Alberto Cifuentes

Alberto Cifuentes Martínez (born 29 May 1979) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cifuentes and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Alberto Cifuentes
Personal information
Full name Alberto Cifuentes Martínez
Date of birth (1979-05-29) 29 May 1979
Place of birth Albacete, Spain
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Albacete
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Albacete B
1998 Albacete 2 (0)
1999–2000 Dos Hermanas 24 (0)
2000–2003 Mallorca B 83 (0)
2003–2005 Mallorca 0 (0)
2004 → Ciudad Murcia (loan) 18 (0)
2005–2007 Rayo Vallecano 70 (0)
2007–2009 Salamanca 55 (0)
2009–2013 Murcia 90 (0)
2013–2014 La Hoya Lorca 37 (0)
2014–2015 Piast Gliwice 15 (0)
2015–2020 Cádiz 201 (0)
Total 595 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Cifuentes started playing as a senior with local Albacete Balompié's reserves. On 15 November 1998, after starter Julio Iglesias was sent off early into a home game against CP Mérida, he made his debut in Segunda División with the first team, going on to concede twice in a 0–2 home loss.[1]

Cifuentes spent several years of his career in Segunda División B, representing in the second level, other than Albacete, Ciudad de Murcia, UD Salamanca, Real Murcia and Cádiz CF for a total of 293 appearances. In the 2004–05 season he was part of RCD Mallorca's La Liga roster, being only third-choice behind Miguel Ángel Moyá and Sander Westerveld.[2]

Cifuentes moved abroad for the first time in summer 2014 at the age of 35, joining a host of compatriots – including manager Ángel Pérez García – at Polish club Piast Gliwice. He made his debut in top-flight football on 20 July of that year, starting in a 0–4 Ekstraklasa defeat at Lech Poznań.[3]

In July 2015, Cifuentes returned to Spain after signing a contract with Cádiz CF.[4] He played 42 matches in his debut campaign, which ended in promotion from the third tier.[5]

Cifuentes rarely missed a game for the Andalusians the following seasons, notably winning the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the category in 2017–18.[6] He was again instrumental as they returned to the top flight in 2020 after 14 years, still under coach Álvaro Cervera.[7][8]

On 20 September 2020, aged 41, Cifuentes made his Spanish top-tier debut by starting in a 2–0 away win against SD Huesca, becoming the oldest player to do so in the process.[9] On 5 October, after 209 competitive games for Cádiz, he retired.[10]

References
  1. Líbero, Pedro (16 November 1998). "La expulsión del meta local, decisiva" [Ejection of local goalie, decisive]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  2. Anelo Moreno, Daniel (25 August 2016). "Alberto Cifuentes, frente a su pasado bermellón" [Alberto Cifuentes, against his bermellón past] (in Spanish). La Voz Digital. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  3. "Lech – Piast (4:0): Ubiparip kompletuje hat tricka" [Lech – Piast (4:0): Ubiparip completes hat-trick]. Przegląd Sportowy (in Polish). 20 July 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  4. "¿Quién es Alberto Cifuentes?" [Who is Alberto Cifuentes?] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. "Anuario VAVEL 2016: Cádiz CF, un año de plata" [2016 VAVEL yearbook: Cádiz CF, a silver year] (in Spanish). Vavel. 28 December 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  6. Jaques Nuche, Jesús (29 May 2019). "Alberto Cifuentes cumple 40 años" [Alberto Cifuentes turns 40]. Diario de Cádiz (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  7. López, Rubén (22 June 2020). "Los 200 partidos de Alberto Cifuentes en 5 momentos" [Alberto Cifuentes' 200 matches in 5 moments] (in Spanish). La Voz Digital. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  8. Corrigan, Dermot (13 July 2020). "Cadiz, the club and city where the rules are different, finally return to La Liga". The Athletic. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. Bejarano, Isabelo (20 September 2020). "Un debut histórico con sabor a victoria" [An historical debut with the taste of victory]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  10. "Cifuentes formará parte del organigrama de la entidad" [Cifuentes will be a part of the organisation's backroom staff] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
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