Oleguer Presas facts for kids
Oleguer training with Ajax in 2011
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oleguer Presas Renom | ||
| Date of birth | 2 February 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Sabadell, Catalonia | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lepanto | |||
| Sant Gabriel | |||
| 1997–1999 | Gramenet | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2001 | Gramenet | 41 | (2) |
| 2001–2003 | Barcelona B | 74 | (2) |
| 2003–2008 | Barcelona | 127 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Ajax | 36 | (2) |
| Total | 278 | (7) | |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2009 | Catalonia | 6 | (0) |
|
|||
Oleguer Presas Renom (born 2 February 1980), known simply as Oleguer, is a former football player from Catalonia, Spain. He mainly played as a defender.
Oleguer spent most of his career playing for FC Barcelona. With Barcelona, he won two La Liga championships and the UEFA Champions League in 2006. He played in 175 official matches for the club.
Later, Oleguer joined AFC Ajax in 2008 and played there until he retired. He was also known for his strong beliefs. He supported Catalan nationalism and other causes, which sometimes led to public discussion.
Contents
Oleguer's Football Journey
Starting Out in Football
Oleguer was born in Sabadell, a city in Catalonia, Spain. He began his football journey at a local club called CD Lepanto. In 1997, he moved to UDA Gramenet. He started playing for their senior team two years later.
Playing for FC Barcelona
When Oleguer was 21, he signed with FC Barcelona. He first played for their reserve team, Barcelona B. His first game for the main team was in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League. This was a big match against Galatasaray SK.
On May 17, 2006, Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League by beating Arsenal. Oleguer started this important final match. He was later replaced by another player, Juliano Belletti, who scored the winning goal.
In July 2006, Oleguer signed a new contract to stay with Barcelona until 2010. He even got to be the team captain for the first time in a pre-season game. This was a way to show thanks for his hard work. In November 2006, he received an award for helping to promote Catalan sports around the world.
The 2007–08 season started well for Oleguer. He was often in the starting lineup for manager Frank Rijkaard. During this time, he also spoke out about the Catalonia national football team not being allowed to play certain international games.
In February 2008, Oleguer broke a bone in his left hand during a game. This injury kept him from playing for about six weeks. He didn't play much for the rest of that season. His only goal for Barcelona was in April 2005 against Málaga CF.
Time at Ajax
On July 29, 2008, Oleguer joined AFC Ajax in the Netherlands. He signed a three-year deal. The manager, Marco van Basten, was happy to have him. He said Oleguer's skills and experience were exactly what Ajax needed.
Oleguer scored a rare goal for Ajax on October 18, 2008, in a game against FC Groningen. He played a lot in his first season because other players were injured. However, he later became a backup player for younger defenders.
After playing only a few games in the 2010–11 season, Oleguer, who was 31, left Ajax.
Oleguer's Life Beyond Football
His Beliefs and Writings
Oleguer studied economics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In March 2006, he published his first book called Camí d'Itaca (The Road to Ithaca). The book shared stories from his childhood and early football career. It also talked about his thoughts on different social topics.
After Barcelona won the league in 2005, Oleguer celebrated with a Catalan independence flag. This showed his strong connection to his Catalan identity.
Oleguer supported left-wing ideas and Catalan nationalist causes. He was even invited to play in a charity football match in Mexico. He was also asked to join the Spain national football team. He accepted the invitation to meet the manager, but then explained he didn't feel ready to play for the team.
In February 2007, Oleguer wrote an article for a newspaper. In it, he shared his thoughts on justice and legal processes in Spain. This article caused some discussion and criticism. As a result, he lost his sponsorship deal with a sports company. He then signed with a different brand. He also faced some negative reactions from fans in certain stadiums.
In 2010, Oleguer took part in a peaceful protest in Amsterdam. His club, Ajax, was fine with him being there.
Achievements and Awards
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06
- Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006
- UEFA Champions League: 2005–06
- UEFA Super Cup runner-up: 2006
- FIFA Club World Cup runner-up: 2006
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 2010–11
- KNVB Cup: 2009–10
Images for kids
-
Oleguer training with Ajax in 2011
