Quick Facts
VirgoBiography
César Azpilicueta Tanco (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈθesaɾ aθpiliˈkweta ˈtaŋko]; born 28 August 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defender for English club Chelsea and the Spain national team. A very versatile player, Azpilicueta can play either as a full-back or a centre-back.
A youth product of Osasuna, he spent three seasons in La Liga before switching to Marseille, winning four major honours with the French club. In the summer of 2012 he moved to Chelsea, winning the Europa League in his first season and a domestic double two years later.
Azpilicueta gained 55 caps for Spain at youth level in all age groups, and represented the under-21s in two European Championships, winning the 2011 edition. He made his first appearance with the full side in 2013, and was selected for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
Club career
Osasuna
Azpilicueta was born in Pamplona, Navarre. A product of hometown club CA Osasuna's youth system, he made his La Liga debut on 8 April 2007 in a 0–2 away loss against Real Madrid, while still registered with the reserve team; he started his career as a forward then switched to midfielder and, throughout both his club and international career (senior and youth), appeared in several positions including central defender and central midfielder.
In 2007–08, due to injuries in the main squad, Azpilicueta established himself as a first-team regular at the age of just 18, albeit as a right-back. He went on to retain this position for the following season, appearing in all but two league games.
Marseille
On 21 June 2010, French club Olympique de Marseille confirmed an agreement had been reached with Osasuna for the transfer of Azpilicueta, in a four-year contract for €7 million. A week later, the Navarrese confirmed the agreement, with the transfer fee possibly rising to as much as €9.5 million depending on appearances. In his UEFA Champions League debut he scored the match's only goal in a group stage home match against FC Spartak Moscow, albeit in his own net.
On 27 November 2010, in the early minutes of a 4–0 home win against Montpellier HSC — which meant Marseille climbed to the top of the league — Azpilicueta ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee. He was sidelined for six months.
In August 2012, amid speculation of clubs showing interest in Azpilicueta, including Premier League club Chelsea, Marseille confirmed that he could leave, saying, "If Chelsea makes a fair offer for Aspi [Azpilicueta], we will let him leave." Despite his loyalty to Marseille, the player said he was willing to leave if his "departure can help Marseille's finances".
Chelsea
On 24 August 2012, Chelsea completed the signing of Azpilicueta for an undisclosed fee, reported as £7 million. According to teammate and countryman Juan Mata, "He is a strong running right-back who has pace as well, so I think he is already a complete player." Due to his surname being difficult for some speakers of English to pronounce, club fans gave him the mononymous nickname "Dave".
Azpilicueta made his debut on 25 September 2012, starting in a 6–0 home win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a League Cup tie. He played his first Premier League game the following week, coming on as a substitute for Branislav Ivanović in a 4–1 success over Norwich City, also at Stamford Bridge.
On 3 November 2012, Azpilicueta made his first league start, appearing against Swansea City in a 1–1 away draw. He played 48 official contests in his first year with the Rafael Benítez-led side, including eight in the Blues' victorious campaign in the UEFA Europa League. In the final against S.L. Benfica his 67th-minute handball led to Óscar Cardozo equalising through a penalty kick, in an eventual 2–1 win in Amsterdam.
Azpilicueta scored his first official goal for Chelsea on 29 October 2013, netting the first in a 2–0 success at Arsenal in the fourth round of the League Cup. Following the arrival of new manager José Mourinho, he began appearing regularly as a left-back, taking the place of longtime incumbent Ashley Cole. Mourinho said of him: "Azpilicueta is the kind of player I like a lot. I think a team with 11 Azpilicuetas would probably win the competition (Champions League) because football is not just about pure talent". At the end of the season, he was voted the club's Player's Player of the Year.
Before the start of the 2014–15 season, Cole was released and the club spent £15.8 million on Filipe Luís, but Azpilicueta began the season as first-choice left-back. On 2 September 2014, he signed a new five-year contract with the club and, on 18 October, he was sent off in the first half of a 2–1 win at Crystal Palace for a foul on Mile Jedinak.
Azpilicueta started as Chelsea won the League Cup on 1 March 2015. In the second half, he was injured in a collision with Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier, and had to leave the pitch for a bandage to be wrapped around his head. The campaign ended with the additional conquest of the domestic league title, after a five-year wait.
On 2 August 2015, Azpilicueta featured for 69 minutes in the 1–0 loss to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield. Nineteen days later, he scored the team's third goal in a 3–2 away win over West Bromwich Albion, for what was his first Premier League goal, and he netted again in a 2–2 draw in the reverse fixture on 13 January 2016.
Although Azpilicueta was initially used as a left-back under new coach Antonio Conte, after two consecutive league defeats the latter converted into a back-three formation, with the former playing as a centre-back in the following match against Hull City on 1 October 2016, which ended in a 2–0 away win. On 13 December 2016, Azpilicueta signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with Chelsea, tying him to the club until 2020. Following his new contract, Azpilicueta made his 200th appearance for Chelsea against Sunderland in a 1–0 victory.
International career
In 2007, Azpilicueta helped the Spanish under-19 team win the UEFA European Championship. Shortly after he moved to the under-21s, being picked for the 2009 European Championships in Sweden where he started three matches in an eventual group stage exit.
On 11 May 2010, 20-year-old Azpilicueta was named by senior side manager Vicente del Bosque in a provisional list of 30 players, in view of the forthcoming edition of the FIFA World Cup. Eventually, he did not make the final cut.
Azpilicueta was picked for Spain's squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics, after missing out on selection for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. Due to the presence of Álvaro Domínguez, he only appeared in the last group match, a 0–0 draw with Morocco at Old Trafford, as the national team exited in the group stage.
On 1 February 2013, Azpilicueta was named in the squad for the upcoming international friendly against Uruguay. The manager said of the selection: 'Azpilicueta is playing many games for Chelsea. He has a lot of energy, defends well and is always willing to attack. We have a lot of hope for him. He made his debut five days later, playing the full 90 minutes in the 3–1 win in Doha, Qatar; after the match, he said that it was his "dream to play for Spain" at the senior level.
Azpilicueta was selected to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament held in Brazil: he started in the second group game against Tahiti which Spain won 10–0 in a record for the largest margin of victory in the competition, and replaced Álvaro Arbeloa at half-time in the final against the hosts, in an eventual 3–0 loss.
In June 2014, Azpilicueta was selected to represent Spain in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was the starting right-back during the first two fixtures, against the Netherlands and Chile, as the nation was eliminated at the group stage.
Personal life
Azpilicueta's older brother, Juan Pablo (born 1980), was also a footballer. A midfielder, he competed exclusively in lower league football.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 8 January 2017
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2006–07 | Segunda División B | 24 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||||
| 2007–08 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 27 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||||||
| Osasuna | 2006–07 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | La Liga | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||||
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 0 | ||||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 33 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 99 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 108 | 0 | ||||
| Marseille | 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 47 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 2 | ||
| Chelsea | 2012–13 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | 44 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 40 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 37 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 2 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| Total | 142 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 205 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 315 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 45 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 408 | 7 | ||
International
- As of match played 15 November 2016
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 0 | |
Honours
Club
- Marseille
- Trophée des Champions: 2010, 2011
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Chelsea
- Premier League: 2014–15
- Football League Cup: 2014–15
- UEFA Europa League: 2012–13
- FA Community Shield: Runner-up 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup: Runner-up 2012
- UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 2013
Country
- Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2007
- Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2011
- Spain
- FIFA Confederations Cup: Runner-up 2013
Individual
- Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2013–14
- ^ César Azpilicueta profile at Soccerway
- "Hazard wins Player of the Year". 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2016.