Manu Trigueros
Trigueros with Villarreal in 2021
Personal information
Full name Manuel Trigueros Muñoz[1]
Date of birth (1991-10-17) 17 October 1991 (age 32)[1]
Place of birth Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Villarreal
Number 14
Youth career
Talavera
2007–2008 Barcelona
2008–2010 Murcia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Murcia B 10 (1)
2010–2011 Villarreal C 36 (6)
2011–2012 Villarreal B 26 (3)
2012– Villarreal 362 (25)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:16, 4 February 2024 (UTC)

Manuel Trigueros Muñoz (born 17 October 1991) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Villarreal.

He spent his entire professional career with Villarreal, making a club record of over 450 total appearances and winning the UEFA Europa League in 2021.

Club career

Early career

Born in Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Trigueros began playing football for his local team Talavera CF. While playing in a nationwide tournament for his autonomous community, he was courted by several leading clubs, and chose FC Barcelona; he struggled to be picked in his only year as an under-18 in La Masia.[2][3] He then moved to Real Murcia, making his senior debut with the reserves and being released in June 2010 following the main squad's relegation from the Segunda División.[4]

Villarreal

Subsequently, Trigueros signed for Villarreal CF, being assigned to the C team. He made his official debut with Villarreal B on 4 June 2011, playing 30 minutes as a substitute for Fofo in a 2–1 away loss against Real Betis on the last day of the second-tier season.[5] On 11 February 2012 he scored his first goal in a 3–1 defeat at CE Sabadell FC,[6] being relatively played during the season but suffering relegation – even though the side finished in 12th position – as the first team had also dropped down a level in La Liga.

In June 2012, Trigueros was definitely promoted to the main squad. He contributed 36 games and three goals[7][8][9] as the Yellow Submarine won instant promotion;[10] his 15th appearance activated a clause that paid €100,000 to Murcia.[11]

Trigueros made his maiden appearance in the top flight on 19 August 2013, coming on as a 53rd-minute substitute for Tomás Pina in 3–2 away victory over UD Almería.[12] As a starter, he scored his first goal in the competition, his team's second in the 3–1 home defeat of CA Osasuna on 3 February 2014.[13] That October, his contract was extended from 2017 to 2019;[14] in November 2016, a new deal tied him to the club until 2022.[15]

On 21 May 2017, Trigueros scored in a 3–1 win at local rivals Valencia CF on the last day of the season, securing fifth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League.[16] He netted his first in that continental competition on 19 October, as the team fought back for a 2–2 group stage draw with SK Slavia Prague at the Estadio de la Cerámica.[17] On 23 December, in another derby at Mestalla, he was sent off for the first time in his career in a 1–0 victory.[18]

Trigueros reached 300 matches for the club on 10 November 2019, in a 3–1 away loss against RCD Mallorca.[19] In March 2021, he entered Villarreal's top three appearance makers, overtaking Marcos Senna's 363 and trailing only his contemporaries Bruno Soriano and Mario Gaspar.[20][21] He played 14 times that season in their victorious Europa League campaign (54 in all competitions),[22][23] scoring the opening goal of a 2–1 semi-final win over Arsenal on 29 April.[24]

In November 2021, Trigueros' link to the club was lengthened to 2025, with him remaining a key part of manager Unai Emery's plans.[25] On 15 December, he made his 400th appearance for the club in a 7–1 rout of Atlético Sanluqueño CF in the second round of the Copa del Rey, trailing Bruno's overall record by just 25.[26] He took the record on 8 September 2022 in a 4–3 UEFA Europa Conference League group victory at home to Lech Poznań.[27]

In 2023–24, Trigueros was more often a substitute, as the managerial hotseat revolved between Quique Setién, Pacheta and Marcelino García Toral. On 2 November, playing as an attacking midfielder for the second of those coaches, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 5–0 win away to sixth-tier Chiclana CF in the first round of the cup.[28]

Personal life

Both of Trigueros' parents were teachers,[29] and he graduated in Primary Education in 2017.[30] While some sources erroneously named his alma mater as CEU San Pablo University, it was actually the Castellón de la Plana campus of a linked establishment, CEU Cardinal Herrera University.[31]

Trigueros' father, also named Manuel, played in the second tier for Granada CF.[29] His cousin Pablo, a defender, was also active at that level for SD Ponferradina.[32]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 June 2023[33][34]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Villarreal B 2010–11 Segunda División 1 0 — — — 1 0
2011–12 25 3 — — — 25 3
Total 26 3 — — — 26 3
Villarreal 2012–13 Segunda División 36 3 1 0 — — 37 3
2013–14 La Liga 35 2 3 0 — — 38 2
2014–15 33 1 7 2 10[a] 0 — 50 3
2015–16 31 2 2 1 12[a] 0 — 45 3
2016–17 37 5 3 1 5[b] 1 — 45 7
2017–18 34 3 3 0 7[a] 1 — 44 4
2018–19 24 0 3 0 7[a] 0 — 34 0
2019–20 29 2 2 0 — — 31 2
2020–21 35 1 5 0 14[a] 1 — 54 2
2021–22 35 6 2 1 9[c] 1 1[d] 0 47 8
2022–23 23 0 3 0 4[e] 1 — 30 1
Total 352 25 34 5 68 5 1 0 455 35
Career total 378 28 34 5 68 5 1 0 481 38
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Villarreal

