Pulga (footballer)

Victor Herrero Forcada (born 6 November 1985), known as Pulga, is a Spanish retired professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder, and the assistant manager of Indian Super League club Jamshedpur FC.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Herrero and the second or maternal family name is Forcada.
Pulga
Personal information
Full name Victor Herrero Forcada
Date of birth (1985-11-06) 6 November 1985
Place of birth Almassora, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Jamshedpur (assistant)
Youth career
2003–2005 Castellón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Castellón B
2005–2006 Castellón 7 (1)
2006–2007 Almassora
2007–2008 Logroñés 37 (2)
2008–2009 Villarreal B 24 (0)
2009–2010 Toledo 35 (3)
2010–2011 Alzira 32 (6)
2011–2012 Conquense 32 (5)
2012 Burriana
2012–2013 Iraklis Psachna 14 (3)
2013–2014 Kallithea 13 (0)
2014–2015 Kerala Blasters 15 (1)
2016 Rayo Majadahonda 10 (1)
2016–2017 Mitra Kukar 10 (2)
2017 Rayo Majadahonda 3 (0)
2017 Nacional Potosí 4 (0)
2018 Kerala Blasters 1 (0)
Total 237 (25)
Teams managed
2019– Jamshedpur (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Spain

Born in Almassora, Province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Pulga graduated from CD Castellón's youth setup, and made his senior debut with the reserves in 2004, in the regional leagues. He played his first match as a professional on 28 August 2005, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute in a 0–1 away loss against UE Lleida for the Segunda División championship.[1]

Pulga scored his first professional goal on 11 September, netting his team's in a 1–2 defeat at Xerez CD.[2] He appeared in seven games with the main squad during the season as they narrowly avoided relegation, and signed for hometown's CE Almassora in the summer of 2007.

In July 2007, Pulga joined Logroñés CF of Segunda División B. He subsequently resumed his career mainly in the third level, representing Villarreal CF B,[3] CD Toledo, UD Alzira, UB Conquense and CD Burriana.[4]

Greece

Pulga moved abroad for the first time in his career in August 2012, signing for Football League Greece club Iraklis Psachna FC. In July of the following year, after featuring sparingly, he joined fellow league side Kallithea FC.[5]

Kerala Blasters

In August 2014, Pulga was announced in the international draft of the inaugural season of the Indian Super League.[6] He was drafted by Kerala Blasters FC late in that month,[7] his first appearance in top flight football occurring on 21 October as he started in a 1–2 away loss to Chennaiyin FC.[8] He totalled six appearances over the season, including the loss to Atlético de Kolkata in the final.[9]

Pulga remained in Kochi for the league's second year, playing nine games as his team finished rock bottom. On 29 November 2015, in their penultimate match, he scored his only goal in the second minute against FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, albeit in a 1–5 defeat.[10]

Post-retirement

In February 2018, Pulga was named president of amateurs CD Almazora in his hometown.[5] He returned to the Indian top flight on 26 July 2019, joining his compatriot Antonio Iriondo's staff at Jamshedpur FC.[11]

References
  1. Triunfo agónico del Lleida (Agonising triumph from Lleida); Mundo Deportivo, 29 August 2005 (in Spanish)
  2. El Xerez se impuso a un débil Castellón, que sigue colista (Xerez defeat a feeble Castellón, who remain last); Marca, 11 September 2005 (in Spanish)
  3. El Villarreal B ficha a Víctor Herrero, Cristóbal Márquez y Gerard Bordas (Villarreal B sign Víctor Herrero, Cristóbal Márquez and Gerard Bordas) Archived 28 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Join Futbol, 19 June 2008 (in Spanish)
  4. Víctor Herrero "Pulga" es oficialmente nuevo jugador del Burriana (Víctor Herrero "Pulga" is officially new player of Burriana); Golsmedia, 24 October 2012 (in Spanish)
  5. "El futbolista Víctor Herrero presidirá el Almazora" [Footballer Víctor Herrero will preside Almazora] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  6. "Indian Super League attracts players from four continents". NDTV. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  7. Dhar, Pulasta (21 August 2014). "ISL Draft: Kerala Blasters snap up Michael Chopra, Team Chennai sign Bernard Mendy". Firstpost. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  8. "Chennaiyin FC edge Kerala Blasters FC in tempestuous match". Indian Super League. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  9. "Substitute Mohammed Rafique hands Atlético de Kolkata the title". Indian Super League. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  10. Bilgi, Sumedh (29 November 2015). "Indian Super League: Kerala Blasters 1–5 FC Goa: Reinaldo hat-trick ends Kerala's hopes". Goal. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  11. "ISL: Jamshedpur FC appoints Antonio Irionda [sic] head coach". The Hindu. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
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