Miguel García (Spanish footballer)

Miguel Ángel García Tébar (born 26 September 1979), known as Miguel García, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is García and the second or maternal family name is Tébar.

Miguel García
García in training with Las Palmas
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ángel García Tébar
Date of birth (1979-09-26) 26 September 1979
Place of birth Albacete, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Albacete
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2001 Albacete B
1999–2002 Albacete 15 (0)
2000–2001 → Deportivo B (loan) 27 (2)
2002–2004 Zaragoza B 52 (6)
2004–2005 Ponferradina 35 (4)
2005–2006 Castellón 32 (0)
2006–2008 Cádiz 45 (5)
2008–2010 Las Palmas 63 (1)
2010 Salamanca 8 (1)
National team
1995–1996 Spain U16 2 (0)
1998 Spain U18 1 (0)
1998 Spain U20 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Ten years of his professional career – cut short at 31 due to heart problems – were spent in Segunda División, where he collected 163 appearances for five teams.

Club career

Born in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, García made his professional debuts with hometown's Albacete Balompié, but could only amass 15 first-team appearances in four seasons, which also included a short spell with Deportivo de La Coruña's reserves in the third division, on loan.

Subsequently, García played a further three years in the third level, with Real Zaragoza B and SD Ponferradina. In 2005, aged 26, he signed with CD Castellón in division two, spending a further two seasons with another team in that tier, Cádiz CF, signing with the Andalusia club as it had just been relegated from La Liga – in 2008, with the player only appearing in 18 league games (out of 42), it would drop down another division.

After two years with UD Las Palmas, still in the second level, 31-year-old García signed for UD Salamanca also in that division. On 24 October 2010, during a home game against Real Betis (0–3 home loss), he suffered a cardiac arrest in the 57th minute and collapsed. He was attended by doctors of both teams, who revived him with cardiac massage and the use of a defibrillator; he left the stadium in a stable condition, subsequently undergoing tests at the Salamanca University Hospital.[1]

After the event, in which his heart reportedly stopped beating for "about 25 seconds",[2] García's club praised the "rapid and efficient intervention" of doctors from both Salamanca and Betis, credited with saving the player's life.[3] Shortly before he left the hospital facilities, it was announced by the medical staff he would have to retire from football with immediate effect.[4]

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References
  1. "Salamanca midfielder Miguel Garcia has cardiac arrest during match with Betis". 101 Great Goals. 24 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  2. "Miguel García abandonará la UCI en las próximas horas" [Miguel García to leave ICU in next hours]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  3. "El jugador Miguel García se recupera tras sufrir un infarto" [Footballer Miguel García is recovering after suffering a heart attack]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 24 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  4. "Los cardiólogos anuncian a Miguel García que no podrá volver a jugar" [Cardiologists tell Miguel García he will not be able to play again]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
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