Nacho Monreal

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Ignacio "Nacho" Monreal Eraso (Script error: No such module "IPA". or Script error: No such module "IPA".; born 26 February 1986) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back or centre-back.

He started playing with Osasuna in 2005, going on to appear in 144 official games over the course of five La Liga seasons.[1] In 2011 he signed with Málaga and, two years later, joined Arsenal, winning three FA Cup trophies with the latter club while taking part in 251 matches in all competitions.[2] He ended his career in 2022 with Real Sociedad, winning the 2019–20 Copa del Rey.

A full international from 2009 to 2018, Monreal represented Spain at the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup.

Club career

Osasuna

File:Nacho Monreal.jpg
Monreal in action for Osasuna in 2010

Born in Pamplona, Monreal was a product of CA Osasuna's youth system and made his official debut for his hometown club in an away game against Valencia CF on 22 October 2006, a 1–0 La Liga loss.[3] He finished his first season with ten league appearances, adding two in that campaign's UEFA Champions League; after the Navarrese's relegation to the UEFA Cup, he appeared in four matches as the team reached the last four, being eliminated by fellow Spaniards Sevilla FC.[4]

Monreal became first-choice in 2007–08, retaining that status in the subsequent seasons, with another youth product, César Azpilicueta, being the undisputed starter in the other defensive wing.[5]

Málaga

On 10 June 2011, Monreal signed a five-year contract with Málaga CF on a €6 million transfer fee.[6] In his first season he initially battled for first-choice status with Eliseu, but ended up only missing seven games as the club finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time.[7]

Monreal scored his only goal for the Andalusians on 27 January 2013, in a 3–2 away win over RCD Mallorca.[8]

Arsenal

File:Nacho Monreal and Florian Thauvin.jpg
Monreal marking Florian Thauvin during a Champions League match against Marseille in November 2013

On 31 January 2013, Monreal joined English side Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee, believed by Sky Sports to be around £8.5 million.[9][10] He was given the number 17 shirt,[11] and made his Premier League debut against Stoke City two days later in a 1–0 home win.[12][13]

On 23 February 2013, Monreal provided the assist for countryman Santi Cazorla to score the winner in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa.[14] He scored his first goal for the Gunners on 16 March, opening a 2–0 win at Swansea City.[15]

Monreal returned from injury[16] on 21 August 2013 to feature in Arsenal's 3–0 win at Fenerbahçe SK in the Champions League group stage play-off, playing the last three minutes in the place of Theo Walcott.[17] On 26 September, he scored the deciding penalty in a shootout against West Bromwich Albion to send his team into the fourth round of the League Cup.[18]

Upon the arrival of Alexis Sánchez in the 2014 off-season, Monreal took the vacant number 18 previously worn by Sébastien Squillaci. On 23 August, he assisted Olivier Giroud's late equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Everton.[19] Additionally, an injury crisis in the squad saw him being deployed in an unfamiliar central defender role in a string of games, after Laurent Koscielny was put out of action due to an Achilles tendon injury.[20]

On 9 March 2015, Monreal scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford that put Arsenal through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.[21] He played the full 90 minutes in the decisive match, a 4–0 defeat of Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.[22]

On 19 January 2016, Monreal signed a new long-term contract.[23] On 23 April 2017, he scored the vital equaliser as his team came from behind to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.[24]

On 6 November 2017, after good performances on the left side of a three-man defence,[25] Monreal won the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Month award for October of that year.[26] The following 20 January, he netted once and made two assists before retiring injured 30 minutes into an eventual 4–1 home win against Crystal Palace.[27]

Real Sociedad

Monreal returned to Spain on 31 August 2019, with the 33-year-old joining Real Sociedad on a two-year contract.[28] He scored on his competitive debut two weeks later, converting an easy tap-in at the hour mark of an eventual 2–0 victory over Atlético Madrid at Anoeta Stadium.[29]

Monreal missed the entire 2021–22 season, due to a knee injury.[30] On 23 May 2022, the club announced his departure.[31]

