Gerardo García León

Gerardo

Gerardo as a Córdoba player
Personal information
Full name	Gerardo García León
Date of birth	(1974-12-07) 7 December 1974
Place of birth	Seville, Spain
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Right back
Youth career
	AD Loyola
	Osasuna
	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1995	Real Madrid B	55	(6)
1995–1996	Leganés	36	(4)
1996–1997	Lleida	28	(2)
1997–1998	Badajoz	38	(3)
1998–1999	Villarreal	45	(3)
2000–2001	Valencia	10	(0)
2000–2001	→ Osasuna (loan)	10	(2)
2001–2006	Málaga	156	(5)
2006–2009	Real Sociedad	96	(3)
2009–2011	Córdoba	45	(0)
2011–2013	Logroñés
International career
1991	Spain U16	6	(0)
1991	Spain U17	11	(1)
1991–1993	Spain U18	21	(7)
1992	Spain U19	6	(0)
1997	Spain U23	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Template:Spanish name Gerardo García León, simply known as Gerardo (born 7 December 1974), is a Spanish retired footballer. A defender of wide range, he operated on the right flank.

During his extensive professional career he played in ten different clubs, all in his country, after emerging through Real Madrid's youth system. He amassed La Liga totals of 240 games and nine goals mainly in representation of Málaga (five seasons), adding 279/19 in Segunda División.

Football career

Born in Seville, Andalusia, Gerardo was an unsuccessful Real Madrid graduate – he never appeared for the first team – and started playing professionally in Segunda División, with CD Leganés, UE Lleida and CD Badajoz. In 1998–99 he made his debuts in La Liga, playing 34 matches for Villarreal CF who was relegated at the season's end.

Having started 1999–2000 in the second level, Gerardo was purchased by Valencia CF in January 2000, appearing scarcely for the Che during the campaign but being a starter in the UEFA Champions League final loss to Real Madrid. He spent 2000–01 on loan to CA Osasuna, also in the top flight.

Gerardo had his most successfully period at Málaga CF, playing five seasons for a side that had four consecutive mid-table positions and also helping it win the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup. In 2005–06 the team finished last, with the player scoring twice (in two 1–2 defeats).

For 2006–07 Gerardo joined Real Sociedad, who would also be relegated at the end of the campaign. He maintained his first-choice status in his second and third years.

Gerardo moved to Córdoba CF initially for one season, in the last hours of the August 2009 transfer window. After only 12 second division games in his second season, the 36-year-old left after his contract was not re-renewed, and signed for SD Logroñés in Tercera División, retiring two years later.

Honours

Club

Valencia

• UEFA Champions League: Runner-up 1999–2000

Málaga

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002

Country

Spain U16

• UEFA European Under-16 Championship: 1991

Spain U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: Runner-up 1991

Personal

Gerardo's two older brothers, Edu García (born 1969) and Moisés (1971), were also professional footballers. The latter, a forward, played nearly 600 games as a professional (both major divisions combined), and retired in his 40's.

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile Template:Es icon
• Gerardo – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Soccerway profile