Samu García

Samuel "Samu" García Sánchez (born 13 July 1990) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right winger or a forward.

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

Samu García
García playing for Rubin in 2016
Personal information
Full name Samuel García Sánchez[1]
Date of birth (1990-07-13) 13 July 1990[1]
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger, forward
Youth career
Puerta Blanca
Conejito
2004 Rangers
2004 Chelsea
Conejito
Goyu-Ryu
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 San Andrés 28 (6)
2009–2010 Alhaurino 26 (9)
2010–2013 Málaga B 92 (21)
2013−2015 Málaga 59 (9)
2015−2016 Villarreal 16 (2)
2016–2017 Rubin Kazan 13 (0)
2017 → Leganés (loan) 11 (0)
2017–2019 Levante 11 (0)
2018 → Málaga (loan) 7 (0)
Total 263 (47)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He totalled 104 games and 11 goals in La Liga over five seasons, representing Málaga (two stints), Villarreal, Leganés and Levante. He also played in Russia with Rubin Kazan.

Club career

Born in Málaga, Andalusia, García played his first years as a senior with UD Dos Hermanas San Andrés and Tercera División team CD Alhaurino,[2] before joining Málaga CF's reserves in 2010 and going on to compete several seasons at that level with the club. In 2004, at the age of 14, he was signed by Chelsea in the Premier League, but returned to his hometown after only three months after failing to adjust.[3]

In the summer of 2013, García was called to the first team by newly appointed manager Bernd Schuster.[4] He signed his first professional contract shortly after, keeping him at the La Rosaleda Stadium until June 2016.[5]

García made his official debut with Málaga's main squad on 17 August 2013, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1−0 La Liga away loss against Valencia CF.[6] He scored his first goal on 3 November, playing less than ten minutes and netting in the 93rd minute of a 3−2 derby home win over Real Betis.[7]

Both García and his Málaga teammate Samu Castillejo joined Villarreal CF on 18 June 2015, signing a five-year deal.[8] On 30 June of the following year, the former transferred to Russian Premier League club FC Rubin Kazan alongside coach Javi Gracia.[9]

On 19 January 2017, García joined CD Leganés on loan until the end of the top-flight season.[10] On 24 August, he signed a three-year contract with Levante UD in the same league[11] but, the following transfer window, returned to Málaga on a five-month loan.[12]

García left Levante on 14 January 2019.[13] In December 2020, he revealed in his Instagram account that he had already decided to retire previous to that.[14]

References
  1. "Samu García". Diario AS. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  2. Presentación de Javilillo, Samuel y Mata (Presentation of Javilillo, Samuel and Mata); CD Alhaurino, 5 August 2009 (in Spanish)
  3. Samuel, el goleador que quería Mourinho (Samuel, the scorer that Mourinho wanted); La Opinión de Málaga, 5 November 2013 (in Spanish)
  4. Samu tendrá dorsal del primer equipo y Darder y Fabrice seguirán con Schuster (Samu will have first-team jersey and Darder and Fabrice will continue with Schuster); Diario Sur, 14 August 2013 (in Spanish)
  5. Samu García amplía su vinculación con el Málaga CF hasta la temporada 2015/16 (Samu García extends link with Málaga CF until 2015/16 season); Málaga CF, 14 August 2013 (in Spanish)
  6. Valencia edge victory; ESPN FC, 17 August 2013
  7. Malaga 3−2 Real Betis Archived 7 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 3 November 2013
  8. El Villarreal CF ficha a los ‘Samus’ (Villarreal CF sign the 'Samus') Archived 19 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine; Villarreal CF, 18 June 2015 (in Spanish)
  9. Самуэль Гарсия перешел в «Рубин» [Samuel Garcia moved to Rubin] (in Russian). FC Rubin Kazan. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  10. "La técnica de Samu García llega a Butarque para reforzar el ataque" [The skill of Samu García arrives at Butarque to bolster the attack] (in Spanish). CD Leganés. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  11. "Samu y el Levante unen sus caminos por las tres próximas temporadas con una opcional" [Samu and Levante commit to each other for the next three seasons with one optional] (in Spanish). Levante UD. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  12. "Samuel García comes home". Málaga CF. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  13. "El Levante anuncia la rescisión del contrato de Samu García" [Levante announce contract termination of Samu García] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  14. "Samu García: "Decidí no jugar más al fútbol hace un par de años"" [Samu García: "I decided to quit playing football a couple of years ago"] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
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