On 16 August 2022, Monreal announced his retirement at 36.[32]

International career

File:Spain - Chile - 10-09-2013 - Geneva - Eduardo Vargas, Ignacio Monreal and Andres Iniesta.jpg
Monreal taking on Chile's Eduardo Vargas in a 2013 friendly

In 2007, Monreal earned his first call for the Spain under-21 team. He started all their matches in the 2009 UEFA European Championship, in an eventual group-stage exit.[33]

On 6 August 2009, Monreal was called up to the senior side for the first time, for an exhibition game with Macedonia.[34] He played the last 15 minutes for Joan Capdevila in a 3–2 away win;[35] on 7 September 2010, in the nation's second game after they won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, he featured the entire 4–1 friendly loss to Argentina.[36]

Monreal was a member of Spain's squad which reached the final of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, although he was second-choice left-back behind FC Barcelona's Jordi Alba. He started in the last two group games, beginning with a 10–0 thrashing of Tahiti at the Maracanã where he set up a David Villa goal.[37]

Monreal scored his first goal for Spain on 12 November 2016, contributing to a 4–0 defeat of Macedonia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Granada.[38] He was then selected by manager Julen Lopetegui for the finals in Russia.[39]

Style of play

Upon signing with Arsenal in 2013, the club's manager Arsène Wenger described Monreal as "a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air."[40] Although he usually played as a defensive–minded left-back in a four-man back-line, he was also capable of playing as a centre-back or even as a left-sided defender in a back three.[41][42]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[43][44]
Club Season League National CupTemplate:Efn League CupTemplate:Efn Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Osasuna B 2004–05 Segunda División B 1 0 0 0 — — — 1 0
2005–06 35 3 0 0 — — — 35 3
Total 36 3 0 0 — 0 0 — 36 3
Osasuna 2006–07 La Liga 10 0 3 0 — 6Template:Efn 0 — 19 0
2007–08 27 1 0 0 — — — 27 1
2008–09 28 0 1 0 — — — 29 0
2009–10 31 1 6 0 — — — 37 1
2010–11 31 1 1 0 — — — 32 1
Total 127 3 11 0 — 6 0 — 144 3
Málaga 2011–12 La Liga 31 0 2 0 — — — 33 0
2012–13 14 1 3 0 — 4Template:Efn 0 — 21 1
Total 45 1 5 0 — 4 0 — 54 1
Arsenal 2012–13 Premier League 10 1 1 0 — — — 11 1
2013–14 23 0 3 0 2 0 8Template:Efn 0 — 36 0
2014–15 28 0 4 1 0 0 6Template:Efn 0 1Template:Efn 0 39 1
2015–16 37 0 1 0 0 0 6Template:Efn 0 1Template:Efn 0 45 0
2016–17 36 0 4 1 0 0 3Template:Efn 0 — 43 1
2017–18 28 5 0 0 2 0 7Template:Efn 1 1Template:Efn 0 38 6
2018–19 22 1 0 0 2 0 12Template:Efn 0 — 36 1
2019–20 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 3 0
Total 187 7 13 2 6 0 42 1 3 0 251 10
Real Sociedad 2019–20 La Liga 29 2 5Template:Efn 0 — — — 34 2
2020–21 26 1 1 0 — 7Template:Efn 1 1Template:Efn 0 35 2
2021–22 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 — 0 0
Total 55 3 6 0 — 7 1 1 0 69 4
Career total 450 17 35 2 6 0 59 2 4 0 554 21

Template:Notelist

International

National team Year Apps Goals
Spain[45] 2009 2 0
2010 2 0
2011 1 0
2012 4 0
2013 7 0
2014 0 0
2015 0 0
2016 2 1
2017 3 0
2018 1 0
Total 22 1
Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Monreal goal.[45]
List of international goals scored by Nacho Monreal
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 12 November 2016 Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain
  1. REDIRECT Template:Country data North Macedonia || align=center | 3–0 || align=center | 4–0 || 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Arsenal

Real Sociedad

Spain

Individual

References

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  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

Template:Sister project

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