Fernando Soriano Explained

Fernando Soriano
Fullname:Fernando Soriano Marco
Birth Date:24 September 1979
Birth Place:Zaragoza, Spain
Height:1.880NaN0
Position:Central midfielder
Youthclubs1:Zaragoza
Years1:1997–2001
Caps1:144
Goals1:32
Years2:2001–2005
Caps2:81
Goals2:6
Years3:2001–2002
Clubs3:Recreativo (loan)
Caps3:39
Goals3:4
Years4:2005–2010
Caps4:149
Goals4:19
Years5:2010–2011
Caps5:30
Goals5:2
Years6:2011–2016
Caps6:163
Goals6:23
Totalcaps:606
Totalgoals:86
Nationalyears1:1995–1996
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:1997
Nationalcaps2:5
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1998
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:1999
Nationalcaps4:2
Nationalgoals4:0
Manageryears1:2016–2017
Managerclubs1:Almería

Fernando Soriano Marco (born 24 September 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

He spent most of his 19-year career with Almería, totalling ten seasons in two different spells. In La Liga, where he also represented Zaragoza and Osasuna, he amassed totals of 229 games and 21 goals, adding the same amount of matches and 33 goals in the Segunda División.

Over nine months and starting in 2016, Soriano also managed Almería.

Playing career

Soriano was born in Zaragoza, Aragon. A product of hometown Real Zaragoza's youth ranks, he was loaned to Segunda División side Recreativo de Huelva before appearing with the main squad, which happened in the 2002–03 season in the same league.[1]

In La Liga, Soriano proved a very useful midfield element. In the 2003–04 campaign, he scored the winner in 2–1 wins over Racing de Santander[2] and FC Barcelona[3] while also helping his team to the conquest of the Copa del Rey.[4] [5] [6]

Soriano joined UD Almería for 2005–06, netting seven goals in his first year. He was an instrumental figure in the club's first-ever top division promotion the next season, reuniting with his former Zaragoza teammate Corona; both players were instrumental the following campaign, as the Andalusians finished eighth in their maiden experience in the top flight.[7] [8]

Soriano had a successful season overall in 2009–10, as Almería retained their status for the third consecutive year. Without the presence of striker Álvaro Negredo, he was much more depended upon in scoring matters and netted seven times in 35 games, joint-second in the team as they finished in 13th position (he also collected 13 yellow cards); on several occasions, he was deployed as a supporting striker.[9] [10] [11]

On 21 May 2010, the free agent Soriano signed for 2+1 years with CA Osasuna.[12] He made his official debut for the Navarrese in the season opener, a 0–0 home draw against his former team Almería.[13]

After a disappointing campaign overall, Soriano terminated his contract with Osasuna and returned to his previous club in late July 2011, penning a three-year deal.[14] He scored a career-best 12 goals from 39 appearances in the 2012–13 campaign, helping the team to return to the top flight after a two-year absence.[15] [16] [11]

Managerial career

On 17 May 2016, aged 36, Soriano retired and was immediately appointed manager of Almería until the end of the second-tier season.[17] After managing to avoid relegation and remain unbeaten in his four games in charge (two wins and two draws), he renewed his contract for a further year.[18]

Soriano signed as sporting director at UD Ibiza in December 2018.[19] He left his post in April 2022[20] and, on 16 June 2023, joined Deportivo de La Coruña in the same capacity.[21]

Career statistics

[22] [23]

ClubSeasonCompetitionLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Zaragoza B1997–98Segunda División B349349
1998–99356356
1999–20003210603810
2000–01377377
Total138326014432
align=center valign=centerRecreativo2001–02Segunda División39400394
Zaragoza2002–03Segunda División38421405
2003–04La Liga24231273
2004–05190008110281
Total816528110959
Almería2005–06Segunda División34710357
2006–0722200222
2007–08La Liga34210352
2008–0924120261
2009–1035710367
Total149195015419
align=center valign=centerOsasuna2010–11La Liga30210312
Almería2011–12Segunda División34442386
2012–13391220404512
2013–14La Liga35400354
2014–1528320303
2015–16Segunda División23032262
Total159231144017427
Career totals596862268111063793

Honours

Zaragoza

2003–04[6]

