Samu García Explained

Samu García
Full Name:Samuel García Sánchez[1]
Birth Date:13 July 1990
Birth Place:Málaga, Spain
Height:1.79 m
Position:Winger, forward
Youthclubs1:Puerta Blanca
Youthclubs2:Conejito
Youthyears3:2004
Youthclubs3:Rangers
Youthyears4:2004
Youthclubs4:Chelsea
Youthclubs5:Conejito
Youthclubs6:Goyu-Ryu
Years1:2008–2009
Clubs1:San Andrés
Caps1:28
Goals1:6
Years2:2009–2010
Caps2:26
Goals2:9
Years3:2010–2013
Caps3:92
Goals3:21
Years4:2013−2015
Caps4:59
Goals4:9
Years5:2015−2016
Caps5:16
Goals5:2
Years6:2016–2017
Caps6:13
Goals6:0
Years7:2017
Clubs7:Leganés (loan)
Caps7:11
Goals7:0
Years8:2017–2019
Caps8:11
Goals8:0
Years9:2018
Clubs9:Málaga (loan)
Caps9:7
Goals9:0
Totalcaps:263
Totalgoals:47

Samuel "Samu" García Sánchez (born 13 July 1990) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right winger or a forward.

He totalled 104 games and 11 goals in La Liga over five seasons, representing Málaga (two stints), Villarreal, Leganés and Levante. He also played in Russia with Rubin Kazan.

Club career

Born in Málaga, Andalusia, García played his first years as a senior with UD Dos Hermanas San Andrés and Tercera División team CD Alhaurino,[2] before joining Málaga CF's reserves in 2010 and going on to compete several seasons at that level with the club. In 2004, at the age of 14, he was signed by Chelsea in the Premier League, but returned to his hometown after only three months after failing to adjust.[3]

In the summer of 2013, García was called to the first team by newly appointed manager Bernd Schuster.[4] He signed his first professional contract shortly after, keeping him at the La Rosaleda Stadium until June 2016.[5]

García made his official debut with Málaga's main squad on 17 August 2013, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1−0 La Liga away loss against Valencia CF.[6] He scored his first goal on 3 November, playing less than ten minutes and netting in the 93rd minute of a 3−2 derby home win over Real Betis.[7]

Both García and his Málaga teammate Samu Castillejo joined Villarreal CF on 18 June 2015, signing a five-year deal.[8] On 30 June of the following year, the former transferred to Russian Premier League club FC Rubin Kazan alongside coach Javi Gracia.[9]

On 19 January 2017, García joined CD Leganés on loan until the end of the top-flight season.[10] On 24 August, he signed a three-year contract with Levante UD in the same league[11] but, the following transfer window, returned to Málaga on a five-month loan.[12]

García left Levante on 14 January 2019.[13] In December 2020, he revealed in his Instagram account that he had already decided to retire previous to that.[14]

Notes and References

  1. News: Samu García. Diario AS. 27 September 2023.
  2. http://www.clubdeportivoalhaurino.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239 Presentación de Javilillo, Samuel y Mata (Presentation of Javilillo, Samuel and Mata)
  3. http://www.laopiniondemalaga.es/malagacf/2013/11/05/samuel-goleador-queria-mourinho/629201.html Samuel, el goleador que quería Mourinho (Samuel, the scorer that Mourinho wanted)
  4. http://malagacf.diariosur.es/noticias/2013-08-14/samu-tendra-dorsal-primer-201308140714.html Samu tendrá dorsal del primer equipo y Darder y Fabrice seguirán con Schuster (Samu will have first-team jersey and Darder and Fabrice will continue with Schuster)
  5. http://www.malagacf.com/es/noticia/samu-garcia-amplia-su-vinculacion-malaga-cf-temporada-201516/70274 Samu García amplía su vinculación con el Málaga CF hasta la temporada 2015/16 (Samu García extends link with Málaga CF until 2015/16 season)
  6. http://espnfc.com/report?id=373214&cc=5739 Valencia edge victory
  7. http://espnfc.com/en/report/373102/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=null Malaga 3−2 Real Betis
  8. http://villarrealcf.es/noticias/portada-ultimas-novedades/item/9770-fichaje-samus El Villarreal CF ficha a los ‘Samus’ (Villarreal CF sign the 'Samus')
  9. Web site: http://www.rubin-kazan.ru/news_items/5853-samuel-garsiya-pereshel-v-rubin. ru:Самуэль Гарсия перешел в «Рубин». Samuel Garcia moved to Rubin. FC Rubin Kazan. ru. 30 June 2016. 30 June 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160703162040/http://rubin-kazan.ru/news_items/5853-samuel-garsiya-pereshel-v-rubin. 3 July 2016.
  10. Web site: La técnica de Samu García llega a Butarque para reforzar el ataque. The skill of Samu García arrives at Butarque to bolster the attack. CD Leganés. es. 19 January 2017. 19 January 2017.
  11. Web site: Samu y el Levante unen sus caminos por las tres próximas temporadas con una opcional. Samu and Levante commit to each other for the next three seasons with one optional. Levante UD. es. 24 August 2017. 24 August 2017.
  12. Web site: Samuel García comes home. Málaga CF. 25 January 2018. 25 January 2018.
  13. News: El Levante anuncia la rescisión del contrato de Samu García. Levante announce contract termination of Samu García. Diario AS. es. 14 January 2019. 25 January 2019.
  14. Web site: Samu García: "Decidí no jugar más al fútbol hace un par de años". Samu García: "I decided to quit playing football a couple of years ago". El Desmarque. es. 30 December 2020. 27 September 2023.