![]() Monreal warming up with Arsenal in 2015 | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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Full name | Ignacio Monreal Eraso [1] | |||||||||||||
Date of birth | [2] | 26 February 1986|||||||||||||
Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain | |||||||||||||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) [3] | |||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||
Pamplona | ||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
2005–2006 | Osasuna B | 36 | (3) | |||||||||||
2006–2011 | Osasuna | 127 | (3) | |||||||||||
2011–2013 | Málaga | 45 | (1) | |||||||||||
2013–2019 | Arsenal | 187 | (7) | |||||||||||
2019–2022 | Real Sociedad | 55 | (3) | |||||||||||
Total | 450 | (17) | ||||||||||||
International career | ||||||||||||||
2004–2005 | Spain U19 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||
2007–2009 | Spain U21 | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||
2009–2018 | Spain | 22 | (1) | |||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Ignacio "Nacho" Monreal Eraso (Spanish pronunciation: [iɣˈnaθjomonreˈaleˈɾaso] or pronounced [ˈnatʃomonreˈal] ; born 26 February 1986) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back or centre-back.
He started playing with Osasuna in 2005, going on to appear in 144 official games over the course of five La Liga seasons. [4] In 2011 he signed with Málaga and, two years later, joined Arsenal, winning three FA Cup trophies with the latter club while taking part in 251 matches in all competitions. [5] He ended his career in 2022 with Real Sociedad, winning the 2019–20 Copa del Rey.
A full international from 2009 to 2018, Monreal represented Spain at the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup.
Born in Pamplona, Monreal was a product of CA Osasuna's youth system and made his official debut for his hometown club in an away game against Valencia CF on 22 October 2006, a 1–0 La Liga loss. [6] He finished his first season with ten league appearances, adding two in that campaign's UEFA Champions League; after the Navarrese's relegation to the UEFA Cup, he appeared in four matches as the team reached the last four, being eliminated by fellow Spaniards Sevilla FC. [7]
Monreal became first-choice in 2007–08, retaining that status in the subsequent seasons, with another youth product, César Azpilicueta, being the undisputed starter in the other defensive wing. [8]
On 10 June 2011, Monreal signed a five-year contract with Málaga CF on a €6 million transfer fee. [9] In his first season he initially battled for first-choice status with Eliseu, but ended up only missing seven games as the club finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time. [10]
Monreal scored his only goal for the Andalusians on 27 January 2013, in a 3–2 away win over RCD Mallorca. [11]
On 31 January 2013, Monreal joined English side Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee, believed by Sky Sports to be around £8.5 million. [12] [13] He was given the number 17 shirt, [14] and made his Premier League debut against Stoke City two days later in a 1–0 home win. [15] [16]
On 23 February 2013, Monreal provided the assist for countryman Santi Cazorla to score the winner in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa. [17] He scored his first goal for the Gunners on 16 March, opening a 2–0 win at Swansea City. [18]
Monreal returned from injury [19] on 21 August 2013 to feature in Arsenal's 3–0 win at Fenerbahçe SK in the Champions League group stage play-off, playing the last three minutes in the place of Theo Walcott. [20] On 26 September, he scored the deciding penalty in a shootout against West Bromwich Albion to send his team into the fourth round of the League Cup. [21]
Upon the arrival of Alexis Sánchez in the 2014 off-season, Monreal took the vacant number 18 previously worn by Sébastien Squillaci. On 23 August, he assisted Olivier Giroud's late equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Everton. [22] Additionally, an injury crisis in the squad saw him being deployed in an unfamiliar central defender role in a string of games, after Laurent Koscielny was put out of action due to an Achilles tendon injury. [23]
On 9 March 2015, Monreal scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford that put Arsenal through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. [24] He played the full 90 minutes in the decisive match, a 4–0 defeat of Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium. [25]
On 19 January 2016, Monreal signed a new long-term contract. [26] On 23 April 2017, he scored the vital equaliser as his team came from behind to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. [27]
On 6 November 2017, after good performances on the left side of a three-man defence, [28] Monreal won the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Month award for October of that year. [29] The following 20 January, he netted once and made two assists before retiring injured 30 minutes into an eventual 4–1 home win against Crystal Palace. [30]
Monreal returned to Spain on 31 August 2019, with the 33-year-old joining Real Sociedad on a two-year contract. [31] He scored on his competitive debut two weeks later, converting an easy tap-in at the hour mark of an eventual 2–0 victory over Atlético Madrid at Anoeta Stadium. [32]
Monreal missed the entire 2021–22 season, due to a knee injury. [33] On 23 May 2022, the club announced his departure. [34]
On 16 August 2022, Monreal announced his retirement at 36. [35]
In 2007, Monreal earned his first call for the Spain under-21 team. He started all their matches in the 2009 UEFA European Championship, in an eventual group-stage exit. [36]
On 6 August 2009, Monreal was called up to the senior side for the first time, for an exhibition game with Macedonia. [37] He played the last 15 minutes for Joan Capdevila in a 3–2 away win; [38] on 7 September 2010, in the nation's second game after they won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, he featured the entire 4–1 friendly loss to Argentina. [39]
Monreal was a member of Spain's squad which reached the final of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, although he was second-choice left-back behind FC Barcelona's Jordi Alba. He started in the last two group games, beginning with a 10–0 thrashing of Tahiti at the Maracanã where he set up a David Villa goal. [40]
Monreal scored his first goal for Spain on 12 November 2016, contributing to a 4–0 defeat of Macedonia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Granada. [41] He was then selected by manager Julen Lopetegui for the finals in Russia. [42]
Upon signing with Arsenal in 2013, the club's manager Arsène Wenger described Monreal as "a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air." [43] Although he usually played as a defensive–minded left-back in a four-man back-line, he was also capable of playing as a centre-back or even as a left-sided defender in a back three. [44] [45]
Club | Season | League | National Cup [a] | League Cup [b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Osasuna B | 2004–05 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
2005–06 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 3 | |||||
Total | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | ||||
Osasuna | 2006–07 | La Liga | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 [c] | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
2007–08 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | |||||
2008–09 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||||
2009–10 | 31 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 1 | |||||
2010–11 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 1 | |||||
Total | 127 | 3 | 11 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 144 | 3 | ||||
Málaga | 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 0 | |||
2012–13 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 4 [c] | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
Total | 45 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 54 | 1 | ||||
Arsenal | 2012–13 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
2013–14 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 [c] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |||
2014–15 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 [c] | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
2015–16 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 [c] | 0 | 1 [d] | 0 | 45 | 0 | ||
2016–17 | 36 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 [c] | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | |||
2017–18 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 [e] | 1 | 1 [d] | 0 | 38 | 6 | ||
2018–19 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 [e] | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | |||
2019–20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
Total | 187 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 251 | 10 | ||
Real Sociedad | 2019–20 | La Liga | 29 | 2 | 5 [f] | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
2020–21 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 [e] | 1 | 1 [g] | 0 | 35 | 2 | |||
2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
Total | 55 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 4 | |||
Career total | 450 | 17 | 35 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 59 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 554 | 21 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Spain [48] | 2009 | 2 | 0 |
2010 | 2 | 0 | |
2011 | 1 | 0 | |
2012 | 4 | 0 | |
2013 | 7 | 0 | |
2014 | 0 | 0 | |
2015 | 0 | 0 | |
2016 | 2 | 1 | |
2017 | 3 | 0 | |
2018 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 22 | 1 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 12 November 2016 | Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain | ![]() | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
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