Raúl Albiol facts for kids
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Albiol playing for Spain in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Raúl Albiol Tortajada | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 September 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Vilamarxant, Spain | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Ribarroja | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Vilamarxant | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2003 | Valencia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Valencia B | 35 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | Valencia | 131 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | → Getafe (loan) | 17 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2013 | Real Madrid | 81 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2019 | Napoli | 180 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2025 | Villarreal | 165 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Spain U19 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Spain U20 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Spain U21 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2021 | Spain | 58 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:51, 22 December 2024 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Raúl Albiol Tortajada, born on September 4, 1985, is a Spanish professional football player. He is known for playing as a central defender, which is a key position in football defense.
Raúl has played for some big clubs like Valencia, Real Madrid, and Villarreal. He won many important trophies with these teams, including the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League with Villarreal. He played over 390 games in La Liga, Spain's top football league, and also spent several years playing in Italy's Serie A with Napoli.
Since 2007, Albiol has also been a part of the Spanish national team. He played in two World Cups and two European Championships. He helped Spain win three major tournaments, including the famous 2010 World Cup.
Contents
Raúl Albiol's Club Journey
Starting at Valencia
Raúl Albiol was born in Vilamarxant, Spain. He started playing football at a young age with smaller clubs. Before he turned 10, he joined the big local team, Valencia.
He played his first game for Valencia's main team on September 24, 2003. He was just 18 years old. This game was in the UEFA Cup against AIK. For his first year, he mostly played for Valencia's reserve team.
Loan to Getafe and a Serious Accident
In August 2004, Albiol was going to join Getafe on a loan. However, he was in a serious car accident and had to go to the hospital's intensive care unit. Luckily, he recovered completely.
He returned to play in January 2005. He helped Getafe avoid being moved down to a lower league. His first game in La Liga was on January 15, 2005, against Atlético Madrid. He even scored a goal against Real Madrid two months later.
Becoming a Key Player at Valencia
After his loan, Albiol returned to Valencia for the next season. He quickly became a regular player because he could play in different positions. In the first game of the 2006–07 season, he scored the winning goal against Real Betis.
He also scored a goal from far away against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League in September 2006. During his four years with Valencia's main team, he played in many league games. He also helped the team win the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) in 2008.
Time at Real Madrid
On June 25, 2009, Albiol joined Real Madrid. He was the first Spanish player signed by the club's president, Florentino Pérez, after he returned. Raúl scored his first goal for Real Madrid on December 8 in a Champions League game against Marseille.
He played almost every game in the league season because another defender, Pepe, had a bad knee injury.
Challenges and Injuries at Real Madrid
In the 2010–11 season, Albiol played less often. Real Madrid had signed another defender, Ricardo Carvalho. Raúl usually only played if other teammates were injured or suspended. However, he did play a lot in the club's Spanish Cup matches.
In January 2011, he saved a goal in a cup game against Sevilla. In April, he was sent off (given a red card) in a game against Barcelona. This led to a penalty kick for Barcelona.
In August 2012, Albiol signed a new contract with Real Madrid until 2017. In November, he played as captain for the first time. But he had to leave the game early due to an ankle injury. He was out for about a month.
Moving to Napoli in Italy
On July 21, 2013, Albiol moved to Italy to play for Napoli. He signed a four-year contract. He played his first game in Serie A, Italy's top league, on August 25. Napoli won that game 3–0 against Bologna.
Albiol scored his first goal for Napoli in January 2014. It was a late goal that helped his team draw 1–1 against ChievoVerona. In May, he played the whole final of the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup). Napoli won the cup by beating Fiorentina 3–1.
Returning to Spain with Villarreal
On July 4, 2019, Albiol, who was 33 years old, returned to Spain. He signed a three-year deal with Villarreal. His first game for Villarreal was on August 17, a high-scoring 4–4 draw against Granada.
Albiol scored two goals in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League season. Villarreal won this tournament, which was the first major trophy in the club's 98-year history. In the 2021 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea, he missed a penalty kick in the shoot-out.
In April 2022, Albiol was named the best player in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich. Villarreal won the overall match and moved on in the competition. He left Villarreal in May 2025, just before his 40th birthday.
Raúl Albiol's International Career
Raúl Albiol played for Spain's under-21 team before joining the senior national squad. His first game for the main Spanish team was on October 13, 2007. It was a qualifier for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament against Denmark, which Spain won 3–1.
In the Euro 2008 tournament, which Spain won, Albiol played in two games. He came on as a substitute for an injured player in one match.
The new national team coach, Vicente del Bosque, chose Albiol for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. He started in Spain's first game, helping them win 5–0 against New Zealand.
Albiol was also chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he got injured in training and did not play in any games. Spain went on to win the World Cup that year. He was also part of the squad for the Euro 2012 tournament, which Spain also won, but he did not play.
He was named in Spain's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Spain was already out of the tournament when he played his first World Cup game. He played the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 win against Australia.
How Raúl Albiol Plays
Raúl Albiol is a strong and dependable player. He is very good at heading the ball. His best quality is that he can play in different positions. He can play as a centre-back (in the middle of the defense), a right-back (on the right side of the defense), or even as a defensive midfielder.
Raúl Albiol's Family Life
Raúl Albiol's nickname is "El Chori". His older brother, Miguel, was also a football player. His father, also named Miguel, played in a lower division league. Raúl's youngest brother, Brian, was named after the famous Danish footballer Brian Laudrup, whom Raúl admired.
Raúl Albiol has two daughters with his wife, Alicia. In 2008, he helped start an organization called Evangélico FC. This group helps promote Christian values among young athletes in Spain.
Raúl Albiol's Football Achievements
Valencia
- Copa del Rey: 2007–08
- UEFA Cup: 2003–04
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2011–12
- Copa del Rey: 2010–11
- Supercopa de España: 2012
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2013–14
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2014
Villarreal
- UEFA Europa League: 2020–21
Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2004
Spain
Individual Awards
- La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2006
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2014–15, 2020–21
See also
In Spanish: Raúl Albiol para niños
