Borja Oubiña facts for kids
Oubiña in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Borja Oubiña Meléndez | ||
| Date of birth | 17 May 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Vigo, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1990 | Moledo | ||
| 1989–1996 | Gran Peña | ||
| 1996–1999 | Celta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2004 | Celta B | 131 | (6) |
| 2004–2015 | Celta | 217 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 350 | (11) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006 | Spain | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Borja Oubiña Meléndez, born on May 17, 1982, is a Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, which means he helped protect his team's defense. Borja spent most of his career playing for his hometown club, RC Celta de Vigo. He also had a short time playing in England for Birmingham City in 2007. Sadly, his career was often affected by serious knee injuries. He played 236 games for Celta, including five seasons in Spain's top league, La Liga.
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Playing for Celta Vigo
Borja Oubiña grew up playing football in his hometown of Vigo, Spain. He joined the youth teams of RC Celta de Vigo, the local club. He was a strong midfielder who was good at winning the ball back from opponents.
Borja first played for Celta's main team in the 2003–04 season. This was a big year for Celta, as they were also playing in the UEFA Champions League. Even though Celta struggled in the league that year, Borja became a regular player in the seasons that followed.
After Celta was moved down to a lower league in 2007, Borja wanted to leave the club. There were talks about him joining S.L. Benfica in Portugal, but a deal could not be reached.
Time in England and Injuries
On August 31, 2007, Borja agreed to join Premier League team Birmingham City in England on a one-year loan. He made his first appearance for Birmingham on September 15.
However, just 13 minutes into his next game against Liverpool, he suffered a very serious injury to his left knee. This injury, to his anterior cruciate ligament, meant he would be out of action for at least six months.
On February 9, 2008, Borja's loan at Birmingham was ended early. He returned to Vigo to focus on his recovery. More than a year after his injury, he played a few minutes in a game in December 2008. He played 14 more games that season.
Unfortunately, Borja's knee problems returned in September 2009. He needed more surgery and missed the rest of the 2009–10 season.
Return to Celta and Retirement
Borja worked hard to get back to full fitness. In the 2011–12 season, he played 28 matches for Celta. His efforts helped the team return to La Liga, Spain's top football league, after five years away.
However, in the 2014–15 season, injuries kept him from playing any games at all. On May 22, 2015, just five days after his 33rd birthday, Borja Oubiña announced that he was retiring from professional football.
Playing for Spain
Borja Oubiña also played for the Spanish national team twice. His first game was on September 2, 2006, against Liechtenstein. Spain won that game 4–0. Borja came on as a substitute in the second half.
See also
In Spanish: Borja Oubiña para niños
