Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Juan Carlos Ablanedo Iglesias | ||
Date of birth | 2 September 1963 | ||
Place of birth | Mieres, Spain | ||
Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
Sporting Gijón | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1981–1984 | Sporting Gijón B | 94 | (0) |
1983–1999 | Sporting Gijón | 401 | (0) |
Total | 495 | (0) | |
International career | |||
1981–1982 | Spain U18 | 10 | (0) |
1984–1986 | Spain U21 | 12 | (0) |
1986–1987 | Spain U23 | 2 | (0) |
1986–1991 | Spain | 4 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Juan Carlos Ablanedo Iglesias (Spanish pronunciation: [xwaŋ ˈkaɾlos aβlaˈneðo];[a] born 2 September 1963) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Due to his above-average reflexes, he was nicknamed El gato (cat), and represented local club Sporting de Gijón for almost 20 years as a professional.[1][2]
Ablanedo was born in Mieres, Asturias. He played solely for Sporting de Gijón after being a product of the club's famed youth system, Mareo, and received his first-team debut on 2 January 1983, as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 home win against RCD Español after José Aurelio Rivero was sent off.[3]
After two further games the following season, Ablanedo became the Asturian side's undisputed starter, totalling 399 in La Liga.[4] In the 1986–87 campaign, as Sporting finished fourth, he appeared in 42 matches (out of 44, as the league had a second stage).
Ablanedo retired from football after 1998–99, with Sporting now in the Segunda División.[5] He also had some serious injuries during his career, making only two appearances in his last season and none whatsoever in 1991–92.[6][7][8] He was awarded the Ricardo Zamora Trophy three times.[1][9]
Ablanedo earned four caps for Spain, the first coming on 24 September 1986 in a 3–1 friendly victory over Greece in Gijón.[10] He was a backup at both the 1986[11] and 1990 FIFA World Cups.[12]
Previously, Ablanedo helped the nation's under-21s to conquer the 1986 European Championship.[13]
Ablanedo's older brother, José Luis, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played several top-tier seasons with Sporting, and they were hence known as Ablanedo I and Ablanedo II.[14]
Spain U21
Individual