Ángel López (footballer, born 1981) explained

Ángel
Fullname:Ángel Domingo López Ruano
Birth Date:10 March 1981
Birth Place:Las Palmas, Spain
Height:1.80 m
Position:Right-back, midfielder
Youthclubs1:Las Palmas
Years1:1998–2000
Years2:2000–2003
Caps2:81
Goals2:1
Years3:2003–2007
Caps3:159
Goals3:6
Years4:2007–2012
Caps4:104
Goals4:2
Years5:2012–2013
Caps5:11
Goals5:1
Years6:2013–2016
Caps6:71
Goals6:2
Totalcaps:426
Totalgoals:12
Nationalyears1:2001–2003
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2006–2008
Nationalcaps2:5
Nationalgoals2:0

Ángel Domingo López Ruano, known simply as Ángel (pronounced as /es/; born 10 March 1981), is a Spanish former professional footballer. An attacking right-back, he could also operate as a right midfielder.

Club career

Ángel was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. After first appearing professionally with hometown's UD Las Palmas, playing 64 La Liga games from 2000 to 2002, he made a name for himself as a stamina-filled wingback at fellow league club RC Celta de Vigo,[1] signing with the Galicians in the 2003 January transfer window. He appeared in 15 league matches in the second part of the season as the team qualified to the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever; however, also with the player as first-choice, they would be relegated at the end of the 2003–04 campaign.[2]

On the last day of 2007–08's summer transfer deadline, Ángel joined Villarreal CF. In a season where the team dubbed the Yellow Submarine achieved a best-ever runner-up league position, he split right-back duties with veteran Javi Venta, a situation which again befell the following campaign (22 matches for Venta, 21 for López).[3]

In 2009–10, Ángel again battled with Venta for first-choice status.[4] On 4 April 2010 he scored his first goal for Villarreal, shooting from 30 yards to open the score at Real Valladolid in an eventual 2–0 win.[5]

After Venta's departure to Levante UD, Ángel was the undisputed right-back. On 9 January 2011, during a 4–2 away loss against Real Madrid, he suffered a severe injury in his left knee – anterior cruciate ligament – being sidelined for the next six months.[6]

International career

Ángel won his first cap for the Spain national team in a 0–1 friendly defeat with Romania in Cádiz, on 15 November 2006.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ángel watches over Celta. UEFA. 13 February 2004. 25 April 2014.
  2. Web site: Ángel López. Yo Jugué en el Celta. es. 10 April 2008. 2 January 2016.
  3. News: Javi Venta, un lateral bien caro. Javi Venta, quite an expensive fullback. El País. Javier. Pérez. es. 23 October 2011. 9 August 2022.
  4. News: Ángel: "Tengo ganas de jugar y no salir más del once titular". Ángel: "I'm looking forward to playing and staying in the starting XI for good". Marca. es. 27 November 2009. 2 January 2016.
  5. Web site: Villarreal claim rare away win. https://archive.today/20120713214906/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275595?cc=5739. dead. July 13, 2012. ESPN Soccernet. 4 April 2010. 4 October 2011.
  6. News: Ángel estará seis meses de baja. Ángel to miss six months. Marca. Miguel Ángel. Rodríguez. es. 12 January 2011. 12 January 2011.
  7. News: Marica da otro varapalo a la España de Luis. Marica strikes another blow to Luis' Spain. Marca. José Carlos. Jurado. es. 15 November 2006. 25 April 2014.