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Albert Riera (footballer, born 1983)

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This article is about the Spanish footballer noted for playing professional football in New Zealand. For the former Spanish international footballer, see Albert Riera.

Albert Riera
Personal information
Full name Albert Riera Vidal[1]
Date of birth (1983-12-28) 28 December 1983 (age 40)[1]
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Auckland City (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Binéfar
2007–2008 Atlético Monzón
2008–2009 Balaguer
2009–2010 Benavent
2010 Mollerussa
2011–2013 Auckland City 35 (1)
2013–2016 Wellington Phoenix 68 (0)
2016–2021 Auckland City 56 (0)
Total 159 (1)
Managerial career
2021 West Coast Rangers (assistant)
2021 West Coast Rangers
2021– Auckland City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 May 2021
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Riera and the second or maternal family name is Vidal.

Albert Riera Vidal (born 28 December 1983) is a Spanish former professional footballer who is currently the manager of New Zealand Northern League club Auckland City. Riera spent the majority of his playing career in New Zealand, mainly appearing as a defensive midfielder for Auckland City in the New Zealand Football Championship and for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League.

Playing career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Riera played with local teams, at the beginning in Aragon (CD Binéfar and Atlético Monzón), and later in Catalonia (CF Balaguer, FC Benavent and CFJ Mollerussa).[2][3][4]

Auckland City

Riera debuted with Auckland City on 21 February 2011, coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute of a match against AS Magenta in the 2010–11 OFC Champions League.[5] Riera and Auckland City went on to win the Champions League, with Riera coming on as a substitute in two games (against Magenta[5] and against Waitakere United[6]) and starting in two (against Tefana[7] and against Amicale[8]). In the 2010–11 New Zealand Football Championship Riera played in a total of five games, as well as the four games in the OFC Champions League.

In the 2011–12 season Riera played in 24 matches with Auckland City. Domestically, he played in 14 matches in the New Zealand Football Championship, in which Auckland City won the premiership, and in the ASB Charity Cup match against Waitakere United. Riera also played in all 8 matches of the OFC Champions League, in which he won the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament,[9] and played together with Auckland City in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they were eliminated in the first round, after losing to Kashiwa Reysol.[10]

In the 2012–13 season Riera played in 26 matches with Auckland City. Domestically, he played in 16 matches in the New Zealand Football Championship, in which Auckland City took 2nd place, and in the ASB Charity Cup match against Waitakere United. Riera scored his first goal in the opening round of the domestic league against Canterbury United.[11] Riera also played in 8 matches of the OFC Champions League, helping Auckland City win their fifth title of the competition, and their third consecutive title.[12] Once again he played for Auckland City in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they were eliminated in the first round, after losing to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.[13]

Wellington Phoenix

Riera was signed by Wellington Phoenix of the A-League on 7 October 2013, after they had played a pre-season friendly against Auckland City.[14] He debuted for Wellington Phoenix in the opening match of the 2013–14 season against Brisbane Roar, coming on as a substitute in the 55th minute.[15] Halfway through the season, he signed a year-long extension to his contract with Wellington Phoenix.[16] Riera was named the Phoenix's player of the year for the 2013–14 season.[17]

Riera announced his retirement from the Phoenix on 21 May 2016.[18]

Return to Auckland City

Riera's retirement was short lived, as he signed for his former club Auckland City for the 2016–17 New Zealand Football Championship season.[19]

Coaching career

He left Auckland City at the end of the 2020–21 season to take up a role as assistant manager of West Coast Rangers, newly formed to compete in the Northern League, along with former Auckland City teammate Ángel Berlanga. On 4 May 2021, after a poor start to the 2021 Northern League season, manager Chris Acott stepped down and was replaced by Riera; however, West Coast Rangers could not avoid relegation to NRFL Division 1.[20]

On 1 December 2021, it was announced that Riera would return to Auckland City as their new manager for the 2022 Northern League season.[21]

Personal life

In October 2018, Riera became a New Zealand citizen.[22]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 11 December 2023
Team Nation From To Record
G W D L F A GD Win %
Auckland City  New Zealand 1 December 2021 Present 87 72 7 8 247 73 +174 83.72
Total 87 72 7 8 247 73 +174 83.72

Honours

Player

Auckland City

Individual

Manager

Auckland City

References

  1. ^ a b c "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 presented by Toyota: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 December 2011. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012.
  2. ^ "La historia de Albert Riera, ¡de Mollerussa a Nueva Zelanda!" [The history of Albert Riera, from Mollerussa to New Zealand!] (in Spanish). Fainders New Zealand. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Inicio de la A-League australiana con los futbolistas españoles" [Start of the Australian A-League with the Spanish footballers] (in Spanish). Futbolistas Emigrantes. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. ^ "El videoarbitratge s'estrenarà al Mundial de Clubs" [Video refereeing will debut in the Club World Cup] (in Catalan). Ara. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  5. ^ a b AS Magenta vs Auckland City FC – Match Summary Archived 24 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Auckland City FC vs Waitakere United – Match Summary Archived 24 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Auckland City FC vs AS Tefana – Match Summary Archived 4 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Auckand City FC vs Amicale FC – Match Summary Archived 10 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Auckland book FIFA Club World Cup spot". Oceania Football Confederation. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012.
  10. ^ "Kashiwa Reysol 2–0 Auckland City". Fox Sports. 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015.
  11. ^ Pearce, Bob (3 November 2012). "Auckland sweep aside stuttering Dragons". ASB Premiership.
  12. ^ Ruane, Jeremy; Lee, Jess (22 May 2013). "City win cup trip". Stuff.co.nz.
  13. ^ "FIFA Club World Cup: Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 Auckland City 0". Football Federation Australia. 7 December 2012. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Phoenix Sign Spanish Midfielder". Football Federation Australia. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  15. ^ Richardson, Daniel (13 October 2013). "Roar stun Phoenix with late winner". The New Zealand Herald.
  16. ^ Strachan, Iain (15 January 2014). "Phoenix re-sign Riera, Boxall". Football Federation Australia. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014.
  17. ^ Worthington, Sam (16 April 2014). "Albert Riera Phoenix's player of the year". Fairfax NZ News. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  18. ^ "Riera To Retire From Phoenix". Wellington Phoenix. 21 May 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  19. ^ Burgess, Michael (21 September 2016). "Football: Albert Riera to make New Zealand football return". The New Zealand Herald.
  20. ^ "Welcome to #WCR Albert Riera".
  21. ^ "Auckland City Football signs club legend as new head coach". NZ Sports Wire. 1 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Riera confirms New Zealand citizenship". Auckland City FC. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
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