Alfonso Pérez

Football player infobox


playername= Alfonso
fullname = Alfonso Pérez Muñoz
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|9|26
cityofbirth = Getafe
countryofbirth = Spain
height = 178cm
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1990-1995
1995-2000
2000-2002
2002
2002-2005
clubs = Real Madrid
Real Betis
Barcelona
Marseille (loan)
Real Betis
caps(goals) = 88 (13)
152 (57)
21 (2)
11 (4)
45 (10)
nationalyears = 1992-2000
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) =38 (11)MedalTop

Alfonso Pérez Muñoz (born September 26, 1972 in Getafe), usually referred to as Alfonso, is a former Spanish international and Real Madrid footballer, who was a member of the national side that won the golden medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Club career

In 1990, Alfonso began to play football professionally for Real Madrid, and helped the club win La Liga in 1995. Later that year, he signed for Real Betis. In his first season at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, he converted 25 goals which was the most goals ever scored by a player in a season in the club's history.

In 2000, FC Barcelona signed him. He had an unsuccessful season at the Nou Camp and Barça loaned him in 2002 to Olympique de Marseille in France, where he once again failed to shine. Finally Barça loaned him to his old club Betis in 2002, a year later they signed him permanently. His contract finished in June 2005 and Alfonso consequently retired from the professional side of the game. From November of the same year, Alfonso played for the 'Veterans of Real Madrid'.

Getafe CF's stadium, the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, is named after him, despite the fact that he never played for his hometown club.

International career

Alfonso appeared in thirty-eight international games for Spain, scoring 11 goals. The most well-known of those goals perhaps the one he scored against Yugoslavia in Euro 2000. Spain were losing 3-2 in injury time, needing a win to qualify from the group at Norway's expense. In the 90th minute, Spain won a penalty, which was converted by Gaizka Mendieta. With seconds remaining, Alfonso volleyed a spectacular shot past Ivica Kralj to claim victory for Spain and his second goal of the match. He has also scored three goals for Spain in the European Championship.

External links

* [http://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j111.html Player profile at BDFutbol.com]