Bienvenido Marañón Explained

Bienvenido Marañón
Full Name:Bienvenido Morejón Marañón[1]
Birth Date:May 15, 1986
Birth Place:El Puerto de Santa María, Spain
Height:1.73 m
Position:Forward, winger
Currentclub:Chanthaburi
Clubnumber:10
Youthclubs1:La Salle
Youthyears2:–2005
Youthclubs2:Betis
Years1:2005–2007
Clubs1:Rayo Sanluqueño
Years2:2007–2010
Clubs2:Cádiz B
Caps2:86
Goals2:28
Years3:2007–2008
Clubs3:Cádiz
Caps3:3
Goals3:0
Years4:2010–2011
Clubs4:Villarrubia
Caps4:37
Goals4:21
Years5:2011–2012
Clubs5:Móstoles
Caps5:14
Goals5:1
Years6:2012
Clubs6:Villarrubia
Caps6:14
Goals6:11
Years7:2012–2013
Clubs7:La Hoya Lorca
Caps7:27
Goals7:14
Years8:2013–2015
Clubs8:Socuéllamos
Caps8:65
Goals8:15
Years9:2015–2022
Clubs9:Ceres–Negros / United City
Caps9:59
Goals9:74
Years10:2022
Clubs10:Johor Darul Ta'zim II
Caps10:9
Goals10:3
Years11:2022–2023
Clubs11:Villarrubia
Caps11:20
Goals11:3
Years12:2023–
Clubs12:Chanthaburi
Caps12:32
Goals12:5
Nationalyears1:2021–
Nationalteam1:Philippines
Nationalcaps1:15
Nationalgoals1:4
Club-Update:27 April 2024
Nationalteam-Update:23 November 2023

Bienvenido Morejón Marañón (pronounced as /es/; born May 15, 1986), also known as Bienve, is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Thai League 2 club Chanthaburi and the Philippines national team.

Born in Spain, Bienve played in the lower leagues of his birth country. In 2015, moved to the Philippines to sign with United City, then known as Ceres–Negros, playing for several years with the Filipino club. In 2021, he received Filipino citizenship, enabling him to play for the Philippines national team.

Early life

Bienve was born in El Puerto de Santa María, Province of Cádiz, Andalusia, and grew up in neighbouring Cádiz. He spent his childhood playing football in the streets, as his parents could not afford to send him to an academy.[2]

Club career

Spain

Bienve made his senior debut when he was in Spain with local club CD Rayo Sanluqueño in the 2005–06 season. In the third quarter of 2007 he signed with Cádiz CF, being assigned to the reserves in Tercera División.

On December 2, 2007, Bienve appeared in his first game as a professional, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 home win against Racing de Ferrol in the Segunda División.[3] He totalled 58 minutes for the first team, who were eventually relegated.

On April 7, 2010, Bienve was released by Cádiz due to indiscipline.[4] He joined fourth-level club Villarrubia CF 14 days later,[5] and scored a career-best 21 goals during the campaign.

Bienve moved to fellow league team CD Móstoles in the 2011 off-season, returning to Villarrubia the following transfer window[6] and subsequently resuming his career in the fourth tier, where he represented La Hoya Lorca CF and UD Socuéllamos.[7] With the latter, he achieved promotion to Segunda División B in 2014.[8] [9]

Ceres–Negros / United City

On May 14, 2015, Bienve moved abroad for the first time in his career, after agreeing a deal with Filipino United Football League side Ceres FC.[10] He was encouraged by former Cádiz teammate Carli de Murga to play for them as early as 2012.[11] After one month at the club, he was not satisfied with his performance and decided to study Chieffy Caligdong's style of play in a bid to improve himself.[12]

Bienve considered retiring in 2016 due to the death of his father but was encouraged by coach Risto Vidaković to continue playing football.[2] He became the all-time top scorer in the AFC Cup on 11 March 2020, when he scored his 35th goal in the renamed Ceres–Negros's 4–0 win against Bali United FC.[11]

Ceres–Negros was taken over by a new management in July 2020, being renamed United City FC. Bienve was among the players retained.[13] He would leave the club by January 5, 2022.[14]

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Marañon joined Johor Darul Ta'zim of the Malaysia Super League by January 20, 2022.[15]

International career

Marañón originally was not eligible to play for the Philippine national team prior to receiving Filipino citizenship in 2020 via naturalization. On March 3, 2020, Philippine Senator Migz Zubiri sponsored a Senate bill proposing to grant Filipino citizenship to Marañón, which would make him eligible for the Philippines national team.[16] In September, bills were filed in the House of Representatives proposing the same.[17] Those were approved on February 16, 2021,[18] while the corresponding Senate bill was approved on March 15.[19] On July 2, Marañón became a Filipino citizen when the bill was signed into law as Republic Act No. 11570 by President Rodrigo Duterte.[20] [21]

Marañón was first called up to play for the Philippine national team for the 2020 AFF Championship, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] He debuted for the Philippines in a 1–2 loss against hosts Singapore during the tournament's first matchday on December 8, 2021.[23] During the second matchday against Timor-Leste on December 11, Marañón scored his first international goal by scoring the sixth goal of a 7–0 win for the Philippines.[24]

Personal life

Marañón is of Basque ethnicity. His Basque grandfather also had links to the Philippines, having fled from Spain to settle in the Western Visayas due to his opposition to Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.[25]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ceres–Negros2017Philippines Football League2522128103830
201811152011122427
20192030209103140
202057661113
20215151
Johor Darul Ta'zim2022Malaysia Super League931010113
Career total707750443710120114

International

Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Marañón goal.

