Vicente Engonga

Infobox Football biography
playername = Vicente Engonga


fullname = Vicente Engonga Mate
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|10|20
cityofbirth = Barcelona
countryofbirth = Spain
height = Height|m=1.81
position = Central midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1984-1986 1986-1991 1991-1992 1992-1994 1994-1997 1997-2002 2002 2003
clubs = Gimnástica Torrelavega Sporting Mahonés Real Valladolid Celta Vigo Valencia CF Real Mallorca Real Oviedo Coventry City "(loan)"
caps(goals) = - (-) - (-) 37 (2) 72 (0) 69 (2) 149 (4) 11 (1) 8 (0)
nationalyears = 1998-2000
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 14 (1)
manageryears = 2008-
managerclubs = Equatorial Guinea

Vicente Engonga Maté, Engonga (born October 20, 1965 in Barcelona), is a former Spanish football player of Equatorial Guinean descent. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6635239.stm Footballers step-out of 'Eel's' shadow] ]

A central midfielder who on occasion filled in at sweeper, he also played 14 games and scored one goal for the Spain national football team, and was a participant at the 2000 European Championship. He is the older brother of former footballer Óscar Engonga.

Football career

Engonga spent his childhood in the Cantabria region where his father was a footballer. He started his senior career with local lower league club RS Gimnástica de Torrelavega and then played for CF Sporting Mahonés.

In 1991, Engonga moved to Real Valladolid in the Spanish first division championship. In his first year, the club was relegated to the "Segunda División" and Engonga left the club. He moved to Celta de Vigo, with whom he was finalist of the 1994 Spanish Cup. [ [http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/2490/REY94.htm 1994 Spanish Cup] ]

In the summer 1994, Engonga was bought by league powerhouse Valencia CF. He played three years at Valencia, before moving to RCD Mallorca, under Héctor Cúper's supervision.

With Mallorca, he won the 1998 Spanish Supercup, beating FC Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate. He was subsequently called up for the Spain national football team, and made his international debut on September 23, 1998, against Russia. He scored his only goal in May 1999, against Croatia. Also that year, Engonga reached the final of the international 1998-99 Cup Winners' Cup tournament, losing 1-2 to Italian team SS Lazio.

Engonga was a participant for the Spanish national team at the 2000 UEFA European Championship. He played one match at the tournament, against Slovenia, which was the last game of his national team career. Engonga was also a part of the Mallorca team which qualified for the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League, the first participation in club history.

In 2002, his contract with Mallorca expired. Engonga moved to second division Real Oviedo, where he played for six months, before moving abroad in January 2003, signing a six-month loan deal with English club Coventry City F.C.. At the end of the season, he retired, almost 38.

During his career, Engonga also represented the unofficial Cantabria autonomous football team.Fact|date=May 2007

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Engonga joined the coaching staff at Real Mallorca. On August 2008, he was appointed manager of Equatorial Guinea. [ [http://www.soitu.es/soitu/2008/08/04/info/1217872569_408897.html Vicente Engonga leaves Mallorca to coach Equatorial Guinea] es icon]

Honours

*Spanish Supercup: 1998

References

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=5716 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon
* [http://futbol.sportec.es/seleccion/ficha_jugador.asp?j=182&n=engonga/vicente/engonga/mate National team data] es icon
*soccerbase|16353