Iván Helguera

Iván Helguera Bujía (Spanish pronunciation: [iˈβan elˈɣeɾa βuˈxi.a];[2] born 28 March 1975) is a Spanish former professional footballer.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Helguera and the second or maternal family name is Bujía.

Iván Helguera
Helguera with Real Madrid in 2003
Personal information
Full name Iván Helguera Bujía[1]
Date of birth (1975-03-28) 28 March 1975[1]
Place of birth Santander, Spain[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Youth career
Racing Santander
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1995 Racing B 4 (0)
1995 Revilla
1995–1996 Manchego 13 (2)
1996–1997 Albacete 14 (2)
1997–1998 Roma 8 (0)
1998–1999 Espanyol 37 (2)
1999–2007 Real Madrid 229 (18)
2007–2008 Valencia 25 (1)
Total 330 (25)
International career
1998–2004 Spain 47 (3)
Managerial career
2020 Las Rozas
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing as either a central defender or defensive midfielder, with both good defensive and offensive skills,[3] he represented five clubs during his professional career, notably Real Madrid – achieving team success as an important player – and Valencia. During his early 20s, he also had an unassuming abroad spell with Roma, and he amassed La Liga totals of 291 games and 21 goals over 11 seasons.

A Spanish international on nearly 50 occasions, Helguera represented the country at the 2002 World Cup and in two European Championships.

Club career

Early years and Real Madrid

Born in Santander, Cantabria, Helguera started playing professionally for Manchego CF and Albacete Balompié, appearing in 14 Segunda División games in the 1996–97 season for the latter. He was purchased by Serie A side A.S. Roma after that, alongside compatriot César Gómez,[4] but left after one disappointing campaign to join RCD Espanyol, where his stellar performances led to a Real Madrid deal even before 1998–99 had finished.[5]

With Real Madrid from July 1999, Helguera was an instant first choice, and scored five and six La Liga goals in his second and fourth seasons (both ended with the national championship conquest) alternating between defender and midfielder. He was also instrumental in the capital team's two UEFA Champions League conquests: in the 2000 final, against fellow Spaniards Valencia CF, he started the match as a sweeper in a 3–0 win,[6] appearing as stopper two years later in the 2–1 victory over Bayer 04 Leverkusen.[7]

Not a starter in his final two years, Helguera still made a total of 42 appearances, scoring in a 3–1 away defeat of Gimnàstic de Tarragona on 28 October 2006.[8] At the start of his last season he was surprisingly stripped of his No. 6 jersey which went to new signing Mahamadou Diarra, given No. 21 and made to train with the youth team in anticipation of his leaving the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, even though his contract ended in June 2009.[9] However, he later managed to fight his way back into the starting eleven, being somewhat influential in helping the club to the 2007 domestic league.

Valencia

On 20 July 2007, Helguera signed for Valencia on a three-year deal – upon joining, he stated that he had wanted to come to Valencia for a "long time" and was "delighted" to arrive at the club.[10] He was relatively important during his debut campaign, also helping the Che to win the Copa del Rey.

However, after having appeared very rarely in the first part of the following season,[11] Helguera's contract was cancelled on 12 December 2008,[12] and both FC Dinamo București[13] and Los Angeles Galaxy declared interest in signing the player,[14] but nothing came of it and he retired from football later that year.[15]

International career

Helguera was capped 47 times for Spain, the first coming on 18 November 1998 in an away friendly with Italy (2–2).[16] He played for his country at UEFA Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2004,[17] missing the 2006 World Cup after being omitted from the squad in the months before the tournament by national team coach Luis Aragonés.[18]

Personal life

Helguera's younger brother, Luis, was also a professional footballer. A midfielder, he played in the first division for Real Zaragoza and Deportivo Alavés, and also in Italy.[19]

He married his longtime girlfriend Lorena, and welcomed his first baby, a boy named Luca, on 30 November 2005.[20][21]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[22][23]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchego 1995–96 0000
1996–97 132132
Total 132132
Albacete 1996–97 Segunda División 142142
Roma 1997–98 Serie A 80100090
Espanyol 1998–99 La Liga 3723000402
Real Madrid 1999–2000 La Liga 33060152542
2000–01 325101664911
2001–02 26260123445
2002–03 33610170516
2003–04 2916082433
2004–05 34310101454
2005–06 1904041271
2006–07 2312050301
Total 22918270871534333
Valencia 2007–08 La Liga 2416071372
2008–09 10203060
Total 25180101432
Career total 32625390971646241

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[24]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain 199810
199920
2000100
200162
2002110
200381
200490
Total473
Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Helguera goal.[24]
List of international goals scored by Iván Helguera
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
124 March 2001José Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain Liechtenstein1–05–02002 World Cup qualification
228 March 2001Mestalla, Valencia, Spain France1–02–1Friendly
32 April 2003Reino de León, León, Spain Armenia2–03–0Euro 2004 qualifying

Honours

Real Madrid

Valencia

References
  1. "Iván HELGUERA Bujía". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  2. In isolation, Bujía is pronounced [buˈxi.a]
  3. "Ivan Helguera". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  4. "Eight Spanish stars who've played for Roma". A.S. Roma. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  5. "El Real Madrid ficha al espanyolista Iván Helguera por 1.200 millones de pesetas" [Real Madrid sign Espanyol man Iván Helguera for 1.200 million pesetas]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 3 May 1999. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  6. "Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia". The Guardian. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  7. "Bayer Leverkusen 1–2 Real Madrid". The Guardian. 15 May 2002. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  8. "Gimnastic de Tarragona 1–3 Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 28 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  9. Zárate, Óscar (2 September 2006). "Otro desprecio a Helguera" [Helguera scorned again] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  10. "El Valencia ficha a Iván Helguera hasta 2010" [Valencia sign Iván Helguera until 2010]. El País (in Spanish). 20 July 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  11. "Emery: "No hay nada personal entre Helguera y yo"" [Emery: "There is nothing personal between Helguera and myself"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 12 December 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  12. "Rescisión de contrato de Iván Helguera" [Iván Helguera's contract termination] (in Spanish). Valencia CF. 12 December 2008. Archived from the original on 14 December 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  13. Pitaru, Marius (24 December 2008). "Un milion pentru Helguera!" [One million for Helguera!]. ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  14. Michaels, Steve (1 January 2009). "Ivan Helguera attracts LA Galaxy interest". Goal. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  15. Diéguez, Antonio (4 February 2015). "Iván Helguera: 'Arrastro las lesiones que me retiraron'" [Iván Helguera: 'The injuries that retired me haunt me']. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  16. Gascón, Javier (19 November 1998). "Notable alto" [B Plus]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  17. Modia, Iván (20 May 2004). "Sáez selects Spain squad". UEFA. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  18. "Helguera: "Lo mejor que me puede pasar es que venga otro entrenador"" [Helguera: "The best that can happen to me is that another manager comes"]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 30 March 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  19. "El exzaragocista Luis Helguera apuesta por su hermano Iván" [Former zaragocista Luis Helguera bets on brother Iván]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 16 March 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  20. "Iván Helguera se casa en Cantabria con la periodista Lorena Casado" [Iván Helguera marries reporter Lorena Casado in Cantabria] (in Spanish). ¡Hola!. 12 July 2004. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  21. Revilla, Gregorio (18 August 2010). ""El Madrid no necesita a Özil"" [Madrid do not need Özil] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  22. Iván Helguera at BDFutbol
  23. "Iván Helguera". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  24. "Iván Helguera". European Football. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
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