Santi Denia

Santiago Denia Sánchez (born 9 March 1974), commonly known as Santi, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender, and is a manager.

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

Santi
Santi as Spain U19 manager
Personal information
Full name Santiago Denia Sánchez
Date of birth (1974-03-09) 9 March 1974
Place of birth Albacete, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 Spain U19 (coach)
Youth career
Albacete
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1995 Albacete 98 (2)
1995–2004 Atlético Madrid 225 (7)
2005–2007 Albacete 38 (1)
Total 361 (10)
National team
1991 Spain U18 1 (0)
1992–1996 Spain U21 27 (0)
1996 Spain U23 3 (1)
1997–1998 Spain 2 (0)
Teams managed
2009 Atlético Madrid (assistant)
2009 Atlético Madrid (caretaker)
2010–2018 Spain U16
2011–2018 Spain U17
2018– Spain U19
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He appeared in 297 La Liga matches over 11 seasons (two goals scored), with Albacete and Atlético Madrid. He won the 1996 league championship with the latter club.

Club career

Born in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Santi began playing professionally with hometown's Albacete Balompié. He made his La Liga debut at age 18, and automatically became an undisputed starter in a side that constantly managed to retain their top flight status.

In the summer of 1995, Santi signed with Atlético Madrid, being crowned league and Copa del Rey champion in his first season as part of a defensive line which also included club youth graduates Juan Manuel López and Roberto Solozábal. He appeared in 37 league matches during the campaign.[1][2]

Following Atlético's 2000 relegation (he collected a career-worst 17 yellow cards), Santi gradually lost his importance in the team's plans. In 2004–05, after the signing of Pablo Ibáñez – who also came from Albacete – he featured in no games at all during the first half of the season, and was subsequently allowed to leave on loan in January 2005 for his first club.[3] The move was made permanent in June and he retired after two more years, with Albacete now in the second division.[4]

Santi eventually returned to Atlético Madrid in early February 2009, as assistant to newly appointed Abel Resino[5] who had replaced Javier Aguirre. He was a caretaker manager for the game against RCD Mallorca on 24 October, before the appointment of Quique Sánchez Flores.[6]

International career

Santi was capped twice for Spain, his debut coming on 11 October 1997 in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands (3–1 in Gijón, playing the entire match).[7] He still featured in a friendly win over Sweden in March 1998, but did not make the final cut for the final stages in France.

Previously, Santi appeared for the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[8]

Honours

Club

Atlético Madrid

International

Spain U21

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References
  1. “López me decía: 'disfrútalo'” (“López used to say: 'enjoy'”); Mundo Deportivo, 23 May 2006 (in Spanish)
  2. Una pareja de centrales crecida (Growing stopper duo); El País, 30 November 2012 (in Spanish)
  3. Atlético farewell to Santi; UEFA, 13 January 2005
  4. Hasta siempre capitán (Farewell captain); La Verdad, 17 June 2007 (in Spanish)
  5. Santi será el segundo de Abel y Peiró el preparador físico (Santi will be Abel's assistant and Peiró the physio); Mundo Deportivo, 3 February 2009 (in Spanish)
  6. El 'sueño' de Santi Denia (Santi Denia's 'dream'); El Mundo, 23 October 2009 (in Spanish)
  7. Luis Enrique ¡aclamado! (Luis Enrique cheered!); Mundo Deportivo, 12 October 1997 (in Spanish)
  8. Santi – FIFA competition record
  9. Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996 (Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996) Archived 13 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine; Orgullo Bianconero, 18 June 2013 (in Spanish)
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