Santi Cazorla
Spain
13 December 1984
winger
is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Segunda Divisiรณn club Oviedo. A former Spanish international, Cazorla operates primarily as an attacking midfielder, but also plays as a winger, central midfielder or as a deep-lying playmaker.
Cazorla began his professional career at Villarreal in 2003 after impressing as a youngster with Oviedo, his hometown club. He continued his development at Villarreal before a short spell at partner club, Recreativo de Huelva. He was Recreativo Huelva's standout player in the 2006โ07 La Liga season, contributing to their top-ten finish and being awarded Spain's Footballer of the Year. He returned to Villarreal for โฌ1.2 million the following season, becoming a key contributor to the side, regularly being named in the La Liga Team of the Season. In 2011, Cazorla moved to Mรกlaga in a club-record โฌ21 million deal, where he gained a reputation for his speed, shooting accuracy, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay, and excellent close control.
After the 2011โ12 season, coupled with Mรกlaga's perilous financial situation, Cazorla moved to Premier League side Arsenal for a fee of ยฃ10 million, where he became a core component to the team in his first year at the club, registering thirteen assists, after which he was voted Arsenal Player of the Season, as well as becoming ranked one of the best footballers in Europe. Cazorla was integral in ending the club's nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial free-kick en route to winning the FA Cup final in 2014. Injuries plagued his latter years with Arsenal. In 2018, Cazorla returned to Villarreal; in his two seasons, he recorded his highest appearance, league goals and assist count since 2015. In 2020, he signed for Qatari club Al Sadd before returning to his childhood club Oviedo in 2023.
Cazorla made his senior debut for Spain in a victory against Peru in May 2008, and was a semi-regular participant in the nation's triumphs at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, as well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Chile, and went on to amass 81 appearances and 15 goals for the national side.
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