Eric García (footballer, born 2001) explained

Eric García
Full Name:Eric García Martret[1]
Birth Date:9 January 2001[2]
Birth Place:Martorell, Spain
Height:1.82 m[3]
Position:Centre-back[4]
Currentclub:Barcelona
Youthyears1:2008–2017
Youthclubs1:Barcelona
Youthyears2:2017–2019
Youthclubs2:Manchester City
Years1:2018–2021
Clubs1:Manchester City
Caps1:19
Goals1:0
Years2:2021–
Clubs2:Barcelona
Caps2:53
Goals2:1
Years3:2023–2024
Clubs3:Girona (loan)
Caps3:30
Goals3:5
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:Spain U16
Nationalcaps1:9
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2017–2018
Nationalteam2:Spain U17
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2019
Nationalteam3:Spain U19
Nationalcaps3:9
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2019
Nationalteam4:Spain U21
Nationalcaps4:5
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2021–2024
Nationalteam5:Spain U23
Nationalcaps5:12
Nationalgoals5:0
Nationalyears6:2020–
Nationalteam6:Spain
Nationalcaps6:19
Nationalgoals6:0
Club-Update:21:44, 17 August 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:9 August 2024

Eric García Martret (born 9 January 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team.

García moved from Barcelona at the age of 17 to Manchester City. He made his Premier League debut on 21 September 2019. In his final season at the club, he won the league and was runner-up in the UEFA Champions League. In June 2021, Garcia rejoined Barcelona on a free transfer, following the expiration of his contract.

Club career

Early career

Born in Martorell, Barcelona, Catalonia,[5] García was a part of La Masia, the Barcelona academy, before joining Manchester City in 2017.[6] During his first season at City, he captained the under 18s and played for the under 19s in the UEFA Youth League.[7]

Manchester City

He joined up with the first team during their 2018 summer pre-season in the United States. On 18 December 2018, García made his debut for City, starting in the EFL Cup quarter-final against Leicester City.[8] He played in a centre-back pairing with Nicolás Otamendi, with the game finishing 1–1, City winning the tie on penalties.[9] He made his Premier League debut on 21 September 2019 when he came on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Otamendi in an 8–0 win over Watford.[10]

García played two full games back to back for City over the Christmas and New Year period in 2019. The first game was against Sheffield United at home, which City won 2–0.[11] A second home game in a couple of days, saw a second start for García, with City recording a 2–1 victory against Everton.[12]

On 17 June 2020, García was in the starting eleven against Arsenal for City's first game back after the COVID-19 pandemic break, with City recording a 3–0 win. Towards the end of the game, García was involved in a collision with goalkeeper Ederson and initially left him unconscious.[13] García received lengthy on-field treatment before being stretchered off and supplied with oxygen. Despite the seriousness of the incident, García was discharged from hospital the next day.[14] Manager Pep Guardiola stated in a press conference García's injury was a concussion and expected him to be fit within 10 days.[15]

On 6 August 2020, Guardiola announced in a press conference that García had rejected a contract extension, despite ending the league campaign as City's first-choice partner for Aymeric Laporte.[16]

Return to Barcelona

On 1 June 2021, García agreed to sign for La Liga club Barcelona on a free transfer on a five-year contract starting 1 July, with a buyout clause set at €400 million.[17] On 15 August 2021, he played his first competitive match for the club as he started the league opening game, a 4–2 victory against Real Sociedad.[18] On 21 August, he was sent off after receiving a straight red card for his last-ditch tackle on Nico Williams in a 1–1 draw against Athletic Bilbao.[19] On 29 September, García was sent off for the second time after receiving two yellow cards in a 3–0 Champions League group stage thrashing by Benfica.[20]

Loan to Girona

On 1 September 2023, García was loaned to fellow top tier side Girona for the 2023–24 season.[21] On 27 September, he scored his first goal for Girona to secure a 2–1 away win over Villarreal, which granted his club the top place in La Liga after seven matches for the first time in their history.[22]

International career

After representing Spain at under-19 and under-21 levels, García received his first senior call-up on 20 August 2020, for two UEFA Nations League fixtures against Germany and Ukraine.[23] He made his senior international debut against Ukraine on 6 September 2020, replacing Sergio Ramos in the 61st minute as Spain won 4–0.[24] On 24 May 2021, García was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[25] Additionally, García was included in the squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[26]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City U212018–191010
Manchester City2018–19Premier League000030000030
2019–20Premier League13020302000200
2020–21Premier League60201030120
Total19040705000350
Barcelona2021–22[27] La Liga260109000360
2022–23La Liga241304010321
2023–24La Liga2020
2024–25La Liga100000000010
Total531400013010711
Girona (loan)2023–24La Liga30520325
Career total102610070180201396

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain202040
2021100
202250
Total190

Honours

Manchester City

2020–21[3]

2019–20[28]

2019[29]

Barcelona

2022–23[31]

2023[32]

Spain U17

2017[33]

Spain U19

2019[35]

Spain U23

Spain

Individual

2021[40]

