Asier del Horno
Encyclopedia
Asier del Horno Cosgaya (born 19 January 1981) is a Spanish
professional footballer who plays for Levante UD
mainly as a left defender.
, Biscay
, del Horno began his career at Athletic Bilbao
in 1999, where his combative tackling and strength in the air saw him rise through the ranks as a stout left-footed centre-back. However, his pace and ability to contribute to the attack led to his being switched to left-back by the time he had arrived in the seniors for both club and country
.
Del Horno made his main squad debut in the 2000–01 opener at only 19, and eventually scored 13 goals in 108 league appearances for the Basque
giants.
for a fee of £8 million. He won the first league championship of his career with the Blues, as part of the squad that won the English title.
He played 34 matches overall for Chelsea, scoring one goal against Tottenham Hotspur
at White Hart Lane
.
, on a six-year deal, for €
8 million, seen as a natural replacement for Amedeo Carboni
, who had retired at 41. Athletic Bilbao had expressed interest, but withdrew from further negotiations, forfeiting any further financial advantage. Following surgery on his injured Achilles heel
, which kept him off the pitches for most of the season, del Horno made his debut for his new club on 3 March 2007, in a 1–0 league win over Celta de Vigo
.
Del Horno was placed on the transfer list by then-Valencia manager Quique Flores, as the coach announced that the defender would not retain his position in the team for 2007–08.
In the last day of the transfer window, del Horno agreed to join his former team Athletic Bilbao on a one-year loan deal, returning to Valencia after an injury-filled campaign; at the Che, his physical problems persisted. After an unassuming first half of 2009–10
– only played in the cup
, and only when Valencia faced rivals of smaller entity – del Horno was loaned to Real Valladolid
until the end of the season, on January 30. An undisputed starter since his arrival, he could not however prevent the Castile and León
club from returning to level two
, after a three-year stay in the top division.
For the 2010–11 season
, 29-year old del Horno was loaned once again, joining freshly promoted
Levante UD
. He was used regularly in both defensive positions as the Valencian Community
side eventually retained its top division status, but also missed the campaign's final stretch due to physical ailments which had been bothering him since early into the season.
debut against Scotland
on 3 September 2004. He scored the winner in a 1–0 friendly against England
played in Madrid
, two months later.
An ankle
injury forced del Horno to withdraw from the 23-man team named by Luis Aragonés
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
. Medical staff in the RFEF alleged that Chelsea had prior knowledge of del Horno's injury, but allowed him to continue playing. His vacant position was controversially filled in by naturalised Argentinian
Mariano Pernía, of Getafe CF
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
professional footballer who plays for Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
mainly as a left defender.
Athletic Bilbao
Born in BarakaldoBarakaldo
Barakaldo , is a municipality in the Basque Country in Spain. It is located in the Biscay province, administratively included in the "Basque Autonomous Community", on the left bank of the Estuary of Bilbao.Barakaldo is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area , and its official population...
, Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, del Horno began his career at Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
in 1999, where his combative tackling and strength in the air saw him rise through the ranks as a stout left-footed centre-back. However, his pace and ability to contribute to the attack led to his being switched to left-back by the time he had arrived in the seniors for both club and country
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
Del Horno made his main squad debut in the 2000–01 opener at only 19, and eventually scored 13 goals in 108 league appearances for the Basque
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
giants.
Chelsea
In June 2005, del Horno moved to ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
for a fee of £8 million. He won the first league championship of his career with the Blues, as part of the squad that won the English title.
He played 34 matches overall for Chelsea, scoring one goal against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
.
Valencia
On 21 June 2006, del Horno returned to Spain to sign for ValenciaValencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
, on a six-year deal, for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
8 million, seen as a natural replacement for Amedeo Carboni
Amedeo Carboni
Amedeo Carboni is a retired Italian footballer who played as a left defender.In a professional career which spanned 22 years and saw him appear in nearly 700 official games, he played mainly for Roma and Valencia , winning eight major titles for the two clubs combined.Carboni was capped 18 times...
