Santi Cazorla

Personal information
Full name	Santiago Cazorla González
Date of birth	(1984-12-13) 13 December 1984 (age 27)
Place of birth	Llanera, Spain
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Málaga
Number	12
Youth career
1998–2002	Oviedo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2004	Villarreal B	40	(4)
2003–2006	Villarreal	54	(2)
2006–2007	Recreativo	34	(5)
2007–2011	Villarreal	127	(23)
2011–	Málaga	38	(9)
National team‡
2004–2006	Spain U21	7	(0)
2008–	Spain	42	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 May 2012

Santiago "Santi" Cazorla González (Spanish pronunciation: [sanˈtjaɣo kaˈθoɾla ɣonˈθaleθ]; born 13 December 1984 in Llanera, Asturias) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Málaga CF in La Liga.

A versatile winger, he can play on either flank, being ambidextrous. He is noted for his speed and capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay,^[1] and spent most of his professional career with Villarreal.

Cazorla represented Spain at Euro 2008, helping the national team win the tournament.

Club career[link]

Villarreal[link]

Having started playing football for local Asturian club Real Oviedo, Cazorla was snapped up by Villarreal CF several months before turning 18. He progressed through the reserve team, making his first team debut on 30 November 2003, playing one minute in a 1–0 win at Deportivo de La Coruña.

Established in the main squad in 2004–05, Cazorla scored four goals in the season's UEFA Cup, also making two goalless appearances in the following season's UEFA Champions League .

On 7 July 2006, Recreativo de Huelva signed Cazorla for €600.000 on a four-year contract, with a clause in his contract whereby he could return to Villarreal (for €1.2 million),^[2] going on to score in his official debut, a 1–1 home draw with RCD Mallorca, on 27 August. He became Spanish player of the year according to Don Balón, a member of European Sports Magazines after topping its rating list.^[3] On April 22, 2007, Cazorla dedicated a goal to his father, who had died recently, in a 4–2 home win against Racing de Santander. He helped the Andalusians, which had just returned from the second division, eventually finish eighth.

The following year, Villarreal took advantage of the clause in Cazorla's contract and bought him back, as the team believed he had proven himself. In his first season in his second spell, Cazorla was instrumental in Villarreal's final runner-up final placing, providing assists for Nihat Kahveci and Giuseppe Rossi and netting five goals himself.

On 26 August 2008, Cazorla announced that Real Madrid wanted to buy him.^[4] He then went on to cause a stir in the media by rejecting the team announcing that, "There are many other things in football besides Real Madrid. It's clear that it is possible to say "no" to them, There is no doubt that they are a great team, but I also feel very satisfied and valued at my club". "I hope I can continue growing at Villarreal because I am young and I’m only starting off with the national team."^[5]

During a league game against UD Almería in early April 2009, Cazorla injured his right fibula after suffering a challenge from two opponents.^[6] He missed several matches but the Yellow Submarine still managed to qualify for the Europa League, as the player made his comeback earlier than expected in the side's final match, a 3–2 win at RCD Mallorca, and finished the league campaign with a career-best eight goals.

Cazorla struggled heavily with injury in the 2009–10 season,^[7][8] going on to miss the 2010 World Cup.^[9] He returned to full fitness in the following campaign, only missing one match and scoring five times as Villarreal finished fourth and qualified to the Champions League.

Málaga[link]

On 26 July 2011, Cazorla left Villarreal and returned to Andalusia to join high-spending Málaga CF, for a fee of €21m.^[10][11] He scored on his official debut on 28 August, netting from a superbly-taken free kick, but in a 1–2 away loss against neighbouring Sevilla FC.^[12] On 12 September he scored a brace and gave an assist in in another local derby, a 4–0 home win against Granada CF,^[13] and netted his fourth in only four games nine days later - again from a free kick - in a 1−0 home success over Athletic Bilbao.^[14]

On 18 March 2012, Cazorla scored from an injury-time free kick in a 1−1 away draw against Real Madrid.^[15]

International career[link]

Cazorla began his international career in the U21 team, under Iñaki Sáez. He was called upon for play-off matches against Italy for the 2004 Summer Olympics,^[16] playing the first match which ended 0–0 - coming in on the 77' minute for Javier Arizmendi - but missing the second leg, as the nation did not eventually qualify for the competition.^[17]

On 17 May 2008, senior side boss Luis Aragonés surprised the Spanish press by including the uncapped Cazorla and Sergio García in his UEFA Euro 2008 squad, over more established wingers such as Joaquín and Albert Riera.^[18] To justify his decision when asked, Aragonés stated, "They are players [Cazorla and García] who are performing very well and had the possibility of coming. I made myself decide between Riera and Cazorla where I considered each player's form, and in Sergio García's case, he has become very effective on the right wing, we needed another player there and he deserved to come".^[19]

After making his debut on 31 May 2008 in a 2–1 friendly win over Peru, Cazorla made substitute appearances in the tournament's group stage matches against Russia,^[20] Sweden^[21] and Greece,^[22] also coming from the bench in the quarterfinals against Italy, converting his penalty in the ensuing shootout which Spain won.^[23] In the final, he played the last 25 minutes for David Silva, as Spain defeated Germany 1–0 and aided his country in winning their first major tournament in 44 years.^[24]

On 19 November 2008, Cazorla scored his first international goal against Chile, a 3–0 friendly win on his club's homeground. He was summoned for the following year's FIFA Confederations Cup, where he made a couple of substitute appearances.

