Santiago Denia

Santi
Personal information
Full name Santiago Denia Sánchez
Date of birth (1974-03-09) 9 March 1974
Place of birth Albacete, Spain
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
Spain U17 (coach)
Youth career
Albacete
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1995 Albacete 98 (2)
1995–2004 Atlético Madrid 225 (7)
2005–2007 Albacete 38 (1)
Total 361 (10)
National team
1991 Spain U18 1 (0)
1992–1996 Spain U21 27 (0)
1996 Spain U23 3 (1)
1997–1998 Spain 2 (0)
Teams managed
2009 Atlético Madrid (assistant)
2009 Atlético Madrid
2010– Spain U16
2011– Spain U17

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Denia and the second or maternal family name is Sánchez.

Santiago Denia Sánchez (born 9 March 1974), commonly known as Santi, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender, and a current coach.

He appeared in 297 La Liga games over the course of 11 seasons (two goals scored), with Albacete Balompié and Atlético Madrid. He won the 1996 league championship with the latter.

Club career

Born in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Santi began playing professionally with hometown's Albacete Balompié. He made his La Liga debuts at age 18, and automatically became an undisputed starter in a side that constantly managed to maintain their top flight status.

In the 1995 summer, Santi signed with Atlético Madrid, being crowned league and Copa del Rey champion in his first season, in a defensive line which also included club youth graduates Juan Manuel López and Roberto Solozábal. He appeared in 37 league matches during the campaign.[1]

Following Atlético's 2000 relegation (he collected a career-worst 17 yellow cards), Santi gradually lost his importance in the team's plans. In 2004–05, after the signing of Pablo Ibáñez – who also came from Albacete – he featured in no games at all during the first half of the season, and was subsequently allowed to leave on loan in January 2005 for his first club.[2] The move was made permanent in June and he retired after two more years, with Albacete now in the second division.[3]

Santi eventually returned to Atlético Madrid in early February 2009, as assistant to newly appointed Abel Resino[4] who had replaced Javier Aguirre. He was a caretaker manager for the game against RCD Mallorca on 24 October, before the appointment of Quique Sánchez Flores.[5]

International career

Santi was capped twice for Spain, his debut coming on 11 October 1997 in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands (3–1 in Gijón, playing the entire match).[6] He still featured in a friendly win over Sweden in March 1998, but did not make the final cut for the final stages in France.

Previously, Santi appeared for the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[7]

Honours

Atlético Madrid
Spain U21

References

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