Alberto Baldé

Alberto Baldé Almánzar (born 21 March 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for NIFL Premiership side Loughgall. Born in Spain and raised in Northern Ireland, he plays for the Dominican Republic national team.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Baldé and the second or maternal family name is Almánzar.
Alberto Baldé
Personal information
Full name Alberto Baldé Almánzar
Date of birth (2002-03-21) 21 March 2002
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Loughgall
Number 18
Youth career
2014–2017 Portadown
2017-2022 Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Portadown 4 (1)
2018–2022 Middlesbrough 0 (0)
2021 → Pickering Town (loan) 0 (0)
2022–2023 Portadown 29 (1)
2023– Loughgall 8 (0)
International career‡
2017 Northern Ireland U15 2 (0)
2017 Northern Ireland U16 9 (4)
2022– Dominican Republic 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 09:34, 1 July 2022 (UTC)

Early life

Baldé was born in Madrid, Spain to a Bissau-Guinean father and a Afro-Dominican mother. He moved to Northern Ireland with his mother at a young age.[1]

Club career

Baldé joined the youth academy of the Northern Ireland club Portadown at the age of 12 when he knew no English, and gained national attention as the focus of a Google advertisement highlighting how his coaches used Google Translate to communicate with him.[2] At 15, he became their youngest ever goalscorer in a 2–1 NIFL Championship win over Knockbreda.[3] He joined Middlesbrough's reserves in 2018.[4] He briefly joined non-league club Pickering Town on loan in November 2021.[5] He was released by Middlesbrough when his contract ended in June 2022,[1] and rejoined Portadown.

International career

Baldé is a youth international for the Northern Ireland U15s and Northern Ireland U16s in 2017.[6][7] He was called up to the Dominican Republic national team for matches in June 2022.[8] He debuted with the Dominican Republic in a 3–2 CONCACAF Nations League loss to French Guiana on 5 June 2022, coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute.[9]

References
  1. Johns, Craig (23 May 2022). "Released Boro man could be boosted by historic first international cap". TeessideLive.
  2. "Portadown teen at the centre of Google video signs for Middlesbrough FC". 3 April 2017.
  3. Staff Reporter. "Viral video teen Alberto becomes Portadown's youngest goalscorer – at just 15". Armagh I.
  4. Fullerton, Gareth (6 July 2018). "Meet the 17 young players who have signed for clubs across the water". BelfastLive.
  5. "Middlesbrough duo join non-league side Pickering Town on short-term loan deals". The 72. 18 November 2021.
  6. "Under-15s beat Slovakia in opening game". IFA.
  7. "Northern Ireland's Victory Shield squad unveiled". IFA.
  8. "convocados de RD para las cuatro primeras jornadas de Liga de Naciones de Concacaf".
  9. "Game Details". Concacaf. 12 March 2021.
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