José Ángel Valdés

José Ángel

Personal information
Full name	José Ángel Valdés Díaz
Date of birth	5 September 1989 (1989-09-05)
Place of birth	Gijón, Spain
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Roma
Number	3
Youth career
1994–1996	Roces
1996–1997	La Braña
1997–2008	Sporting Gijón
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2008–2009	Sporting B	22	(0)
2009–2011	Sporting Gijón	52	(1)
2011–	Roma	12	(0)
National team‡
2009	Spain U20	10	(0)
2009–2011	Spain U21	4	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 June 2011

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Valdés and the second or maternal family name is Díaz.

José Ángel Valdés Díaz (born 5 September 1989 in Gijón, Asturias), known as José Ángel or Cote, is a Spanish footballer who plays for A.S. Roma in Italy, as a left defender.

Club career

Sporting

A product of hometown Sporting de Gijón's prolific youth system, Mareo, Cote made his first team (and La Liga) debut on 8 February 2009, in a 1–3 away loss against FC Barcelona. He went on to still feature regularly for the duration of the season as the Asturians narrowly avoided a drop, adding a goal in a 3–2 home success against Deportivo de La Coruña.

In the 2009–10 campaign, José Ángel appeared in another 13 matches for the first team, as it retained once again its top division status (15th position). In the following seasons, he continued battling for position with another club youth graduate, Roberto Canella, with both players appearing in roughly the same number of matches.

AS Roma

On 19 July 2011, Serie A side A.S. Roma reached an agreement with Sporting Gijón for the transfer of Ángel, joining compatriot Luis Enrique who had just been appointed team manager.

International career

José Ángel gained four caps for the Spanish under-21 team, his debut coming in 2009. He was selected by manager Luis Milla to the squad that appeared - and won - the 2011 UEFA European Football Championship in Denmark, being an unused squad member as RCD Espanyol's Dídac Vilà played all the matches and minutes.

Honours

Country

Spain U20

• Mediterranean Games: 2009

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship: 2011

Individual

• Fútbol Draft Awards: Best Spanish U-21 left-back, 2009–10

External links

• Sporting Gijón profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• José Ángel Valdés – FIFA competition record
• Transfermarkt profile