Raúl Albiol

**Raúl Albiol Tortajada** (, ; born 4 September 1985) is a Spaingie profeesional fitbawer who plays for Villarreal, an the Spaingie naitional team.

His main asset is his versatility, as he can play as a central defender, richt back or defensive midfielder. He spent maist o his career wi Valencia an Real Madrid, winnin five major titles wi baith teams combined; ower the course o ten saisons he amassed La Liga totals o 229 gemmes an seiven goals.

A Spainyie internaitional syne 2007, Albiol representit the kintra in twa Warld Cups an as mony European Championships, winnin three toornaments includin the 2010 Warld Cup.

## Club career
### Valencia
Born in Vilamarxant, Valencie Commonty, Albiol stairtit playin fitbaw wi twa modest clubs in his native region, muivin tae local giants Valencia CF afore celebratin his 10t birthday. He made his first-team debut on 24 September 2003 in a UEFA Cup first-roond tee against AIK Fotboll, at 18 years an 20 days, but spent the first year still registered wi the B-side.

In August 2004, whilst travelling tae sign a deal tae jyn Getafe CF on lend, Albiol wis involvit in a serious caur accident, bein put in intensive care. He managit tae recover completely an, efter reappearin in Januar, played a vera important pairt in the Madrid side survivin the relegation battle: he made his La Liga debut on 15 Januar 2005 in a 1–1 hame draw wi Atlético Madrid, an scored against anither club frae the caipital, Real Madrid, in a 2–1 hame triumph twa month later.

Albiol then returned the follaein saison tae Valencia, an quickly established hissel as first-choice due tae his versatility. In the opening game o the 2006–07's league campaign he scored the winner (his anerly goal o the saison) against Real Betis in a 2–1 hame win. He nettit frae lang distance against Olympiacos F.C. on 12 September 2006 an aw, in that year's UEFA Champions League, which Valencia won 4–2 away; durin his fower-saison spell wi the first team, his smawest ootput consistit o 29 gemmes, an he helpit the *Che* tae the 2007–08 Copa del Rey.

### Real Madrid

On 25 Juin 2009 Albiol jyned Real Madrid, for a fee thocht to be in the region of €15&nbsp;million, becomin the first Spainyie player signed bi Florentino Pérez upon his return tae the presidency. On 2 Julie, he wis offeecially presentit at the Santiago Bernabéu, receivin the No. 18 jersey frae Rubén de la Red, who is absent for the saison due tae unresolvit hert problems.

Albiol scored his first goal for the *Merengues* on 8 Dizember, in a 3–1 Champions League win at Olympique de Marseille. Durin the league campaign he wis a undisputit stairter for Real, mainly due tae Pepe's serious knee injury.

In 2010–11, Albiol wis relegatit tae the bench as Real Madrid brocht in anither player for his poseetion, Ricardo Carvalho (a compatriot o newly appointed manager José Mourinho), anerly appearin in the league throu injury or suspension tae teammates (Pepe again missed several matches due tae pheesical problems). He did stairt, housomeivver, in the club's domestic cup campaign, helpin Real tae reach the feenal. On 26 Januar 2011, in the semi-feenal first leg against Sevilla FC (1–0 awa win), he cleared a Luís Fabiano shot juist afore it crossed the goal line. On 16 Apryle, he wis sent aff for foulin umwhile Valencia teammate David Villa inside the box durin the *[[El Clásico]]*, which resultit in the first goal in a 1–1 hame draw, goin on tae miss the Spainyie Cup feenal fower days later – throu suspension – a 1–0 win against the same opponent.

On 6 August 2012, Albiol renewed his contract wi Real Madrid till Juin 2017. On 27 November, in his first game as team caiptain, at hame against CD Alcoyano for the Spainyie Cup, he haed tae be stretchered aff efter anerly ane minute, bein sidelined for approximately ane month wi a ankle injury.

Albiol scored his seicont offeecial goal for Real Madrid on 8 Mey 2013, heidin frae a corner kick for his team's first in a eventual 6–2 hame win against Málaga CF.

### Napoli

On 21 Julie 2013 Albiol wis sauld tae S.S.C. Napoli in Italy for €12 million, signin a fower-year contract wi the Rafael Benítez-led team. He made his Serie A debut on 25 August, in a 3–0 hame win ower Bologna F.C. 1909.

Albiol scored his first goal for his new team on 25 Januar 2014, an 88t-minute equaliser in a 1–1 hame draw against A.C. Chievo Verona. On 3 May, he played the entire feenal o the Coppa Italia, helpin tae a 3–1 success ower ACF Fiorentina.

## Internaitional career

Efter haein represented Spain's U-21, Albiol first appeared for the main squad on 13 October 2007, in an UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark (3–1 awa win). In the competeetion's feenal stages, he appeared twice for the eventual continental champions, against Swaden (subbin in for the injured Carles Puyol) an Greece.

New naitional team coach Vicente Del Bosque included Albiol in the squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in Sooth Africae. He stairtit in Spain's first gemme, pairtnerin Puyol in central defence aheid o Valencia teammate Carlos Marchena an helpin defeat New Zealand 5–0.

Albiol wis pickit for the 2010 FIFA Warld Cup, but did no leave the bench for the eventual Warld champions efter haein suffered a injury in trainin. Again as a unuised player, he wis in the squad for the Euro 2012 toornament in Poland an Ukraine an aw, which endit in the conquest o the trophy an aw.

Albiol wis namit in Spain's 30-man proveesional squad for the Warld Cup, an wis includit in the feenal leet for the toornament an aw. He made his debut in a major feenals in the last group match against Australie wi the Spainyie awready eliminatit, playin the whole 90 minutes alangside Sergio Ramos in central defence in a 3–0 win.

## Honours
### Club
;Valencia
*UEFA Cup: 2003–04
*Copa del Rey: 2007–08

;Real Madrid
*La Liga: 2011–12
*Copa del Rey: 2010–11; Runner-up 2012–13
*Supercopa de España: 2012; Runner-up 2011

;Napoli
*Coppa Italia: 2013–14

### Kintra

*FIFA Warld Cup: 2010
*UEFA European Championship: 2008, 2012
*FIFA Confederations Cup: Runner-up 2013; Third-place 2009
*UEFA European Unn:en:er-19 Championship: 2004

### Individual
*La Liga Breakthrou Player o the Year: 2006

## Club statistics

:**<sup><span style="color:blue;">1</span></sup>Includes ither competitive competeetions, includin the [[Supercopa de España]].**

## Personal
Albiol's elkname is "El Chori". His aulder brither, Miguel, is a fitbawer an aw. A midfielder, he wis groomit at Valencia an aw, playin ane league match wi the first team, but mainly representit Rayo Vallecano. His faither, namit Miguel an aw, played lawer league fitbaw maistly wi Benidorm CF, an appeared in twa Segunda División gemmes for CE Sabadell FC in 1979–80; the youngest siblin, Brian, wis namit efter Brian Laudrup, whom Raúl admired on accoont o his success wi the Dens naitional team.

Albiol an his wife Alicia hae twa dochters, Azahara (born 16 Mairch 2009) an Alma (7 Januar 2010).

## References

## Freemit airtins

*Real Madrid official profile
*BDFutbol profile
*National team data
*
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*2010 FIFA World Cup profile