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Trigueros". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  2. ^ Torras, David (6 January 2017). "Trigueros, el aprendiz de Iniesta" [Trigueros, Iniesta's apprentice]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  3. ^ Sanpedro, Víctor (22 February 2022). "Manu Trigueros y un nuevo hito en su carrera" [Manu Trigueros and a new milestone in his career]. La Voz del Tajo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  4. ^ "De joya de la cantera grana a crack en el 'submarino amarillo'" [From 'grana' youth system gem to yellow submarine star] (in Spanish). Sport Murcia. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. ^ "El Betis remonta y consigue el título de campeón de Segunda" [Betis come from behind and win Segunda title]. Marca (in Spanish). 4 June 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  6. ^ "El Sabadell supera al Villarreal B en una gran segunda parte" [Sabadell defeat Villarreal B in a great second half]. Marca (in Spanish). 11 February 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  7. ^ "El Villarreal no despega lejos de El Madrigal" [Villarreal do not take off away from El Madrigal]. Marca (in Spanish). 3 November 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  8. ^ "El Villarreal juega con el Racing en El Sardinero (0–3)" [Villarreal play with Racing at El Sardinero (0–3)]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). 17 November 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Manu Trigueros salva al Villarreal de la derrota en la Nueva Condomina en el minuto 94 (1–1)" [Manu Trigueros saves Villarreal from defeat at the Nueva Condomina in the 94th-minute (1–1)] (in Spanish). Castellón Información. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  10. ^ "El talaverano Trigueros logra el ascenso a Primera División con el Villarreal CF" [Talavera's own Trigueros achieves promotion to Primera División with Villarreal CF]. La Voz de Talavera (in Spanish). 9 June 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  11. ^ Moreno, Ángela (2 December 2012). "Manu Trigueros deja cien mil euros en las arcas del Real Murcia" [Manu Trigueros leaves one hundred thousand euros in Real Murcia's coffers]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Valiant Villarreal open with win". ESPN FC. 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Perbet at the double". ESPN FC. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  14. ^ "El talaverano Trigueros amplía su contrato con Villarreal hasta 2019" [Talavera-born Trigueros extends his contract with Villarreal until 2019]. La Voz de Talavera (in Spanish). 16 October 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Villarreal CF valora y premia al talaverano Manu Trigueros con la ampliación de su contrato hasta 2022" [Villarreal CF value and reward Talavera-born Manu Trigueros with the extension of his contract until 2022]. La Voz de Talavera (in Spanish). 9 November 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Villarreal secure fifth place finish with Valencia win". Marca. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  17. ^ Rodríguez, M. Á. (19 October 2017). "Trigueros se estrena en el mejor momento" [Trigueros opens his account at the right moment]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  18. ^ "El Villarreal gana al Valencia y allana el camino del Barça hacia la Liga" [Villarreal beat Valencia and smoothen Barça's path to the league title] (in Spanish). Yahoo!. 23 December 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Derrota en el partido 300 de Manu Trigueros" [Defeat in Manu Trigueros' 300th game]. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). 11 November 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Trigueros hace historia en el Villarreal" [Trigueros makes history at Villarreal]. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). 22 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Manu Trigueros es puja al podi de les llegendes grogues" [Manu Trigueros rises to the podium of yellow legends] (in Catalan). Notícies Dígitals. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Impecable camino del Villarreal a la final, sin derrotas y sin sufrir" [Immaculate Villarreal run to the final, without defeats and without suffering] (in Spanish). Castellón Plaza. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  23. ^ Jiménez, Maite (16 December 2021). "Manu Trigueros: la luz del 'submarino amarillo' hace historia en Villarreal" [Manu Trigueros: the light of the 'yellow submarine' makes history at Villarreal]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Villarreal 2–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  25. ^ Franch, Víctor (11 November 2021). "El Villarreal renueva a Manu Trigueros hasta 2025" [Villarreal renew Manu Trigueros until 2025]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  26. ^ Franch, Víctor (15 December 2021). "Trigueros hace historia en el Villarreal" [Trigueros makes history at Villarreal]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  27. ^ Mateu, Ismael (8 September 2022). "Trigueros se convierte en el jugador con más partidos en la historia del Villarreal: 426" [Trigueros becomes the player with the most matches in the history of Villarreal: 426]. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  28. ^ Chova, Edu (4 November 2023). "Un nuevo rol de Trigueros en el Villarreal" [Trigueros' new role at Villarreal]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  29. ^ a b Lowe, Sid (6 May 2021). "Villarreal's Manu Trigueros: 'A dressing room is harder than a classroom'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  30. ^ Pérez Sierra, Alberto (6 July 2017). "Manu Trigueros se gradúa en Educación Primaria" [Manu Trigueros graduates in Primary Education]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  31. ^ "El CEU reúne a deportistas de competición y expertos para abordar la relación entre educación y deporte" [CEU brings together competitive sportspeople and experts to address the relation between education and sport] (in Spanish). Castellón Información. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  32. ^ Cardenal, Alejandro (13 August 2018). "El fútbol se lleva en la sangre" [Football is carried in the blood]. La Nueva Crónica (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  33. ^ Manu Trigueros at BDFutbol
  34. ^ Manu Trigueros at Soccerway
  35. ^ Stone, Simon (26 May 2021). "Villarreal 1–1 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Once ideal de LaLiga para UEFA: 4 del Madrid, 3 del Barça..." [UEFA's LaLiga All-Star XI: 4 from Madrid, 3 from Barça...]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 22 May 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.

External links

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