Suso Santana

Jesús Manuel 'Suso' Santana Abreu (born 2 March 1985) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right winger.

For other people named Suso, see Suso (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Santana and the second or maternal family name is Abreu.

Suso Santana
Santana in 2019
Personal information
Full name Jesús Manuel Santana Abreu
Date of birth (1985-03-02) 2 March 1985
Place of birth San Cristóbal, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
2002–2004 Tenerife
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2009 Tenerife 23 (1)
2004–2005 → Atlético Arona (loan)
2005–2006 → Laguna (loan) ? (8)
2007–2008 → San Isidro (loan) 27 (3)
2008–2009 → Fuerteventura (loan) 30 (9)
2009–2012 Hearts 59 (8)
2012–2021 Tenerife 302 (37)
Total 441 (66)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He started his professional career with Tenerife, but was loaned several times to lower league teams until the end of his contract. In 2009, he moved to the Scottish Premier League with Hearts, where he remained three years.

In 2012, Santana returned to Tenerife. Over nine seasons in Segunda División with the club, he amassed totals of 288 matches and 33 goals.

Club career

Tenerife

Born in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santana began his professional career at local CD Tenerife, signing in 2002 with its youth system. Early on, he was loaned to Tercera División sides Atlético Arona CF and AD Laguna, in order to gain experience.

Santana played one full season with Tenerife in Segunda División, but opportunities continued to be limited for him in the main squad and another two loan spells ensued, now with Segunda División B teams CD San Isidro and UD Fuerteventura. With the former, he finished as top scorer in the 2008–09 campaign with nine goals from the right side of midfield, although they would be relegated due to financial problems.[1][2]

Hearts

Santana's performances caught the eye of Hearts manager Csaba László, who signed him on a free transfer from Tenerife on 30 June 2009.[3] He got off to a good start at Tynecastle Stadium, playing in every pre-season game and particularly impressing in friendlies against Bolton Wanderers (where he set up the only goal) and Sunderland, putting in player of the match performances.[4]

However, in the Scottish Premier League, Santana's displays were somewhat erratic: during a 2–2 draw with St Johnstone, he was replaced after an alleged spitting incident.[5] He improved from there onwards, again being named man of the match in the side's 1–0 win over Kilmarnock on 15 September 2009.[6] He scored his first goal for the club five days later, opening a 2–1 defeat against Celtic at Celtic Park with a long-range shot.[7]

Santana's second goal for Hearts came on 26 September 2009, the second in a 2–1 victory over Hamilton Academical.[8] He also netted against eventual champions Rangers in a 1–4 home loss, from a volley.[9]

Santana's second season in Scotland was hit by injuries, and he never really managed to get a consistent run together, also having to undergo knee surgery in late April 2011.[10] After returning to full fitness, he began appearing as a substitute. On 18 March 2012 he scored his second goal of the campaign, netting in the 90th minute of a 2–0 derby defeat of Hibernian.[11] He also helped the team win the season's Scottish Cup,[12] but left in early July.[13]

Return to Tenerife

Santana returned to his native Canary Islands and Tenerife on 6 July 2012.[14] He scored five goals in his first season in his second stint, helping the club return to the second tier after one year out.[15][16]

Santana featured regularly for Tete in the following campaigns while acting as team captain, only losing his first-choice status in 2019–20.[17] On 8 June 2021, aged 36 and having made 337 competitive appearances, he retired from professional football.[18]

Career statistics
As of 27 February 2012[19][20]
Club statistics
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Hearts 2009–10 27610100000296
2010–11 19000210000211
2011–12 511000100071
Total 51 7 2 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 57 8

References
  1. "¿Quien es Suso Santana?" [Who is Suso Santana?] (in Spanish). Official website. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  2. "El futuro de Suso, en el aire" [Suso's future, in the air]. Diario de Avisos (in Spanish). 9 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  3. "Winger Suso signs up for Hearts". BBC Sport. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  4. "Santana must cool it or he won't last long in Scotland". The Herald. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  5. "Santana upset by spitting claims". BBC Sport. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  6. Campbell, Andy (15 September 2009). "Hearts 1–0 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  7. "Celtic v Hearts as it happened". BBC Sport. 20 September 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  8. "Hearts 2–1 Hamilton". BBC Sport. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  9. Moffat, Colin (27 March 2010). "Hearts 1–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  10. "Surgery for Suso". Heart of Midlothian. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  11. Campbell, Andy (18 March 2012). "Hearts claimed a third straight Edinburgh derby win of the season as Hibernian's long wait for victory against their city rivals continued". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  12. Campbell, Andy (19 May 2012). "Hibernian 1–5 Hearts". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  13. "Hearts confirm exits by Suso and Craig Beattie". BBC Sport. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. "Suso Santana, primer fichaje del CD Tenerife" [Suso Santana, first CD Tenerife signing]. Diario de Avisos (in Spanish). 6 July 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  15. "Aridane y 13 goleadores más" [Aridane and 13 other scorers]. La Opinión de Tenerife (in Spanish). 7 May 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  16. "El CD Tenerife vuelve a Segunda tras eliminar a L'Hospitalet" [CD Tenerife return to Segunda after ousting L'Hospitalet]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 2 June 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  17. Hernández, Ramón (10 October 2019). ""Suso está haciendo cosas para volver a ser importante"" ["Suso is doing what he should to play a big part again"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  18. "Suso Santana: "Me siento orgulloso porque he sido un privilegiado"" [Suso Santana: "I feel proud because I have been privileged"] (in Spanish). CD Tenerife. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  19. "Suso Santana". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  20. "Suso Santana". Soccerbase. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
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