Santiago Cazorla González | Cazorla represented Spain at Euro 2008, Helping the national team win the tournament. Having started playing football for local club Asturian Real Oviedo, Cazorla was snapped up by Villarreal CF Several months before turning 18. He progressed through the reserve team, making his first team debut on 30 November 2003, playing one minute in a 1-0 win at Deportivo de La Coruña. Established in the playing squad in 2004-05, Cazorla scored four goals in the season's UEFA Cup, also making two goalless appearances in the following season's UEFA Champions League. During a league game against UD Almería in early April 2009, Cazorla injured his right fibula after Suffering a challenge from two opponents. He missed Several matches the Yellow Submarine but still managed to qualify for the Europa League, as the player made his Earlier than expected comeback in the side's final match, a 3-2 win at RCD Mallorca, and finished the league campaign with a career-best eight goals.

On 26 July 2011, Cazorla Villarreal left and returned to Andalusia to join the high-spending Málaga CF, for a fee of € 21m. On 18 March 2012, Cazorla scored from an injury-time free-kick in a 1-1 away draw against Real Madrid.

Cazorla began his international career in the U21 team, under Iñaki Saez. On 17 May 2008, senior boss Luis Aragonés side surprised the Spanish press by Including the uncapped Cazorla and Sergio García in his UEFA Euro 2008 squad, established over more Wingers Such as Joaquín and Albert Riera. After making his debut on 31 May 2008 in a 2-1 friendly win over Peru, Cazorla made substitute appearances in the tournament's group stage matches against Russia, Sweden and Greece, also coming from the bench in the quarterfinals against Italy, converting his penalty in the ensuing shootout the which Spain won.  On 19 November 2008, Cazorla scored his first international goal against Chile, a 3-0 friendly win on his club's home ground. After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to a hernia, Cazorla returned to the national team's setup.

Personal information
Full name Santiago Cazorla González
Date of birth 13 December 1984 (age 27)
Place of birth Oviedo, Spain
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position Winger

Club information
Current club Málaga
Number 12

Youth career
1998-2002 Oviedo

Senior career
years Team
Villarreal B 40 2002-2004 (4)
2003-2006 Villarreal 54 (2)
Recreativo 2006-2007 34 (5)
Villarreal 2007-2011 127 (23)
2011-Málaga 34 (9)

National team
2004-2006 Spain U21 7 (0)
2008-Spain 40 (4)

Honours

Club
Villarreal
     UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2004

Spain
     UEFA European Championship: 2008

Individual
     Don Balon - Spanish Footballer of the Year: 2007