, who had retired at 41. Athletic Bilbao had expressed interest, but withdrew from further negotiations, forfeiting any further financial advantage. Following surgery on his injured Achilles heel
Achilles Heel
Achilles Heel may refer to:* Achilles' heel, a metaphor for a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength* Achilles Heel , music by Pedro the Lion* Achilles Heel , off Antarctica...
, which kept him off the pitches for most of the season, del Horno made his debut for his new club on 3 March 2007, in a 1–0 league win over Celta de Vigo
Celta de Vigo
Real Club Celta de Vigo , simply referred to as Celta Vigo, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in the Segunda División. It was founded on March 28, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Foot-ball Club.Nicknamed Los Celestes ,...
.
Del Horno was placed on the transfer list by then-Valencia manager Quique Flores, as the coach announced that the defender would not retain his position in the team for 2007–08.
In the last day of the transfer window, del Horno agreed to join his former team Athletic Bilbao on a one-year loan deal, returning to Valencia after an injury-filled campaign; at the Che, his physical problems persisted. After an unassuming first half of 2009–10
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
– only played in the cup
2009–10 Copa del Rey
The 2009–10 Copa del Rey was the 106th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 22, 2009 and concluded on May 19, 2010 with the final held at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, in which Sevilla FC lifted the trophy for the fifth time in their history with a 2–0 victory over...
, and only when Valencia faced rivals of smaller entity – del Horno was loaned to Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
until the end of the season, on January 30. An undisputed starter since his arrival, he could not however prevent the Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
club from returning to level two
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, after a three-year stay in the top division.
For the 2010–11 season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, 29-year old del Horno was loaned once again, joining freshly promoted
2009–10 Segunda División
The 2009–10 Segunda División was made up of the following teams:-League table:||rowspan=15 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-2009–10 Results:To read this table, the home team is listed in the left-hand column....
Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
. He was used regularly in both defensive positions as the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
side eventually retained its top division status, but also missed the campaign's final stretch due to physical ailments which had been bothering him since early into the season.
Later years
Upon returning to Valencia, del Horno's contract was immediately terminated. In early August 2011, he re-joined Levante on a permanent deal.International career
Del Horno made his SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
debut against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 3 September 2004. He scored the winner in a 1–0 friendly against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
played in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, two months later.
An ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury forced del Horno to withdraw from the 23-man team named by Luis Aragonés
Luis Aragonés
José Luis Aragonés Suárez , usually referred to as Luis Aragonés and sometimes simply as Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and national coach....
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Medical staff in the RFEF alleged that Chelsea had prior knowledge of del Horno's injury, but allowed him to continue playing. His vacant position was controversially filled in by naturalised Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Mariano Pernía, of Getafe CF
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 17 November 2004 | Santiago Bernabéu Santiago Bernabéu Stadium The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators.... , Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2. | 9 February 2005 | Juegos Mediterráneos, Almería Almería Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
5–0 | 5–0 | 2006 World Cup qualification |
Honours
| Team | Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
 ChelseaChelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
Premier League | 2005–06 |
| Chelsea |
Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... |
2005 2005 FA Community Shield The 2005 FA Community Shield was a football match held at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 7 August 2005. It contested by Arsenal, who were FA Cup winners in 2005, and Chelsea, who won the 2004–05 Premier League. Chelsea won the match 2–1.... |
Club statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Cup | Apps | Goals | Supercup | Apps | Goals | Continental | Apps | Goals | International | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 |  Athletic BilbaoAthletic Bilbao Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions... |
14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2001–02 | Athletic Bilbao |
10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2002–03 | Athletic Bilbao |
24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2003–04 | Athletic Bilbao |
31 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2004–05 | Athletic Bilbao |
29 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 2 | ||||||
| 2005–06 |  ChelseaChelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
25 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| 2006–07 | Valencia Valencia CF Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2007–08 | Athletic Bilbao |
16 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2008–09 | Valencia |
9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2009–10 | Valencia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2009–10 | Valladolid Real Valladolid Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived.... |
13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| | Total | 177 | 14 | | Total | 23 | 2 | | Total | 1 | 0 | | Total | 22 | 5 | | Total | 10 | 2 | |||