Gaizka Mendieta

Gaizka Mendieta Zabala ( born March 27, 1974 in Bilbao, Spain ) is a former Spanish footballer, who was most recently at Middlesbrough FC under contract and there ended his career.

  • 2.1 club title
  • 2.2 Awards

Sports career

Mendieta grew after the early death of his parents, under rather poor conditions, in a Catholic orphanage. Mendieta whiled away the time playing his free time with football and sang in the church choir.

Association

His footballing career started in 1991 in Castellón Mendieta when resident club CD Castellón and moved a year later to the Spanish club Valencia. After he brought his club in the years 2000 and 2001 as a captain in the Champions League final, he became one of the most sought-after players on the international transfer market. So he moved in 2001 for the record fee of 48 million euros to the Italian club Lazio. However, in the Italian Serie A he disappointed and a year later returned to Spain for FC Barcelona, ​​awarded. In the following season he was loaned from FC Middlesbrough. Later he moved free transfer to the English and was able to celebrate a great success in Middlesbrough: The winner of the League Cup in 2004 In addition, his team was with him in the UEFA Cup Final in 2006, but fell significantly with 0:4 against the Spanish side FC Sevilla. .

After the 2007/ 08 season, he ended his active career.

Gaizka Mendieta was considered the ultimate penalty taker. There is no record or source showing or documented awarded a penalty; also according to his own testimony, he can not remember a missed penalty during his professional career, in all conscience.

National

Gaizka Mendieta was in the squad, the Spaniard for the 1996 Olympic Games, where he but his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals. He also played 40 games for the Spanish national team and was able to achieve eight goals. He played for Spain at Euro 2000 and at the 2002 World Cup.

Achievements

Club title

  • Copa del Rey: 1999
  • Supercopa de España: 1999
  • League Cup: 2004

Awards

  • UEFA Midfielder of the Year: 2000, 2001
Valencia CF S.S. Lazio Middlesbrough F.C. Sevilla FC 1998–99 Copa del Rey UEFA Club Football Awards
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