Santiago Ezquerro

Santi Ezquerro

Ezquerro playing for Barcelona
Personal information
Full name	Santiago Ezquerro Marín
Date of birth	December 14, 1976 (1976-12-14)
Place of birth	Calahorra, Spain
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1992–1993	Calahorra
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1995	Osasuna B
1994–1996	Osasuna	38	(8)
1996–1997	Atlético B	34	(11)
1996–1997	Atlético Madrid	8	(0)
1998	Mallorca	14	(6)
1998–2005	Athletic Bilbao	222	(45)
2005–2008	Barcelona	24	(3)
2008–2009	Osasuna	10	(1)
National team
1996	Spain U21	1	(0)
1998	Spain	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

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

Santiago 'Santi' Ezquerro Marín (born 14 December 1976) is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a forward.

Having made a name for himself at Athletic Bilbao, appearing in nearly 300 official games for the club in seven years, he subsequently earned himself a transfer to FC Barcelona, but languished on the bench for three seasons.

Over 13 seasons in La Liga, Ezquerro amassed totals of 278 games and 55 goals.

Club career

Osasuna / Atlético

Born in Calahorra, La Rioja, Ezquerro emerged through the youth ranks of CA Osasuna, playing two second division seasons with the Navarrese before signing with Atlético Madrid in 1996–97.

He made his top flight debut on 21 September 1996, in a 3–0 away success against CD Logroñés, but would be mainly registered with the club's B side.

Athletic

Lack of playing opportunities with the Colchoneros prompted a January 1998 move to RCD Mallorca, which he helped achieve Spanish Cup runner-up accolades in his six-month stint. Subsequently, Ezquerro joined Athletic de Bilbao in 1998, with which he appeared in his first UEFA Champions League contests, while establishing as one of the most promising forwards in Spain's top flight, notably scoring in a 3–0 derby home win over Real Sociedad, on 9 April 2005.

His stellar form in 2004–05 – 47 official matches, 19 goals, including a hat-trick against Standard Liège for the season's UEFA Cup group stage (7–1 away win) – led to Ezquerro signing for FC Barcelona in a period of 3+1 years, on a free transfer.

Barcelona

Ezquerro was never able to establish himself in Barcelona's first team, his progress at the club being further hindered after the emergence of youth graduate Lionel Messi. His best league output consisted of 12 games in his first year (two goals, three starts, in 469 minutes of play).

In 2007–08, Ezquerro was not given the free transfer by the Catalan club and, not being signed by any team in the summer on in the January transfer window, was virtually absent for the season's duration, although he did score twice in a January Spanish Cup round-of-32 contest against lowly CD Alcoyano, in a 2–2 second leg home draw (5–2 aggregate).

Osasuna return / Retirement

In July 2008, Ezquerro was released by Barça and, late in the month, rejoined Osasuna, in a 2+1-years deal. During his first season after his return, he struggled with injuries, and also failed to fit newly-appointed coach José Antonio Camacho's plans, and did not make the list of 18 in any of Osasuna's final matches.

After just one year Ezquerro was released - earning €1.4 million - and retired at 33, after not being able to find a new club in the following months.

International career

During his debut season for Athletic, Ezquerro gained his sole cap for Spain, in an infamous UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier against Cyprus, which ended with a 2–3 away loss and the sacking of coach Javier Clemente, on 5 September 1998.

Honours

• Barcelona:
  • UEFA Champions League: 2005–06
  • Spanish League: 2005–06
  • Spanish Supercup: 2005, 2006
  • Catalonia Cup: 2007
  • UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 2006
  • FIFA Club World Cup: Runner-up 2006

External links

• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Athletic Bilbao profile
• FootballDatabase profile and stats