Quick Facts
Biography
Ubay Luzardo Santana (born 6 November 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Recreativo de Huelva mainly as a central defender.
Football career
Early years / Kitchee
Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Luzardo came through local UD Las Palmas' youth system, but never appeared as a senior for the team. During his early spell in his country, he played only in Tercera División or lower.
In July 2009, Luzardo signed a three-year contract with Hong Kong side Kitchee SC. He contributed with 36 First Division games and seven goals in his first two seasons combined, winning the national championship in the latter and qualifying to the 2011 Premier League Asia Trophy, where he scored an own goal against Chelsea in the semifinals and missed a penalty kick in the third-place play-off 0–3 loss to Blackburn Rovers.
Luzardo scored straight off the bench to make it 3–2 for Kitchee against Tai Po FC, before reverting to his usual centre back position.
Melbourne Victory
In January 2012, Luzardo was invited to trial with Melbourne Victory FC in the A-League. Coach Jim Magilton said: "I like what I saw. I saw a few games pre-season, he played against Chelsea and Blackburn and I like what I see". On 8 February he signed a loan deal with the club, until the end of the campaign.
On 10 March 2012, in the match against Sydney FC, Luzardo was adjudged to have brought down Bruno Cazarine in a 32nd-minute off-the-ball tussle in the box. The conceded penalty resulted in Sydney's 1–0 win, which put an official end to Victory's finals hopes. He subsequently returned to Kitchee only to be released, and went on to play professionally in Sweden and Portugal, with a brief amateur spell with Ebbsfleet United in between.