Miguel Ángel Fuentes Explained

Miguel Ángel Fuentes
Fullname:Miguel Ángel Fuentes Azpiroz
Birth Date:6 August 1964
Birth Place:San Sebastián, Spain
Height:1.81 m
Position:Right-back
Youthclubs1:La Salle
Youthyears2:1979–1980
Youthclubs2:Real Sociedad
Youthyears3:1980–1981
Youthclubs3:La Salle
Youthyears4:1981–1983
Youthclubs4:Real Sociedad
Youthyears5:1981–1982
Youthclubs5:→ La Salle (loan)
Years1:1983–1987
Caps1:41+
Goals1:9+
Years2:1987–2001
Caps2:439
Goals2:7
Totalcaps:480+
Totalgoals:16+

Miguel Ángel Fuentes Azpiroz (born 6 August 1964) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a right-back.

He spent his entire professional career with Real Sociedad, appearing in nearly 500 competitive matches, among the highest totals in its history. He later served as the club's president.

Playing career

Club

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Fuentes joined Real Sociedad's youth setup in 1979 from La Salle CD. Released the following year, he returned to Sanse in 1981, finishing his formation in 1983 but being deemed surplus to requirements again shortly after.[1] [2]

Fuentes subsequently signed for Tercera División club SD Eibar, achieving promotion to Segunda División B in 1986[3] and being an ever-present figure in the following season as his team nearly achieved another promotion. During that period, he played as a forward or winger.

Fuentes returned to Real Sociedad in the summer of 1987, now being assigned to the main squad in La Liga.[2] He made his professional debut on 30 August by coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 away loss against Real Zaragoza,[4] and made 24 league appearances during the campaign as the side finished runners-up behind Real Madrid, also coming off the bench in the final of the Copa del Rey which ended with a narrow defeat to FC Barcelona.[2] In what was a transitional period for the club as their successful squad of the decade began to break up, they reached the quarter-finals of the 1988–89 UEFA Cup but lost out to VfB Stuttgart in a penalty shootout with the player, again introduced as a substitute, missing a good chance to win the tie;[2] it was around that time that he was converted into a right back by manager John Toshack.[5]

Fuentes established himself as a starter for the Txuri-urdin from 1989–90 onwards. He played his last match on 17 June 2001 at the age of 36, replacing Tayfun Korkut in a 0–1 home defeat to CA Osasuna.[6]

International

Fuentes won one cap for the unofficial Basque Country regional team, in a 1–1 friendly draw to Paraguay on 22 December 1995 held at the San Mamés Stadium.[7]

Post-retirement

Fuentes majored in management. From July 2005[8] to June 2007 he acted as president to Real Sociedad, quitting his post for personal reasons[9] [10] with the team on the verge of relegation, an eventuality which was confirmed a few weeks later.[11] He was replaced in the interim by María de la Peña, the first woman to hold such a position at the club,[12] albeit she stepped aside a matter of months afterwards to be succeeded by Iñaki Badiola.[13] [14]

Personal life

Fuentes' younger brother, Juan Luis (one year his junior), was also a footballer. A midfielder, he played professionally for Sestao Sport Club[15] and was employed in several roles by Athletic Bilbao[16] including as head coach of their women's team.[17]

Fuentes' nephews, Luca and Marco Sangalli, also represented Real Sociedad professionally.[18] [19]

Honours

Eibar

1985–86[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Miguel Fuentes. Rincón del Forero. Spanish. 3 April 2009. 21 December 2018.
  2. News: El delantero que se hizo carrilero. The forward who became a wingback. Mundo Deportivo. J. L.. Lorenzo. Spanish. 2 September 2009. 21 December 2018.
  3. News: Se cumple el 25 aniversario del ascenso en Badajoz. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of promotion in Badajoz. El Diario Vasco. Spanish. 19 May 2011. 21 December 2018.
  4. News: Cabezazo de Lumbreras... ¡y victoria!. Lumbreras header... and win!. Mundo Deportivo. Ricardo. Gil. Spanish. 31 August 1987. 21 December 2018.
  5. Web site: S. D. Eibar: 75 años de señorío. S. D. Eibar: 75 years of lordship. Cuadernos de Fútbol. Spanish. 1 June 2014. 21 December 2018.
  6. News: Osasuna se salva sin esfuerzo. Osasuna save themselves without effort. El País. Eduardo. Rodrigálvarez. Spanish. 18 June 2001. 21 December 2018.
  7. News: 1–1: Paraguay empata ante Euskadi en los últimos minutos. 1–1: Paraguay draw against Euskadi in the last minutes. Mundo Deportivo. Spanish. 23 December 1995. 21 December 2018.
  8. News: Miguel Fuentes, nuevo presidente de la Real Sociedad. Miguel Fuentes, new president of Real Sociedad. El Mundo. Spanish. 1 July 2005. 21 December 2018.
  9. News: Miguel Fuentes, presidente de la Real Sociedad, presenta su dimisión por sorpresa. Miguel Fuentes, Real Sociedad president, presents his resignation by surprise. 20 minutos. Spanish. 1 June 2007. 21 December 2018.
  10. News: El presidente de la Real Sociedad dimite por sorpresa. The president of the Real Sociedad resigns by surprise. El País. Spanish. 1 June 2007. 21 December 2018.
  11. News: La Real deja atrás 40 años en Primera. La Real leave behind 40 years in Primera. El Mundo. Spanish. 17 June 2007. 21 December 2018.
  12. News: María de la Peña, nueva presidenta tras la dimisión de Miguel Fuentes. María de la Peña, new president after the resignation of Miguel Fuentes. Noticias de Guipuzkoa. Mikel. Recalde. Spanish. 2 July 2007. 21 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20070912105124/http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/ediciones/2007/06/02/deportes/futbol/d02fut62.604294.php. 12 September 2007.
  13. News: Dimite la presidenta de la Real Sociedad y convoca elecciones para el 3 de enero. President of Real Sociedad resigns and calls elections for 3 January. El Mundo. Igor. Goikoetxea. Spanish. 14 November 2007. 21 December 2018.
  14. News: Badiola, nuevo presidente de la Real Sociedad. Badiola, new president of Real Sociedad. El Mundo. Spanish. 4 January 2008. 21 December 2018.
  15. Web site: BDFutbol.com . Juan Luis: Juan Luis Fuentes Azpiroz . 21 December 2018.
  16. News: El Athletic saca músculo con su proyecto. Athletic flaunts muscle with its project. Marca. Juanma. Velasco. Spanish. 10 September 2019. 29 October 2021.
  17. News: Juan Luis Fuentes deja el banquillo del Athletic femenino. Juan Luis Fuentes leaves the Athletic women's bench. Deia. Pako. Ruiz. Spanish. 21 May 2015. 29 October 2021.
  18. Web site: Otro potrillo, Marco Sangalli. Another colt, Marco Sangalli. Gipuzkoa Fútbol. Alfredo. Del Castillo. Spanish. 9 December 2013. 21 December 2018.
  19. News: El sobrino ingeniero de Fuentes. The engineer nephew of Fuentes. Mundo Deportivo. Mikel. Encinas. Spanish. 9 October 2018. 21 December 2018.