After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to a hernia,^[7] Cazorla returned to the national team's setup. On 4 June 2011, during the first half of a friendly against the United States in Boston, he scored twice on assists from Silva, in a 4–0 win.^[25]

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	19 November 2008	El Madrigal, Villarreal, Spain	Chile	3–0	3–0	Friendly
2.	9 September 2009	Estadio José Romano Fouta, Mérida, Spain	Estonia	2–0	3–0	2010 World Cup qualification
3.	4 June 2011	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	United States	1–0	4–0	Friendly
4.	4 June 2011	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	United States	3–0	4–0	Friendly
5.	26 May 2012	AFG Arena, St.Gallen, Switzerland	Serbia	2–0	2–0	Friendly
6.	30 May 2012	Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland	South Korea	3−1	4−1	Friendly

Statistics[link]

Club[link]

National team[link]

Honours[link]

Club[link]

Villarreal

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2004

Country[link]

Spain

• UEFA European Championship: 2008

Individual[link]

• Don Balón - Spanish Footballer of the Year: 2007

References[link]

External links[link]

• Málaga official profile
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Santi Cazorla at National-Football-Teams.com
• Santi Cazorla – FIFA competition record
• Transfermarkt profile

Spain squads v t e Spain squad – UEFA Euro 2008 Winners (2nd Title) 1 Casillas (c) 2 Albiol 3 Navarro 4 Marchena 5 Puyol 6 Iniesta 7 Villa 8 Xavi 9 F. Torres 10 Fàbregas 11 Capdevila 12 Cazorla 13 Palop 14 Alonso 15 Ramos 16 García 17 Güiza 18 Arbeloa 19 Senna 20 Juanito 21 Silva 22 De la Red 23 Reina Coach: Aragonés v t e Spain squad – 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Third Place 1 Casillas (c) 2 Albiol 3 Piqué 4 Marchena 5 Puyol 6 Pablo 7 Villa 8 Xavi 9 F. Torres 10 Fàbregas 11 Capdevila 12 Busquets 13 López 14 Alonso 15 Ramos 16 Llorente 17 Güiza 18 Riera 19 Arbeloa 20 Cazorla 21 Silva 22 Mata 23 Reina Coach: Del Bosque v t e Spain squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Casillas (c) 2 Albiol 3 Piqué 4 Martínez 5 Juanfran 6 Iniesta 7 Pedro 8 Xavi 9 Torres 10 Fàbregas 11 Negredo 12 Valdés 13 Mata 14 Alonso 15 Ramos 16 Busquets 17 Arbeloa 18 Jordi Alba 19 Llorente 20 Cazorla 21 Silva 22 Navas 23 Reina Coach: Del Bosque

Cazorla
Cazorla with the Yedra Castle at background.
Flag Seal
Cazorla Location in Spain
Coordinates: 37°54′N 3°0′W / 37.9°N 3°W / 37.9; -3
Country	Spain
Province	Jaén
Municipality	Cazorla
Area
• Total	303 km2 (117 sq mi)
Elevation	826 m (2,710 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	8,173
• Density	27.0/km2 (70/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Central place of cazorla, called "The Egg" (El Huevo).

Cazorla is a city located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE), the city had a population of 8,173 inhabitants.

Description[link]

Cazorla lies at an elevation of 836 metres on the western slope of the Sierra de Cazorla. It is the entry point and base for visits to the Natural Park of Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, a vast protected area of magnificent river gorges and forests. Spain's second longest river, the Guadalquivir, has its source in the mountains to the south of the settlement.

Distances to nearby cities are: Jaén, 121 km.; Granada, 205 km.; and Linares, 71 km. See Mapa de Carreteras de Jaén

The town is constructed around three main squares, the Plaza de la Constitución, the Plaza de la Corredera (or de Huevo, "of the Egg", because of its shape), and the Plaza Santa Maria. This last square is the oldest and is connected to the other two by narrow, twisting streets. It takes its name from the old cathedral which, damaged by floods in the seventeenth century, was later burnt by French troops. It is now in ruin. Above the square sits an austere, reconstructed Moorish castle tower called La Yedra. Still higher up on the rocky escarpment lie the ruins of still yet another ruined fortress.

A recommended excursion is to the nearby village of La Iruela, which has a ruined Moorish fortress perched on a daunting rock peak. A number of battles were fought here during the Reconquista until Don Rodrigo Jimenez de Rada, archbishop of Toledo, reconquered it in 1231 and made it the seat of his archbishopric.

Its primitive structure is relatively intact. The principal defenses consist of a crumbling principal tower and two separate enclosures, with some of its battlements still intact, connected by a long curtain wall. These walls also protected the monastery, whose remains are still visible nearby. See Castles

The history of Cazorla goes back more than two thousand years. Under the Romans the town had the name of Carcacena. Not only were there significant Iberian and Roman settlements here, but this was also the see of one of the first bishoprics of early Christian Spain. Under the Moors it was a strategic stronghold and one of dozens of fortresses and watchtowers guarding the mountains. Taken after a bitter struggle in 1235, during the Reconquista, the town then acted as an outpost for Christian troops.

Today Cazorla is heavily dependent on tourism and hosts events such as the Cazorla Blues Festival each July. There is also production of high-quality olive oil from the one third of municipal land planted in olive trees. Sierra de Cazorla is the Denomination of Origen for this olive oil. See Sierra de Cazorla. The town celebrates its annual fair in mid-September.

For such a small town there are a surprising number of three and four star hotels and countless rural guest houses.

Winter nights can be cold due to the elevation but snow is infrequent. Summers are cooler than the low-lying plains to the west and the town fills with tourists during the summer months.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cazorla

External links[link]

• Cazorla
• Sefaradim of Monastir
• Photos of Cazorla
• Monuments of Spain
• (Spanish)Natural Park Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas