Pablo García (footballer, born 1977) facts for kids
García as PAOK coach in 2014
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pablo Gabriel García Pérez | ||
| Date of birth | 11 May 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Pando, Uruguay | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Atromitos (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1996 | Montevideo Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1996–1997 | Montevideo Wanderers | 35 | (1) |
| 1997–2000 | Atlético Madrid B | 38 | (3) |
| 1997 | → Valladolid (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1998 | → Peñarol (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2000–2002 | Milan | 5 | (0) |
| 2002 | → Venezia (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2002–2005 | Osasuna | 78 | (6) |
| 2005–2008 | Real Madrid | 22 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Celta (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | → Murcia (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 2008–2013 | PAOK | 109 | (5) |
| 2014 | Skoda Xanthi | 3 | (0) |
| Total | 348 | (15) | |
| National team | |||
| 1997–2007 | Uruguay | 66 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2015–2016 | PAOK U19 (assistant) | ||
| 2016–2020 | PAOK U19 | ||
| 2020–2021 | PAOK | ||
| 2021–2023 | PAOK B | ||
| 2023–2024 | Panserraikos | ||
| 2024– | Atromitos | ||
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Pablo Gabriel García Pérez, born on May 11, 1977, is a famous Uruguayan former football player. He used to play as a strong defensive midfielder. Today, he is a manager for the Greek club Atromitos. People often called him Canario, which means "canary," because he was born in Pando, Uruguay. He was known for his tough and energetic playing style on the field.
Pablo García spent most of his playing career in La Liga, Spain's top football league. He played 135 games over six years for four different teams. He also spent several seasons playing in Greece for PAOK. He played for the Uruguayan national team for over ten years. He even played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Pablo García began his football journey in Pando, Uruguay. He started playing for Montevideo Wanderers. After a short time at Peñarol, he moved to Spain to join Atlético Madrid. However, he only played for their reserve team, Atlético Madrid B.
Two years later, he moved to Italy to play for the famous club AC Milan. He only played five games for Milan. In 2002, he was loaned to another Italian team, Venezia. Even though Venezia was relegated, Pablo García played well.
Playing in Spain
In 2002, Pablo García moved back to Spain to play for Osasuna. He quickly became known for his intense playing style. In his very first game for Osasuna, he scored a goal and received a yellow card. This showed his strong presence on the field.
In 2005, Osasuna reached the final of the Copa del Rey, a big Spanish cup competition. Pablo García was a key player for them. During the final, he received a red card for a tough challenge. Even so, his strong performances caught the eye of Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world. They signed him to a three-year contract.
At Real Madrid, Pablo García competed for a spot as a defensive midfielder. He helped Madrid finish second in the 2005–06 season. However, the new manager decided he was not needed. He was loaned to Celta and then to Real Murcia before leaving Real Madrid in 2008.
Time with PAOK in Greece
After leaving Real Madrid, Pablo García joined PAOK in Greece in July 2008. He quickly became a favorite among the fans because of his determination and tough play. He was known for his strong challenges and never giving up.
His second season with PAOK was very successful. The team had a strong defense, letting in very few goals. Pablo García was a vital part of the midfield. He even scored a goal against Panathinaikos in a big win. He stayed with PAOK for several years, even agreeing to a lower salary to help the club.
In 2013, he left PAOK briefly but returned later that year. In 2014, he moved to another Greek team, Skoda Xanthi. He retired from playing football a few months later at the age of 37.
International Career
Pablo García started playing for the Uruguayan national team in 1997. He quickly became an important player for his country, playing a total of 66 games.
He played in all of Uruguay's matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also played in two Copa América tournaments. In the 2007 Copa América, he scored a great goal against Venezuela.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Pablo García returned to PAOK in 2015. He started his coaching career as an assistant for the club's under-17 team.
He then became the coach of the under-19 team at PAOK. He had an amazing record, going undefeated for 78 matches and winning three national championships!
In October 2020, he was appointed as the coach of the main PAOK team. He led them to a second-place finish in the league. In May 2021, he won the Greek Football Cup with a 2–1 victory in the final. After this success, he was offered a position to coach the reserve team, PAOK B.
In 2023, Pablo García became the manager of Panserraikos, another team in the Greek top league. In May 2024, he announced he was leaving Panserraikos. Later that month, he became the manager of Atromitos in the same league.
Honours
Player
Osasuna
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2004–05
International
- FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 1997
- Copa América runner-up: 1999
Individual
- PAOK MVP of the Season: 2011–12
Manager
PAOK
- Greek Football Cup: 2020–21
