Pablo Álvarez Núñez
Encyclopedia
Pablo Álvarez Núñez is a Spanish
professional footballer who plays for Deportivo de La Coruña
in Segunda División
, as a right midfielder
.
's Sporting de Gijón
, making his first team debut on 19 May 2001, in a 1–2 home defeat against Real Betis
(in the second division
), and went on to appear in 161 league games. At Gijón, he earned the nickname Tibu (diminutive of Tiburón - shark
in Spanish) for his goal celebrations in which he pretended to have a shark's fin
in his head.
Álvarez also participated in the resurrection of the Selección Gallega (unofficial Galicia autonomous football team) in December 2005, playing their first game after 75 years, against Uruguay
. He signed for Deportivo de La Coruña
on a Bosman transfer
in August 2006.
On 3 February 2007, Álvarez played his first league match for Depor, against RCD Mallorca
, also his La Liga
debut. He would suffer a serious leg injury in the first season, and was eventually loaned to Racing de Santander
in January 2008, until the end of the topflight season.
After being relatively used in a Cantabria
side that achieved a first-ever UEFA Cup qualification (netting in a 2–0 win at CA Osasuna
, on 13 January 2008), Álvarez returned to Galicia and Deportivo. Scarcely used during 2008–09, he profitted from a rare start to score the game's only goal at Athletic Bilbao
, on 18 April 2009.
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 Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
in Segunda División
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:...
, as a right midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Football career
Álvarez started his professional career at AsturiasAsturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
's Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
, making his first team debut on 19 May 2001, in a 1–2 home defeat against Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
(in the second division
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:...
), and went on to appear in 161 league games. At Gijón, he earned the nickname Tibu (diminutive of Tiburón - shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
in Spanish) for his goal celebrations in which he pretended to have a shark's fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
in his head.
Álvarez also participated in the resurrection of the Selección Gallega (unofficial Galicia autonomous football team) in December 2005, playing their first game after 75 years, against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. He signed for Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
on a Bosman transfer
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
in August 2006.
On 3 February 2007, Álvarez played his first league match for Depor, against RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
, also his La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
debut. He would suffer a serious leg injury in the first season, and was eventually loaned to Racing de Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
in January 2008, until the end of the topflight season.
After being relatively used in a Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
side that achieved a first-ever UEFA Cup qualification (netting in a 2–0 win at CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
, on 13 January 2008), Álvarez returned to Galicia and Deportivo. Scarcely used during 2008–09, he profitted from a rare start to score the game's only goal 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...
, on 18 April 2009.