2004[25]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/futbol/real-zaragoza/2018/10/26/fernando-soriano-zaragoza-tiene-calidad-orden-pondra-lucas-1274086-611027.html Fernando Soriano: "El Zaragoza ya tiene la calidad y el orden lo pondrá Lucas Alcaraz" (Fernando Soriano: "Zaragoza already have the quality and Lucas Alcaraz will bring the order")
  2. http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2003/11/23/liga/1069610669.html El Zaragoza logra la remontada en Santander (Zaragoza come from behind in Santander)
  3. http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2004/05/23/liga/1085345962.html Todos contentos en la Romareda (Everybody happy at la Romareda)
  4. https://espndeportes.espn.com/nota/_/id/189604 Afortunadamente, no pasó de un sobresalto (Luckily, just a scare)
  5. https://elpais.com/diario/2003/12/18/deportes/1071702013_850215.html El Zaragoza da una lección de coraje (Lession in courage by Zaragoza)
  6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/3516028.stm Beckham misses out on Cup
  7. http://www.marca.com/2013/06/19/futbol/equipos/almeria/1371635477.html Soriano busca su cuarto ascenso y Corona, el tercero (Soriano in search of a fourth promotion and Corona, a third)
  8. http://udalmeria.ideal.es/noticias/201506/17/corona-fernando-soriano-capitanes-20150617003258-v.html Corona y Fernando Soriano, dos capitanes para buscar el ascenso (Corona and Fernando Soriano, two captains in search of promotion)
  9. https://www.diariodealmeria.es/deportes/Kalu-Uche-trio-Soriano-Crusat-Piatti-clave_0_368363712.html Kalu Uche y el trío Soriano-Crusat-Piatti, la clave del gol (Kalu Uche and the trio Soriano-Crusat-Piatti, the key to goal)
  10. http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/deportes/fernando-soriano-quiere-ser-pichichi_811343.html Fernando Soriano quiere ser Pichichi (Fernando Soriano wants to be Pichichi)
  11. http://www.ecosdelbalon.com/2014/01/fernando-soriano-incombustible-mediapunta-ud-almeria/ Guerrero deslavazado (Disjointed warrior)
  12. http://www.marca.com/2010/05/21/futbol/equipos/osasuna/1274448472.html Soriano ficha por Osasuna por dos temporadas (Soriano signs for Osasuna for two seasons)
  13. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024164102/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=302193&cc=5739 No goals in Osasuna
  14. https://www.marca.com/2011/07/25/futbol/equipos/almeria/1311602558.html Fernando Soriano regresa a Almería (Fernando Soriano returns to Almería)
  15. http://www.marca.com/2013/02/28/futbol/equipos/almeria/1362052062.html Soriano: "Ser favoritos al ascenso nos genera a veces una presión un poco excesiva" (Soriano: "Being favourites to promote sometimes brings an excessive pressure with it")
  16. http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2013/05/19/mas_futbol/1368957500_088181.html El Almería se aprovecha de la fiesta de ascenso del Elche (Almería crash Elche's promotion party)
  17. http://www.udalmeriasad.com/noticia/fernando-soriano-dirigira-al-almeria-hasta-el-final-de-la-presente-temporada Fernando Soriano dirigirá al Almería hasta el final de la presente temporada (Fernando Soriano will manage Almería until the end of the current season)
  18. http://www.udalmeriasad.com/noticia/fernando-soriano-sera-el-entrenador-del-almeria-para-la-proxima-temporada Fernando Soriano será el entrenador del Almería para la próxima temporada (Fernando Soriano will be Almería's manager for the following season)
  19. https://www.diariodeibiza.es/deportes/2018/12/21/fernando-soriano-nuevo-director-deportivo/1036624.html Fernando Soriano, nuevo director deportivo de la UD Ibiza (Fernando Soriano, new UD Ibiza sporting director)
  20. https://www.marca.com/futbol/ibiza/2022/04/07/624ed8a022601d80648b4587.html Fernando Soriano deja de ser el director deportivo del Ibiza (Fernando Soriano is no longer Ibiza's sporting director)
  21. https://www.marca.com/futbol/deportivo/2023/06/16/648c72f7e2704e64ad8b461c.html Fernando Soriano, nuevo director deportivo del Deportivo (Fernando Soriano, new Deportivo sporting director)
  22. Web site: Soriano: Fernando Soriano Marco. BDFutbol. 21 September 2014.
  23. Web site: Soriano. Soccerway. 27 June 2014.
  24. Web site: Soriano: Fernando Soriano Marco. BDFutbol. 17 July 2016.
    Web site: Soriano: Fernando Soriano Marco. BDFutbol. 29 September 2016.
  25. https://www.diariodemallorca.es/deportes/2004/08/25/zaragoza-sorprende-valencia-logra-primera-4513047.html El Zaragoza sorprende al Valencia y logra su primera Supercopa (Zaragoza surprise Valencia and get their first Supercup)