Roberto Soldado

36
Roberto Soldado bigraphy, stories - Spanish footballer

Roberto Soldado : biography

27 May 1985 –

Roberto Soldado Rillo ( born 27 May 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a striker.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Valencia, Soldado joined Real Madrid at the age of 15 from local small club CF Don Bosco. After seasons of prolific goalscoring with the club’s B team, he made his first team debut on 23 October 2005 against Valencia CF, playing 18 minutes in a 1–2 home loss. Previously, on 28 September, he had scored an 86th minute winner after just six minutes on the pitch, in the season’s UEFA Champions League contest against Olympiakos FC (2–1 home win),; UEFA.com, 29 September 2005 adding a late equalizer against CA Osasuna and another in a 3–2 success at Racing de Santander as Real finished second in the league, also netting in the Copa del Rey 4–0 win against Athletic Bilbao.

In 2005–06, with Castilla, Soldado scored 19 goals in the second division (two penalties) to become joint-second highest goalscorer, alongside Ciudad de Murcia’s José Juan Luque, one goal behind Nigerian Ikechukwu Uche of Recreativo de Huelva.

On 24 July 2006, Soldado officially became the first member of Real Madrid to leave under new manager Fabio Capello and new president Ramón Calderón, moving to fellow La Liga club Osasuna on a season-long loan. Set to score goals and return to Real Madrid as a better footballer, he stated: "The idea is to leave and have a good season with a first division team scoring goals, and to develop as a footballer".; ESPN Soccernet, 24 July 2006 Osasuna had finished fourth in the previous campaign, to earn themselves a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, hence Soldado chose them over a number of other Spanish clubs competing for his presence. "The following year I want to return to the Real first team. I chose Osasuna because it gives me the chance to play in the Champions League", he said to Real Madrid’s website after his signing; he finished the campaign with a total of 15 official goals, making him the Navarrese team’s top scorer.

Soldado returned to Real Madrid where, on 11 July 2007, he renewed his contract with the team until 30 June 2012.; UEFA.com, 12 July 2007 In a 21 July interview with Spanish newspaper Diario AS, he revealed that he would be wearing number 9 shirt in his second stint: "During the preseason I’ll be number 9, the number I’ve always dreamed of. When I step onto the pitch at the Bernabéu I’ll remember all the hard work it took to get here". However, he finished the season with just five league appearances (one start, at Deportivo de La Coruña), the second with fewer minutes for the league champions.

Getafe

In late July 2008 Soldado was sold to Getafe CF for €4 million, signing a four-year deal with the side from the Madrid outskirts,; UEFA.com, 30 July 2008 like former Real midfielder Esteban Granero the previous week. He scored his first goal for the club on 19 October 2008 in a 1–2 away loss against Málaga CF, adding two in another away defeat, with Osasuna (2–5), two months later;; ESPN Soccernet, 21 December 2008 in between, he was sent off in a 0–3 home loss against Valencia, for head-butting Carlos Marchena.; ESPN Soccernet, 9 November 2008

On 25 January 2009 Soldado netted a hat-trick as an early substitute, in a 5–1 home win against Sporting de Gijón.; ESPN Soccernet, 25 January 2009 On 22 March, as Getafe struggled in the league, he scored twice to secure another home triumph, 2–1 with Recreativo de Huelva.; ESPN Soccernet, 22 March 2009 The following month he netted the opener against his first professional club, albeit in a 2–3 away defeat.; ESPN Soccernet, 21 April 2009

Soldado started 2009–10 in impressive fashion, scoring three past Racing Santander in a 4–1 away win.; ESPN Soccernet, 30 August 2009 After a long scoring drought, he added three more against newly promoted Xerez CD, in a 5–1 home triumph.; ESPN Soccernet, 29 November 2009

On 19 December 2009, Soldado took his league tally to ten after scoring twice in a 2–1 win at Sevilla FC – with this achievement, he became Getafe’s best ever scorer in the first division, surpassing Manu del Moral and Daniel Güiza;; ESPN Soccernet, 19 December 2009 he missed one month of competition due to injury but, in his return to action, scored from a bicycle kick, earning his side a point in the 1–1 home draw against Gijón.; ESPN Soccernet, 4 May 2010