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Alfonso Pérez Muñoz (born 26 September 1972), known simply as Alfonso, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.
Having represented both Real Madrid and Barcelona during his career, Alfonso possessed above-average heading ability despite not reaching 180 cm. He appeared in 307 La Liga games for three teams (also had two spells with Real Betis), scoring 84 goals.
The recipient of nearly 40 caps for Spain, Alfonso appeared for the nation in one World Cup and two European Championships.
Club career
Alfonso was born in Getafe, in the outskirts of Madrid. In 1990, aged just 18, he made his professional debuts with Real Madrid and, although he never carved a regular place in the starting XI (playing mostly as understudy to club great Emilio Butragueño and then Iván Zamorano), helped the capital side to the 1995 national championship.
In that summer, Alfonso signed with Real Betis: in his second season at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, he scored 25 La Liga goals which was the most goals ever scored by a player in a season in the club's history. Teaming up with Pier, the pair combined for 60 first division goals from 1995 to 1997, and helped the Andalusia club finish fourth in the latter.
FC Barcelona signed Alfonso for the 2000–01 campaign, and the player had a difficult time adjusting at Camp Nou, netting only twice in his first year and serving an unsuccessful loan spell at French League's Olympique de Marseille in January 2002 – alongside Real Madrid's Alberto Rivera – where he once again failed to shine.
Barça then loaned Alfonso to former club Betis, which signed him permanently at the end of the season. After another two seasons where he struggled with injuries and loss of form (ten scoreless games in 2004–05), he retired from football when his contract expired in June 2005, having scored more than 100 official goals during his career; he subsequently returned to Real Madrid, joining its veterans' team.
International career
Alfonso appeared in 38 games for Spain, making his debut in a friendly match against England on 9 September 1992, in Santander. The most important of his 11 goals was scored against Yugoslavia in UEFA Euro 2000: the team was losing 3–2 in injury time, needing a win to qualify from the group at Norway's expense. In the 90th minute, a penalty was won and converted by Gaizka Mendieta, and with seconds remaining Alfonso volleyed a spectacular shot past Ivica Kralj for his second of the game and the win.
Alfonso also appeared in all of the matches at Euro 1996, including against Bulgaria in which he netted the equalizer after just one minute on the pitch. Additionally, he played two 1998 FIFA World Cup contests.
Alfonso was also a member of the national team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 December 1992 | Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain |  Latvia | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 6 September 1995 | Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain |  Cyprus | 2–0 | 6–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 3. | 9 June 1996 | Elland Road, Leeds, England |  Bulgaria | 1–1 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 1996 |
| 4. | 4 September 1996 | Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands |  Faroe Islands | 1–2 | 2–6 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 5. | 4 September 1996 | Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands | Faroe Islands | 1–4 | 2–6 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 6. | 4 September 1996 | Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands | Faroe Islands | 1–6 | 2–6 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 7. | 12 February 1997 | Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain |  Malta | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 8. | 12 February 1997 | Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain | Malta | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 9. | 29 March 2000 | Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain |  Italy | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 10. | 21 June 2000 | Jan Breydel, Bruges, Belgium |  Yugoslavia | 1–1 | 3–4 | UEFA Euro 2000 |
| 11. | 21 June 2000 | Jan Breydel, Bruges, Belgium | Yugoslavia | 3–4 | 3–4 | UEFA Euro 2000 |
Personal life
Alfonso is the older brother of another footballer, Iván Pérez Muñoz. Both Real Madrid youth graduates, they coincided one season at Betis and reunited at Real Madrid veterans.
Getafe CF's stadium, the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, is named after him, despite the fact that he never played professionally for his hometown club (or even once in the ground).
Honours
Club
- La Liga: 1994–95
- Copa del Rey: 1992–93
- Supercopa de España: 1990, 1993
- Copa del Rey: 2004–05
International
- Summer Olympics: 1992
Individual
- Spanish Player of the Year: 1998