References

For Spain U19 and U21 infobox statistics

Specific

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Premier League clubs publish retained lists . Premier League . 7 June 2019 . 29 October 2019.
  2. Web site: Eric García: Overview . ESPN . 19 June 2020.
  3. Web site: Eric García: Overview . Premier League . 19 June 2020.
  4. Web site: Eric García: Profile . worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. 19 June 2020.
  5. News: De promesa a realidad: Eric Garcia ya está en casa. From promise to reality: Eric Garcia is already home . Sport . 1 June 2021 . 18 June 2021.
  6. Web site: Ex-Barcelona jewel Eric Garcia lighting up Man City's pre-season . Goal.com . Perform Group . 26 July 2018 . 26 July 2018.
  7. Web site: City. Manchester. Eric Garcia. 20 August 2020. www.mancity.com.
  8. Web site: Pollard . Rob . De Bruyne and Aguero start, Garcia makes debut . Manchester City F.C. . 18 December 2018.
  9. News: Aro Muric spares Raheem Sterling blushes as Man City beat Leicester on penalties to stay in hunt for quadruple . The Daily Telegraph.
  10. News: Man City 8–0 Watford: Pep Guardiola's side silence critics in emphatic style . BBC Sport . 21 September 2019 . Bevan . Chris . 22 September 2019.
  11. News: Man City vs. Sheffield United match report . BBC Sport .
  12. News: Manchester City vs Everton match report . BBC Sport .
  13. Web site: Garcia injury mars near-perfect day for Manchester City against Arsenal Goal.com. 18 June 2020. www.goal.com.
  14. News: 18 June 2020. Man City: Eric Garcia out of hospital after Ederson collision. BBC Sport. 18 June 2020.
  15. News: Eric Garcia: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola outlines 10-day recovery . BBC Sport .
  16. News: 6 August 2020. Eric Garcia: Manchester City want £30m for Spanish defender. BBC Sport. 10 August 2020.
  17. Web site: Eric Garcia is FC Barcelona's second signing . FC Barcelona . 1 June 2021 . 1 June 2021.
  18. Web site: Debuts for Memphis, Eric Garcia, Royal and Nico. 16 August 2021. www.fcbarcelona.com. en.
  19. Web site: Athletic Club 1-1 Barça: All square at San Mamés. FC Barcelona. Mike. Roberts. 22 August 2021. 30 September 2021.
  20. Web site: Benfica 3-0 FC Barcelona: Painful defeat in Lisbon. FC Barcelona. Mike. Roberts. 29 September 2021. 30 September 2021.
  21. Web site: Eric Garcia loaned to Girona. FC Barcelona. 1 September 2023. 1 September 2023.
  22. Web site: Girona are top of La Liga for the first time in history. But this is not chance . The Guardian . 28 September 2023 .
  23. Web site: OFICIAL Lista de convocados de la Selección española para los partidos de la UEFA Nations League ante Alemania y Ucrania. OFFICIAL List of called-up players by the Spain national team for the UEFA Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine. SEFutbol. es. 20 August 2020. 20 August 2020. 30 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200830080056/https://www.sefutbol.com/oficial-lista-convocados-seleccion-espanola-partidos-uefa-nations-league-alemania-y-ucrania. dead.
  24. Web site: Nations League: Ansu Fati, 17, scores for Spain v Ukraine. BBC Sport. 6 September 2020.
  25. News: Braidwood . Jamie . Euro 2020 news LIVE: Sergio Ramos left out of Spain squad plus latest before England announcement . 24 May 2021 . The Independent . 24 May 2021.
  26. Web site: Associated Press. Spain Names Six From Euro Squad to Olympic Roster. 1 July 2021. Sports Illustrated. 29 June 2021 . en-us.
  27. Web site: Eric Garcia: Matches: 2021–22 . BDFutbol . 22 August 2021.
  28. News: Aston Villa 1–2 Manchester City . Phil . McNulty . BBC Sport . 1 March 2020 . 1 March 2020.
  29. News: Liverpool 1–1 Manchester City . Emlyn . Begley . BBC Sport . 4 August 2019 . 4 August 2019.
  30. Web site: Man. City 0–1 Chelsea: Updates . UEFA . 1 June 2021.
  31. News: FC Barcelona, Liga champions 2022/23! . FC Barcelona . 14 May 2023.
  32. Web site: Baynes . Ciaran . 15 January 2023 . Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona: Gavi stars as Barca dominate to win Spanish Super Cup . 16 January 2023 . Euro Sport.
  33. Web site: Spain-England | Line-ups | Under-17 . UEFA.
  34. Web site: U-17 World Cup 2017 Group D: Squads of Brazil, Spain, DPR Korea and Niger | Goal.com . Goal.com . Perform Group.
  35. Web site: Portugal-Spain | Line-ups | Under-19 . UEFA.
  36. News: Ronay . Barney . 9 August 2024 . Camello’s extra-time double clinches football gold for Spain against France . 9 August 2024 . The Guardian . 0261-3077.
  37. News: Brazil edge Spain in men's Olympic football final thanks to Malcom's magic. 7 August 2021. The Guardian. 9 August 2021.
  38. Web site: 10 October 2021. France beat Spain to win Nations League. 10 October 2021. UEFA. Union of European Football Associations.
  39. Web site: 2019 U19 EURO team of the tournament. UEFA.com. 30 July 2019.
  40. Web site: IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR 2021 . iffhs.com . . 9 December 2021 . 10 December 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211209090816/https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1514 . 9 December 2021 .
  41. Web site: UEFA YOUTH MEN TEAM OF THE YEAR 2020 (U20) by IFFHS. 9 March 2021.
  42. Web site: IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH CONTINENTAL TEAMS OF THE YEAR 2021 - UEFA. 10 January 2022.