List of international goals scored by Bienvenido Marañón
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 11 December 2021 National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore 6–0 7–0 2020 AFF Championship
2 18 December 2021 Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore 1–0 3–2 2020 AFF Championship
3 2–0
4 3–0

Honours

Ceres–Negros/United City

2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

2019[26]

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FINAL REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS. 1. Asean Football. 28 December 2021.
  2. News: In Maranon, a Filipino at heart even with papers still pending. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Louie Greg A.. Rivera. 15 November 2020. 15 November 2020.
  3. News: El Cádiz supera al Racing de Ferrol. Cádiz overcome Racing de Ferrol. Marca. Spanish. 2 December 2007. 8 October 2014.
  4. Web site: El Cádiz B aparta al barreño Tiri. Cádiz B oust barreño Tiri. Europa Sur. R.. Jiménez. Spanish. 7 April 2010. 8 October 2014.
  5. Web site: "El fútbol no se termina en Cádiz". Football does not end at Cádiz. La Voz Digital. Spanish. 21 April 2010. 8 October 2014.
  6. Web site: Vuelven al Villarrubia Bienve y Wuy. Bienve and Wuy return to Villarrubia. Villarrubia CF. Spanish. 28 January 2012. 8 October 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001848/http://www.villarrubiaclubfutbol.es/Actualidad/Noticia/ver,280/. 4 March 2016.
  7. News: El Socuéllamos contará con Bienve la próxima campaña. Socuéllamos will count with Bienve for the following season. La Tribuna de Ciudad Real. C.. De la Cruz. Spanish. 8 July 2013. 8 October 2014.
  8. News: Socuéllamos festeja el histórico ascenso del Yugo Unión Deportiva a Segunda B. Socuéllamos celebrates Yugo Unión Deportiva's historic promotion to Segunda B. La Comarca de Puertollano. Spanish. 23 June 2014. 4 December 2020. October 18, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211018045452/https://www.lacomarcadepuertollano.com/diario/noticia/2014_06_23/25. dead.
  9. Web site: "Tengo unas ganas locas de jugar". I want to play like crazy. Lanza. Raúl. Fernández. Spanish. 10 September 2014. 4 December 2020.
  10. News: Bienve deja el Socuéllamos. Bienve leaves Socuéllamos. La Tribuna de Ciudad Real. Spanish. 14 May 2015. 20 June 2015.
  11. Web site: Bienvenido Maranon is powering Ceres-Negros FC's evolution into Asian football power. ESPN. Gabriel. Tan. 19 April 2020. 8 July 2020.
  12. Web site: Bienvenido Marañon credits Chieffy Caligdong for improvement even if they never met. ESPN. Paolo. Del Rosario. 1 March 2021. 1 March 2021.
  13. Web site: Prolific Spanish striker Marañon signs with United City FC. Sports Interactive Network. Reuben. Terrado. 2 August 2020. 2 August 2020.
  14. News: Terrado . Jonas . United City confirms departure of striker Bienvenido Marañon . 22 January 2022 . Manila Bulletin . 5 January 2022.
  15. News: del Carmen . Lorenzo . De Murga, Marañon reunite in JDT . 22 January 2022 . Tiebreaker Times . 20 January 2022.
  16. Web site: Senate bills seek to naturalize footballers Mendy, Marañon. Philippine News Agency. Ivan. Stewart Saldajeno. 16 March 2020. 17 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910185912/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1096735. 10 September 2020.
  17. News: Bills granting Filipino citizenship to football player Bienvenido Marañón Morejón filed. Manila Bulletin. Charissa. Luci-Atienza. 6 September 2020. 6 September 2020.
  18. Web site: House OKs bills granting Filipino citizenship to Kouame, Marañon. CNN Philippines. 16 February 2021. 17 February 2021. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210216144758/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/sports/2021/2/16/House-OKs-bill-Filipino-citizenship-Mara-on-Kouame.html. 16 February 2021.
  19. News: Dioquino . Delfin . Senate approves PH citizenship of Kouame, Marañon . 5 September 2021 . Rappler . 15 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210318054729/https://www.rappler.com/sports/senate-approves-philippine-citizenship-angelo-kouame-bienvenido-maranon . 18 March 2021.
  20. News: Lopez . Virgil . Duterte signs law granting Filipino citizenship to football player Bienvenido Marañon . 7 July 2021 . GMA News . 7 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210712090924/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/football/794455/duterte-signs-law-granting-filipino-citizenship-to-football-player-bienvenido-maranon/story/?just_in . 12 July 2021.
  21. News: Del Carmen . Lorenzo . Bienvenido Marañon becomes a Filipino citizen . 7 July 2021 . Tiebreaker Times . 7 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210711132954/https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/bienvenido-maranon-becomes-a-filipino-citizen/212598 . 11 July 2021.
  22. News: Naredo . Camille . Football: Marañon 'at home' with Azkals, reports coach . 8 December 2021 . ABS-CBN News . 6 December 2021 . en.
  23. News: Lozada . Bong . 'Best feeling ever': Bienve Marañon relishes first game with PH Azkals . 9 December 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 9 December 2021 . en.
  24. News: Ganesan . Deepanraj . Suzuki Cup: Philippines thump Timor-Leste 7–0 in Group A clash . December 11, 2021 . The Straits Times . December 11, 2021.
  25. News: Senators warn against naturalization for convenience amid Andray Blatche's 'disappearance'. Manila Bulletin. Mario. Casayuran. 9 March 2021. 13 March 2021.
  26. News: Ceres-Negros caps unbeaten season with Copa triumph. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Cedelf. Tupas. 16 November 2019. 12 July 2020.
  27. News: PFL champs United City FC sweep individual awards. The Philippine Star. Luisa. Morales. 11 November 2020. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111063346/https://www.philstar.com/sports/2020/11/11/2056170/pfl-champs-united-city-fc-sweep-individual-awards. 11 November 2020.