Sergio Mantecón Explained

Sergio Mantecón
Full Name:Sergio Martínez Mantecón
Birth Date:8 June 1980
Birth Place:Madrid, Spain
Height:1.77 m
Position:Defensive midfielder
Currentclub:Elche (technical secretary)
Youthclubs1:Real Madrid
Years1:1999–2001
Years2:2001–2003
Caps2:74
Goals2:1
Years3:2003–2006
Caps3:112
Goals3:5
Years4:2006–2008
Caps4:21
Goals4:0
Years5:2008
Caps5:20
Goals5:4
Years6:2008–2010
Caps6:68
Goals6:5
Years7:2010–2014
Caps7:119
Goals7:3
Years8:2014–2017
Caps8:66
Goals8:1
Years9:2017
Caps9:12
Goals9:0
Totalcaps:492
Totalgoals:19
Manageryears1:2021
Managerclubs1:Elche (interim)
Manageryears2:2022
Managerclubs2:Elche (interim)

Sergio Martínez Mantecón (born 8 June 1980) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He is the current technical secretary of Elche CF.

He appeared in 270 Segunda División games over ten seasons, scoring a total of nine goals for Badajoz, Hércules, Castellón, Elche and Cádiz. In La Liga, he appeared with Elche (12 matches).

Club career

Born in Madrid, Mantecón finished his youth career with local giants Real Madrid, but made his senior debut with CD Badajoz's reserves. On 3 January 2001 he played his first professional game with the latter's first team, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–4 home loss against Racing de Santander for that season's Copa del Rey.[1] He finished the league campaign with eight Segunda División appearances.

The following two years, Mantecón was a regular starter for the Extremaduran side, being relegated in 2003. In August of that year he signed with Alicante CF of Segunda División B,[2] going on to appear twice in the promotion playoffs but falling consecutively short.

On 29 June 2006, Mantecón moved to Hércules CF in the second division.[3] After being regularly used in his first season he was left out of the squad in his second, and subsequently joined third-tier SD Ponferradina in January 2008.[4]

Mantecón agreed to a two-year contract with CD Castellón on 24 June 2008.[5] After experiencing another relegation in 2010, he joined fellow league club Elche CF in the off-season.[6] He started in 25 of his 39 matches in 2012–13 as they returned to La Liga after more than two decades, then signed a new one-year deal.[7]

On 19 August 2013, the 33-year-old Mantecón made his debut in the Spanish top flight, replacing David Generelo midway through the second half of a 3–0 away defeat to Rayo Vallecano.[8] After only 12 appearances and two starts during the season, he was released in June 2014[9] and moved to Cádiz CF of division three.[10]

In February 2017, Mantecón signed with Tercera División club CF Lorca Deportiva,[11] and retired shortly after. In July, he returned to Elche as part of the technical staff.[12]

Mantecón served as interim manager of the main squad on 29 November 2021 for a top-tier match against CA Osasuna, after Fran Escribá was dismissed.[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2001/01/04/pagina-19/1470467/pdf.html#&mode=fullScreen El Racing aprovecha los regalos (Racing take advantage of gifts)
  2. http://www.elperiodicoextremadura.com/noticias/deportes/badajoz-pierde-mantecon-casi-rodri_67542.html El Badajoz pierde a Mantecón y casi a Rodri (Badajoz lose Mantecón and Rodri's almost gone)
  3. http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/2a_division/hercules/es/desarrollo/665934.html El Hércules ficha a Xisco Nadal, Sergio Mantecón y Piti de una tacada (Hércules sign Xisco Nadal, Sergio Mantecón and Piti in one go)
  4. http://www.laverdad.es/alicante/20080119/deportes_alicante/hercules/mantecon-firma-ponferradina-hasta-20080119.html Mantecón firma con la Ponferradina hasta el final de la temporada (Mantecón signs for Ponferradina until the end of the season)
  5. http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/2a_division/castellon/es/desarrollo/1138726.html Mantecón ficha por el Castellón (Mantecón signs for Castellón)
  6. http://www.laverdad.es/alicante/20100713/deportes/elche/mantecon-ficha-elche-201007131537.html Mantecón ficha por un año con el Elche (Mantecón signs for a year with Elche)
  7. http://www.marca.com/2013/06/13/futbol/equipos/elche/1371142376.html El Elche renueva a Sergio Mantecón (Elche renew Sergio Mantecón)
  8. http://espnfc.com/en/report/373209/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=null Rayo up and running
  9. http://www.elchecf.es/-/carta-de-despedida-de-sergio-mantecon Carta de despedida de Sergio Mantecón (Sergio Mantecón's farewell letter)
  10. http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140709/futbol/mantecon-rompe-su-compromiso-con-el-hercules-para-jugar-en-el-cadiz_54410921408.html Mantecón rompe su compromiso con el Hércules para jugar en el Cádiz (Mantecón breaks agreement with Hércules to play for Cádiz)
  11. http://www.diarioinformacion.com/elche-cf/2017/02/27/exfranjiverde-sergio-mantecon-ficha-lorca/1865256.html El exfranjiverde Sergio Mantecón ficha por el Lorca Deportiva (Former franjiverde Sergio Mantecón signs for Lorca Deportiva)
  12. Web site: Mantecón se suma a la secretaría técnica. Mantecón joins the technical staff. Elche Directo. es. 17 July 2017. 28 November 2021.
  13. News: Mantecón se sentará en el banquillo del Elche en Pamplona. Mantecón will sit on Elche's bench in Pamplona. Diario AS. es. 27 November 2021. 28 November 2021.
  14. News: Sergio Mantecón: "Podíamos habernos llevado los tres puntos". Sergio Mantecón: "We could have taken all three points". Diario de Navarra. es. 29 November 2021. 29 November 2021.