Quick Facts
Biography
Tariq Spezie Sevilla (born 21 June 1980), known simply as Tariq, is a Spanish professional footballer as a striker.
Early years
Tariq was born in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates to an Italian father and a Spanish mother, receiving his name from his father – who was working in the country – in honour of Tariq ibn Ziyad. As the political situation in the region worsened, eventually leading to the Iran–Iraq War, the family relocated to Italy with their one-year infant, and later to Spain.
Football career
Tariq played youth football in modest clubs in Catalonia, making his senior debuts with Real Valladolid B and competing one season in Segunda División B and one in Tercera División with the club. Another reserve team followed in the 2001–02 campaign, as he helped RCD Espanyol B finish second in the third level, without no playoff promotion however.
Tariq spent the following eight-and-a-half years in division three in representation of as seven teams, mainly Águilas CF. In the 2008–09 season he scored a career-best 24 goals for UD Puertollano, adding 19 for Granada CF in the following year, en route to his first Segunda División promotion.
On 25 January 2011, Tariq was loaned to SD Huesca – also in the second division – until the end of the season, via Udinese Calcio. In less than half of the matches, he scored eight goals (second-best in the squad behind Juanjo Camacho) as the Aragonese finally retained their league status.