Ismael Santiago

Ismael Santiago López López (born 27 February 1978), known simply as Ismael, is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder.

Ismael
Personal information
Full name Ismael Santiago López López
Date of birth (1978-02-27) 27 February 1978
Place of birth Jaén, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1985–1993 Granada 74
1993–1996 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Barcelona C 14 (2)
1996–1998 Barcelona B 28 (2)
1998–1999 Alavés 2 (0)
1999 → Logroñés (loan) 21 (1)
1999–2000 Granada 34 (14)
2000–2001 Extremadura 38 (5)
2001–2003 Murcia 69 (12)
2003–2005 Betis 36 (1)
2005 → Elche (loan) 21 (0)
2005–2007 Xerez 54 (3)
2007–2008 Hércules 32 (6)
2008–2009 Alicante 36 (1)
2010 Sporting Mahonés 11 (1)
2010–2011 Pierikos 28 (0)
Total 424 (48)
National team
1996 Spain U18 6 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During ten seasons, he amassed Segunda División totals of 276 matches and 28 goals in representation of eight clubs, mainly Murcia and Xerez (two years apiece).

Club career

Born in Jaén, Andalusia, Ismael started playing for FC Barcelona's B-team, representing the side in the second and third divisions. He moved to Deportivo Alavés in 1998, making his La Liga debut on 25 October 1998 in a 0–1 home loss against CF Extremadura,[1] but he was not very successful there, finishing the season with CD Logroñés also in the second level.

Ismael's career blossomed at Real Murcia, and he was instrumental in the side's top flight promotion in his second season after scoring 11 goals. This prompted the interest of Real Betis,[2] where he was an important attacking element in 2003–04, being however rarely used in the following campaign as the latter won the Copa del Rey and achieved qualification honours to the UEFA Champions League after finishing fourth.

Subsequently, Ismael returned to division two, having stints with Elche CF, Xerez CD, Hércules CF[3] and Alicante CF.[4] From January–June 2010 he played in the third tier with CF Sporting Mahonés[5] and, at 32, moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing with Pierikos F.C. of the Greek second division.[6]

Honours

Murcia

Betis

References
  1. "Coloso Gaspercic" [Behemoth Gaspercic]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 October 1998. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  2. "Se presenta a Ismael López, primer fichaje de la temporada" [Presentation of Ismael López, first signing of the season]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 24 July 2003. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  3. "Hércules: Ismael López (Xerez), nuevo refuerzo" [Hércules: Ismael López (Xerez), new addition.] (in Spanish). esFutbol. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  4. "Ismael López ficha por el Alicante" [Ismael López signs for Alicante] (in Spanish). Granada en Juego. 2008. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  5. "Ismael S. López López se convierte en nuevo jugador del Sp. Mahonés" [Ismael S. López López becomes new player of Sp. Mahonés] (in Spanish). Fútbol Balear. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  6. "Ismael López conduce al Pierikos hacia la zona de salvación de la Segunda griega" [Ismael López leads Pierikos towards safe zone of the Greek second tier]. Ideal (in Spanish). 1 March 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
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