Iván de la Peña facts for kids
De la Peña playing for Espanyol in 2009
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Iván de la Peña López | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 6 May 1976 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Santander, Spain | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| Racing Santander | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Barcelona B | 37 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Barcelona | 81 | (11) | ||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Lazio | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | → Marseille (loan) | 12 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | → Barcelona (loan) | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2002–2011 | Espanyol | 179 | (8) | ||||||||||
| Total | 333 | (25) | |||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Spain U16 | 17 | (2) | ||||||||||
| 1992 | Spain U17 | 4 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 1994 | Spain U18 | 7 | (3) | ||||||||||
| 1995 | Spain U20 | 5 | (2) | ||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Spain U21 | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 1996 | Spain U23 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2005 | Spain | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||
Iván de la Peña López, born on May 6, 1976, is a famous Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, which means he helped both defend and attack on the field. People called him 'Little Buddha' because of his shaven head and small size.
Iván started his football journey as a very talented young player at FC Barcelona. He later finished his long career at their nearby rival team, RCD Espanyol. Over 12 seasons in Spain's top league, La Liga, he played 269 games and scored 19 goals.
He was well-known for his amazing technical skills and his ability to pass the ball very accurately. However, his career was sometimes affected by injuries.
Contents
Iván de la Peña's Football Journey
Starting at Barcelona
Iván de la Peña was born in Santander, Spain. He joined FC Barcelona as a young player in 1991. Two years later, he started playing for their B-team. He played 37 games for them.
In 1995, at just 19 years old, he made his first team debut for Barcelona. His coach, Johan Cruyff, brought him into a game against Real Valladolid. Iván scored a goal in that match, helping his team win 2–0. Many thought he would become the next big star, like Pep Guardiola.
During his first season, he scored seven league goals, which was his best ever. But he later had some disagreements with coach Cruyff.
Success with Bobby Robson
When Bobby Robson became the coach in 1996, Iván got another chance. He formed a great partnership with the famous player Ronaldo. They helped Barcelona win three big trophies in 1997: the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup), the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and the UEFA Supercup.
Because of his great performances, he was voted the best young player by a newspaper called El País in both 1996 and 1997.
Moving to Italy and Back
After another coach, Louis van Gaal, arrived at Barcelona, Iván de la Peña found himself playing less. So, he moved to an Italian club called S.S. Lazio. However, he didn't play much there either.
He was then loaned to Olympique de Marseille in France for a season. That didn't work out well, so he returned to Barcelona on loan for the 2000–01 season. He only played nine games that season and then left Italy for good.
Finding a Home at Espanyol
In 2002, Iván de la Peña joined RCD Espanyol, another team in Barcelona. Here, he finally found a place where he could play regularly and show his best football.
In the 2004–05 season, he helped Espanyol finish fifth in La Liga. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup, a big European competition.
In 2006, Espanyol won the Spanish Cup. Iván was a key player in their 4–1 victory against Real Zaragoza. He set up two goals, showing off his amazing passing skills. This win also helped Espanyol qualify for the UEFA Cup again. They even reached the final but lost to Sevilla FC after a penalty shootout.
Later Years and Retirement
From 2007 to 2009, Iván faced many injury problems. But on February 21, 2009, he scored two goals in a big local derby match against Barcelona. Espanyol won 2–1, even though Barcelona was first in the league and Espanyol was last.
In August 2009, after the sad death of the team captain Daniel Jarque, Iván de la Peña became the new captain. His injuries continued to be a big problem. He even said he might retire if they didn't get better.
On May 22, 2011, at 35 years old, Iván de la Peña officially retired from football after a home match against Sevilla.
Playing for Spain
Iván de la Peña played for Spain's youth teams, including the under-21 team. He played in the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and the 1996 Summer Olympics. In the Olympics, Spain reached the quarter-finals.
He made his debut for the senior national team on February 9, 2005, when he was 28 years old. It was a World Cup qualifier against San Marino, which Spain won 5–0. He played five games for Spain that year.
Life After Football
After retiring as a player, Iván de la Peña became part of the coaching staff for the Italian club A.S. Roma in 2011. He worked alongside his former Barcelona teammate, Luis Enrique.
Later, he took a break for family reasons. Today, Iván de la Peña works as a football agent. This means he helps players manage their careers. One of his most famous clients is the talented young Barcelona player, Gavi.
Career Achievements
Club Trophies
Barcelona
- La Liga: 1997–98
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Supercopa de España: 1996
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- UEFA Super Cup: 1997
Lazio
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1998
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
Espanyol
- Copa del Rey: 2005–06
- UEFA Cup: Runner-up 2006–07
International Achievements
Spain
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Runner-up 1996
Individual Awards
- Don Balón Award – Breakthrough Player of the Year in La Liga: 1995–96
See also
In Spanish: Iván de la Peña para niños
