Santi Cazorla
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Cazorla with Arsenal in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Santiago Cazorla González | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 December 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Llanera, Asturias, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Oviedo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Covadonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2003 | Oviedo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Villarreal B | 40 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Villarreal | 54 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Recreativo | 34 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Villarreal | 127 | (23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Málaga | 38 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2018 | Arsenal | 129 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Villarreal | 70 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | Al Sadd | 55 | (23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Oviedo | 58 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Spain U21 | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2020 | Spain | 81 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 August 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2019 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Santiago Cazorla González (Spanish pronunciation: [sanˈtjaɣo ˈsanti kaˈθoɾla ɣonˈθaleθ];[A] born 13 December 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Real Oviedo. A former Spanish international, Cazorla operates primarily as an attacking midfielder, but also plays as a winger, central midfielder or as a deep-lying playmaker.
Cazorla began his professional career at Villarreal in 2003 after impressing as a youngster with Oviedo, his hometown club, where he was forced to leave due to Oviedo's poor financial situation. He continued his development at Villarreal before a short spell at partner club, Recreativo de Huelva. He was Recreativo Huelva's standout player in the 2006–07 La Liga season, contributing to their top-ten finish and being awarded Spain's Footballer of the Year. He returned to Villarreal for €1.2 million the following season, becoming a key contributor to the side, regularly being named in the La Liga Team of the Season. In 2011, Cazorla moved to Málaga in a club-record €21 million deal, where he gained a reputation for his speed, shooting accuracy, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay, and excellent close control.[2][3]
After the 2011–12 season, coupled with Málaga's perilous financial situation, Cazorla moved to Premier League side Arsenal for a fee of £10 million, where he became a core component to the team in his first year at the club, registering thirteen assists, after which he was voted Arsenal Player of the Season, as well as becoming ranked one of the best footballers in Europe.[4] Cazorla was integral in ending the club's nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial free-kick en route to winning the FA Cup final in 2014. Injuries plagued his latter years with Arsenal. In 2018, Cazorla returned to Villarreal; in his two seasons, he recorded his highest appearance, league goals and assist count since 2015. In 2020, he signed for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Having been strongly linked to Oviedo, as both a lifelong fan, and having bought a significant stake in the club to save it from bankruptcy in 2012, he returned in 2023 on the lowest financial contract possible as to help the club. He played a significant role in the club's return to the La Liga after 24 years in 2025.
Cazorla made his senior debut for Spain in a victory against Peru in May 2008,[5] and was a semi-regular participant in the nation's triumphs at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, as well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Chile, and went on to amass 81 appearances and 15 goals for the national side.
- ^ "Santi Cazorla: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ La chispa de 'Paquirrín' (The pizazz of 'Paquirrín') Archived 22 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine; El País (in Spanish)
- ^ "Santi Cazorla". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
- ^ "Messi and Ronaldo joined by Ribery in top three of new list of Europe's top 50 stars". Sky Sports. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ euro2008.UEFA.com. "Match report: Spain 2–1 Peru". Archived from the original on 28 February 2009.
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