Alcántara

Alcántara is a municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, on the Tagus, near Portugal. The toponym is from the Arabic word al-QanTarah (القنطرة) meaning "the bridge".

History

Archaeological findings have attested human presence in the area from the Bronze Age; the first historical inhabitants were the Lusitanians, followed by the Celts, who came from east to the Pyrenees. To this period, and to the following Roman domination, belong remains of several castra (military camps), villas and the bridge which gives its name to the city. The Roman rule lasted from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century, when they were replaced by the Visigoths.

In the 8th century the Arabs conquered the Iberian peninsula, including Extremadura. In the 12th century the Muslim geographer al-Idrisi described the bridge as one of the world's marvels. In the 12th-13th centuries Alcántara was a frontier city, devoted to military activities and animal husbandry. After the collapse of the Caliphate of Córdoba, it belonged to several Islamic taifas (petty kingdoms).

Carlos Alcántara

Carlos Alcántara Cuevas (born 1 February 1985) is a Spanish footballer who plays for La Hoya Lorca CF as a left back.

Football career

Born in Zarandona, Region of Murcia, Alcántara signed with Villarreal CF in 2004, spending the vast majority of his spell with the reserves and appearing in five La Liga games over the course of two seasons. His debut came on 17 October 2004, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against RCD Mallorca.

Subsequently Alcántara joined Deportivo de La Coruña, never appearing officially during his two-year stint and being loaned to two clubs in Segunda División B, for which he also played sparingly. In the 2008–09 campaign he represented another side in the category, CF Atlético Ciudad.

After a spell in Hungary with Ferencvárosi TC, Alcántara returned to his country and joined Alicante CF, also in the third level. He continued to compete in that tier in the following years, representing CD Leganés, CD Alcoyano, SD Logroñés and La Hoya Lorca CF.

Thiago Alcântara

Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento (born 11 April 1991), known simply as Thiago (Spanish: [ˈtjaɣo], Portuguese: [tʃiˈaɡu]), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for German club FC Bayern Munich.

Born in Italy to Brazilian parents, Thiago joined FC Barcelona aged 14, and made his first team debut in 2009. After winning honours including four La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup for Barcelona, he was signed by Bayern for €25 million in 2013.

After helping Spain to European Championships at under-19 and under-21 levels, he made his full international debut in 2011. He was part of the 24 man World Cup squad for Spain in the 2014 World Cup but later withdrew due to an injury to his knee.

Club career

Early career

Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy, when his father Mazinho (player for the Brazilian national team from 1989 to 1994) was playing for nearby U.S. Lecce. He started at the lower levels of Flamengo in Brazil, and, at the age of five, moved to Spain with his father, and started playing with Galician team Ureca in Nigrán. In 2001, he played with Kelme CF when his father played for Elche CF. He returned to Flamengo aged 10 and, in 2005, once again moved back to Spain, signing with FC Barcelona, where his cousin Patrick was also playing.