Manuel Zúñiga

Manuel Zúñiga Fernández (born 29 June 1960) is a Spanish retired football right midfielder and manager.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Zúñiga and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Manuel Zúñiga
Personal information
Full name Manuel Zúñiga Fernández
Date of birth (1960-06-29) 29 June 1960
Place of birth Luciana, Spain
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Calvo Sotelo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1979 Calvo Sotelo 74 (14)
1979–1988 Español 259 (19)
1981 → Cádiz (loan) 10 (3)
1988–1991 Sevilla 64 (1)
1991–1993 Sabadell 24 (1)
1993–1996 Écija 84 (0)
Total 515 (38)
International career
1977–1978 Spain U18 10 (0)
1979 Spain U19 3 (0)
1979 Spain U20 3 (1)
1979–1987 Spain U21 6 (0)
1980 Spain amateur 1 (0)
1980–1988 Spain U23 4 (2)
Managerial career
2010–2011 Écija
2011–2012 Puertollano
2012–2013 San Roque
2013–2014 Caudal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed La Liga totals of 323 games and 20 goals over 12 seasons, mainly with Espanyol (nine years) but also Sevilla. He subsequently worked as a coach in the lower leagues.

Club career

Zúñiga was born in Luciana, Ciudad Real. After starting professionally with lowly CD Calvo Sotelo in the Segunda División B, he signed for RCD Español in 1979, being immediately cast in the team's rotation at the age of 19.[1]

After only three appearances in his second season, which also included a loan to Cádiz CF to perform his military service,[1] Zúñiga went on to average more than 30 La Liga matches per campaign, including 43 – with two goals – in 1986–87 as the Catalans qualified for the UEFA Cup. He helped them to reach the final in the subsequent continental competition, but missed his penalty in the shootout in an eventual loss against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.[2]

In the following three years, Zúñiga played with fellow top-flight club Sevilla FC, where he still was regularly used. After 1991–92, spent with CE Sabadell FC in the Segunda División, he moved to Écija Balompié, helping it to promote to division two in 1995 and partnering Real Betis and Real Madrid legend Rafael Gordillo in 1995–96, retiring aged 36.[3][1]

Subsequently, Zúñiga worked as a manager, never in higher than the third tier.[4]

International career

A longtime Spain under-21 international, Zúñiga never earned a cap for the full side.[2] He did represent the nation at the 1980 Summer Olympics.[5][6]

References
  1. Un ídolo de Sarriá que reluce en San Pablo (Sarriá idol shining again in San Pablo); Diario de Sevilla, 7 December 2010 (in Spanish)
  2. Manuel ZUÑIGA; Hall of Fame Perico, 17 April 2009 (in Spanish)
  3. El Rico Pérez esperaba al Écija Balompié (The Rico Pérez waited for Écija Balompié); Écija BPE Info, 25 May 2020 (in Spanish)
  4. Manuel Zúñiga: "De entrenador se sufre mucho, de futbolista eres un privilegiado" (Manuel Zúñiga: "You suffer a lot as a coach, one is blessed as a footballer"); La Tribuna de Ciudad Real, 22 February 2014 (in Spanish)
  5. El fútbol, una vergüenza olímpica (Football, olympic shame); El País, 26 July 1980 (in Spanish)
  6. El fútbol también es así (Football is also like this); La Nueva España, 28 April 2008 (in Spanish)
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