Manu Trigueros
Spanish footballer (born 1991)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manuel Trigueros Muñoz (born 17 October 1991) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
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Trigueros with Villarreal in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Trigueros Muñoz[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 October 1991[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Talavera de la Reina, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| 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 | (13) |
| 2011–2012 | Villarreal B | 26 | (3) |
| 2012–2024 | Villarreal | 366 | (25) |
| 2024–2026 | Granada | 68 | (3) |
| Total | 506 | (45) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He spent the majority of his career with Villarreal, making a club record of 477 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 CF, making his senior debut with the reserves and being released in June 2010 following the main squad's relegation from 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 Villarreal 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 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 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]
Trigueros finished his spell with 477 matches, leaving on 8 August 2024.[29]
Granada
Hours after leaving Villarreal, Trigueros joined second-division side Granada CF on a two-year contract.[30] On 29 May 2026, Trigueros announced that he would retire at the end of the 2025–26 season.[31] On 31 May 2026, at the 2025–26 Segunda División final round against Sporting de Gijón, he played his last professional match.[32]
Personal life
Both of Trigueros' parents were teachers,[33] and he graduated in Primary Education in 2017.[34] While some sources erroneously named his alma mater as Universidad CEU San Pablo, it was actually the Castellón de la Plana campus of a linked establishment, CEU Cardinal Herrera University.[35]
Trigueros' father, also named Manuel, played in the second tier for Granada CF.[33] His cousin Pablo, a defender, was also active at that level for SD Ponferradina.[36]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Murcia B | 2008–09 | Segunda División B | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||||
| Villarreal C | 2010–11 | Tercera División | 25 | 7 | — | — | — | 25 | 7 | |||
| 2011–12 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | 11 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 36 | 13 | — | — | — | 36 | 13 | |||||
| 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 | |||
| 2023–24 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5[a] | 0 | — | 22 | 3 | |||
| Total | 366 | 25 | 37 | 8 | 73 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 477 | 38 | ||
| Granada | 2024–25 | Segunda División | 36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 3 | ||
| 2025–26 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 74 | 3 | ||||
| Career total | 506 | 45 | 43 | 8 | 73 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 623 | 58 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
