Alejandro Alfaro

Alejandro Alfaro Ligero (born 23 November 1986) is a Spanish former professional footballer, and current scout of CA Osasuna. Mainly a right winger, he could also operate as a second striker.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Alfaro and the second or maternal family name is Ligero.

Alejandro Alfaro
Alfaro with Tenerife in 2010
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Alfaro Ligero
Date of birth (1986-11-23) 23 November 1986
Place of birth La Palma del Condado, Spain
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Osasuna (scout)
Youth career
Siempre Alegres
Sevilla
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Sevilla B 100 (25)
2006–2011 Sevilla 33 (3)
2008–2010 → Tenerife (loan) 78 (27)
2011–2014 Mallorca 94 (17)
2014–2016 Valladolid 18 (0)
2016–2019 Córdoba 79 (13)
2019 Hércules 13 (0)
2020 Intercity 8 (3)
Total 423 (88)
National team
2007 Spain U21 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Over seven seasons, he appeared in 125 matches in La Liga, scoring a combined 18 goals for Sevilla, Tenerife and Mallorca. In a 15-year senior career, he added 212 appearances and 49 goals in Segunda División.

Club career

A product of Sevilla FC's youth system, Alfaro was one of Sevilla Atlético's most important players from 2005 onwards, helping them achieve promotion to Segunda División in the 2006–07 season.[1] He had previously made his first-team debut on 30 April 2006, playing eight minutes in a 2–1 away win against Real Sociedad.[2]

Alfaro scored his first La Liga goal on 28 January 2007, as a starter in a 4–2 away victory over Levante UD,[3] also appearing in four UEFA Cup games in the club's victorious campaign. However, he was nothing more than a fringe player with the main squad in his first three seasons, barred mainly by Jesús Navas (he did net seven goals in 34 matches to help the reserves retain their second-level status), and would leave the Andalusians for 2008–09, joining CD Tenerife on loan.[4] During this stint, he was instrumental as the Canary Islands side returned to the top flight after a seven-year-absence by scoring a career-best 20 goals, fourth-best in the competition.[5][6]

After he completed the 2009 preseason with Sevilla, Alfaro was again loaned for a season to Tenerife.[7] Like Nino, he again was the most important attacking unit of the team, who were eventually relegated again while the player contributed seven goals.[5][8]

Returned to Sevilla for 2010–11, Alfaro benefitted from Navas' absence due to injury and featured in some games early into the season, scoring in a 2–1 defeat of Málaga CF on 19 September 2010.[9] On 4 November, he scored twice against FC Karpaty Lviv (4–0 home win) for that season's Europa League;[10] the following week, he also found the net in two home fixtures, against Valencia CF (2–0, appearing as a second-half substitute)[11] and Real Unión (6–1, in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey).[12]

On 8 August 2011, RCD Mallorca reached an agreement with Sevilla to buy Alfaro for five years and €700,000.[13] He started in his first official match, a 1–0 win over RCD Espanyol.[14]

Alfaro terminated his contract on 18 August 2014, and joined Super League Greece side Panathinaikos FC.[15] The deal collapsed two days later, however,[16] and he signed a two-year deal with Real Valladolid late in the month.[17]

On 1 July 2016, after being sparingly used during his two-year tenure due to an ankle injury,[18][19] Alfaro moved to Córdoba CF also of the second tier.[20] On 23 July 2019, after suffering relegation, he agreed to a two-year contract at Segunda División B's Hércules CF.[21]

Alfaro retired at the age of 33. In September 2020, he signed with CA Osasuna as a scout, having been offered this position by Braulio Vázquez and "Cata" Prieto, who worked as sporting directors and knew Alfaro from their time at Valladolid.[22][23]

Personal life

Alfaro's two brothers were also footballers: Juan José (1981), a midfielder, graduated in FC Barcelona's La Masia, but spent his entire career in Segunda División B or lower. Forward Jesús appeared several seasons for Sevilla B, after emerging through the club's youth ranks.[24]

Honours

Sevilla

References
  1. "¿Qué fue de los integrantes del Sevilla Atlético de Segunda división?" [What happened to members of Sevilla Atlético of Segunda división?] (in Spanish). Sevillismo en Vena. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  2. Ormazabal, Mikel (1 May 2006). "La Real permanece en la mediocridad" [Real are still mediocre]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. "Levante 2–4 FC Sevilla". ESPN Soccernet. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  4. "Alfaro, cedido un año al Tenerife" [Alfaro, loaned one year to Tenerife] (in Spanish). Sevilla FC. 14 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 December 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  5. Fano, Oier (16 November 2008). "Alfaro y Nino, vaya dupla" [Alfaro and Nino, what a duo]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  6. "Nino y Alfaro, la gran amenaza tinerfeña" [Nino and Alfaro, the great tinerfeña threat]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 16 May 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  7. Venegas, Raúl (26 August 2009). "El club confirma la vuelta de Alfaro al Tenerife, de nuevo como cedido" [Club confirms Alfaro's return to Tenerife, again on loan]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  8. Ramírez, Álvaro (28 May 2010). "Alfaro podría ser el primer beneficiado con Antonio Álvarez" [Alfaro could be the first to benefit from Antonio Álvarez] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  9. "Caceres seals derby victory". ESPN Soccernet. 19 September 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  10. "Slick Sevilla overwhelm eliminated Karpaty". UEFA. 4 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  11. "Sevilla overcome 10-man Los Che". ESPN Soccernet. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  12. "6–1. El Sevilla cumple el trámite con otra goleada ante el Real Unión de Irún" [6–1. Sevilla go through formality with another rout against Real Unión de Irún] (in Spanish). Telecinco. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  13. "Mercado: Alfaro ficha por el Mallorca buscando "continuidad"" [Market: Alfaro signs for Mallorca in search of "continuity"] (in Spanish). Goal. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  14. "Un gol de rebote hunde al Espanyol en Mallorca" [Goal on the rebound sinks Espanyol in Mallorca]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 28 August 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  15. "Alfaro deja el Mallorca para jugar en Panathinaikos" [Alfaro leaves Mallorca to play in Panathinaikos]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  16. "Alfaro no ficha por el Panathinaikos" [Alfaro does not sign for Panathinaikos] (in Spanish). El Dorsal. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  17. "Alejandro Alfaro refuerza la banda derecha" [Alejandro Alfaro bolsters right wing] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  18. "Alfaro tendrá que volver a operarse de su lesión de tobillo" [Alfaro will have to undergo ankle surgery again]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 February 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  19. Aldecoa Rodríguez, César (30 July 2015). "Alfaro: "Hay que olvidar el año pasado"" [Alfaro: "We have to forget about last year"] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  20. "Seis razones para seguir con nosotros" [Six reasons to remain with us] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  21. Esteve, David (23 July 2019). "Oficial: el Hércules ficha a Alejandro Alfaro hasta 2021" [Official: Hércules sign Alejandro Alfaro until 2021]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  22. "Alfaro, refuerzo para la secretaría técnica" [Alfaro, technical secretary addition]. Diario de Navarra (in Spanish). 18 September 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  23. Cabeza, Luisfer (28 September 2020). "Alfaro: "Dejé de tener ilusión, me llegó la opción de Osasuna y decidí retirarme"" [Alfaro: "The hunger was no longer there, they gave me a chance at Osasuna and I decided to retire"] (in Spanish). Radio Marca Tenerife. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  24. "Jesús Alfaro firma con el Sevilla por dos años" [Jesús Alfaro signs with Sevilla for two years]. Marca (in Spanish). 6 July 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
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