David Albelda

David Albelda

Albelda as a Valencia player (2010)
Personal information
Full name	David Albelda Aliqués
Date of birth	(1977-09-01) 1 September 1977
Place of birth	La Pobla Llarga, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1992–1995	Alzira
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1996	Valencia B	31	(4)
1996–2013	Valencia	351	(6)
1996–1997	→ Villarreal (loan)	34	(0)
1998–1999	→ Villarreal (loan)	35	(2)
Total		451	(12)
International career
1996	Spain U18	8	(0)
1997	Spain U20	5	(1)
1998–2000	Spain U21	12	(1)
2000	Spain U23	6	(0)
2001–2008	Spain	51	(0)
Medal record Representing Spain Men's Football 2000 Sydney Team Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Albelda and the second or maternal family name is Aliqués.

David Albelda Aliqués (born 1 September 1977) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

He played mainly for local Valencia during his extensive professional career, being team captain for over a decade and appearing in 480 official games.

A Spanish international in the 2000s, Albelda gained 51 caps for the country, representing it in two World Cups and at Euro 2004.

Club career

Born in La Pobla Llarga, Valencian Community, Albelda started his career as a central defender with local UD Alzira and, after having served two separate loans with Villarreal CF, also in the region, returned for good to first professional club Valencia CF in the 1999–2000 season, playing a major role in a squad that was crowned La Liga champions in 2002 and 2004, adding to that the 2004 UEFA Cup; since the 2001 summer, with Gaizka Mendieta's departure, he was also awarded team captaincy.

On 20 December 2007 Albelda, along with teammates Santiago Cañizares and Miguel Ángel Angulo was axed from the Valencia squad by recently arrived coach Ronald Koeman. In the captain's case, he had ironically just renewed his link with the Che until 2011.

In response, on 2 January 2008, Albelda's lawyer claimed that Valencia had ignored his client's plea for an amicable end to the player's contract, with legal recourse the only possible avenue left. With news of this hitting the media, several teams, although he would not be able to join any Spanish team for the remainder of the season, having played more than four league games, studied the possibility of signing him in the winter transfer window, with hopes of a free transfer.

In late April 2008, however, with Koeman's sacking, all three were reinstated by new manager Voro in a squad seriously threatened with relegation, with five remaining rounds. He returned to action in the second half of the 0–6 away loss against FC Barcelona on 4 May, and received his first post-reinstatement start in a 5–1 success in the derby away at Levante UD in the following week, as Valencia mathematically retained top flight status.

For 2008–09 Albelda remained a regular fixture, alongside longtime central midfield teammate Rubén Baraja. On 10 January 2009 he delivered an outstanding performance at right back, replacing suspended Miguel in a 3–3 home derby against Villarreal.

Albelda in action for Valencia in 2012.

Albelda was played intermittently by Valencia from 2010 to 2013, also suffering several injury problems. On 10 June 2013, it was announced that the 35-year-old would not renew his contract with the club, leaving as a free agent; he announced his retirement two months later.

International career

A Spanish international since 5 September 2001, in 2–0 away win against Liechtenstein for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Albelda was part of the Spanish squad in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. He also played in UEFA Euro 2004.

After having been ousted from the Valencia squad, Albelda would still be called by national team boss Luis Aragonés to a 6 February 2008 friendly with France, but would eventually not make the final cut for Euro 2008 as Spain emerged victorious.

In addition, he also won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, and represented his nation in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Statistics

Club

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Valencia B	1995–96	31	4	–	–	-	-	31	4
	Total	31	4	0	0	0	0	31	4
Villarreal	1996–97	34	0	5	0	-	-	39	0
	Total	34	0	5	0	0	0	39	0
Valencia	1997–98	5	0	0	0	-	-	5	0
	Total	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Villarreal	1998–99	35	2	4	0	-	-	39	2
	Total	35	2	4	0	0	0	39	2
Valencia	1999–00	21	0	1	0	11	0	33	0
	2000–01	21	0	0	0	13	0	34	0
	2001–02	32	2	0	0	7	1	39	3
	2002–03	26	0	0	0	11	0	37	0
	2003–04	33	1	3	0	8	1	44	2
	2004–05	28	0	1	0	6	0	35	0
	2005–06	32	2	3	0	-	-	35	2
	2006–07	25	0	2	0	7	0	34	0
	2007–08	15	0	0	0	6	0	21	0
	2008–09	30	0	3	0	5	0	38	0
	2009–10	28	1	1	0	6	0	35	1
	2010–11	16	0	2	0	4	0	22	0
	2011–12	21	0	7	0	3	0	31	0
	2012–13	18	0	4	0	5	0	24	0
Total		373	6	20	0	92	2	420	8
Career total		433	12	29	0	92	2	552	14

International

Spain
Year	Apps	Goals
2001	1	0
2002	5	0
2003	6	0
2004	11	0
2005	6	0
2006	11	0
2007	10	0
2008	1	0
Total	51	0

Honours

Club

Valencia

• UEFA Cup: 2003–04
• UEFA Super Cup: 2004
• La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04
• Copa del Rey: 2007–08
• Supercopa de España: 1999
• UEFA Champions League: Runner-up 1999–2000, 2000–01

Country

Spain U23

• Summer Olympic Games: Silver medal 2000

External links

• David Albelda profile at BDFutbol
• National team data
• CiberChe stats and bio (Spanish)
• David Albelda at National-Football-Teams.com
• David Albelda – FIFA competition record