David Rocha
Spanish footballer
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David Mateos Rocha (born 7 February 1985) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central midfielder, and the sporting director of Mérida AD.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Mateos Rocha | ||
| Date of birth | 7 February 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Cáceres, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Mérida (sporting director) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cacereño | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2005 | Cacereño | ||
| 2005–2008 | Villarreal B | ||
| 2008 | Cartagena | 13 | (2) |
| 2008–2011 | Cacereño | 96 | (17) |
| 2011–2013 | Albacete | 79 | (6) |
| 2013–2016 | Gimnàstic | 99 | (16) |
| 2016 | Houston Dynamo | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Oviedo | 63 | (3) |
| 2018–2019 | Gimnàstic | 18 | (0) |
| 2019 | Almería | 10 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Extremadura | 30 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Mérida | 28 | (0) |
| Total | 396 | (36) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023 | Mérida (caretaker) | ||
| 2023–2024 | Mérida | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Cáceres, Extremadura, Rocha started playing football in CP Cacereño's youth system, and made his debuts as a senior in the 2002–03 campaign, in Segunda División B. In 2005, he moved to Villarreal CF B in Tercera División, appearing regularly for the side.
On 11 January 2008 Rocha joined FC Cartagena in the third level.[1] On 15 July he returned to Cacereño, with the side now in the fourth division,[2] winning promotion in his first season.
On 14 July 2011 Rocha signed for Albacete Balompié, after being team captain at his previous club.[3] On 26 June 2013 he moved to fellow third division side Gimnàstic de Tarragona, signing a two-year deal.[4]
On 19 June 2015, after winning promotion to Segunda División with Nàstic, Rocha renewed his link until 2018.[5] He made his professional debut on 23 August, starting in a 2–2 home draw against former club Albacete.[6]
On 21 January 2016 Rocha moved abroad for the first time in his career, after agreeing to a three-year deal with Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo.[7] On 6 July 2016, he mutually terminated his contract with Dynamo after alleging "family reasons".[8]
On 11 July 2016 Rocha returned to Spain and its second tier, after agreeing to a two-year deal with Real Oviedo.[9] On 4 July 2018 he terminated his contract,[10] and returned to Gimnàstic just hours later.[11]
Rocha cut ties with Nàstic on 24 January 2019,[12] and signed a short-term deal with fellow league team UD Almería just hours later.[13] On 2 July, he signed a two-year contract with Extremadura UD, still in the second division.[14]