Nacho Monreal
Spanish footballer (born 1986)
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Ignacio "Nacho" Monreal Eraso (Spanish pronunciation: [iɣˈnaθjo monreˈal eˈɾaso] or pronounced [ˈnatʃo monreˈal]; born 26 February 1986) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back or centre-back.
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Monreal warming up with Arsenal in 2015 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ignacio Monreal Eraso[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 February 1986[2] | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | |||||||||||||
| Position | Defender | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| Pamplona | ||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Osasuna B | 36 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2006–2011 | Osasuna | 127 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Málaga | 45 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2013–2019 | Arsenal | 187 | (7) | |||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Real Sociedad | 55 | (3) | |||||||||||
| Total | 450 | (17) | ||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Spain U19 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Spain U21 | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2009–2018 | Spain | 22 | (1) | |||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||
He started playing with Osasuna in 2005, going on to appear in 144 official games over the course of five La Liga seasons.[4] In 2011 he signed with Málaga and, two years later, joined Arsenal, winning three FA Cup trophies with the latter club while taking part in 251 matches in all competitions.[5] He ended his career in 2022 with Real Sociedad, winning the 2019–20 Copa del Rey.
A full international from 2009 to 2018, Monreal represented Spain at the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup.
Club career
Osasuna
Born in Pamplona, Monreal was a product of CA Osasuna's youth system and made his official debut for his hometown club in an away game against Valencia CF on 22 October 2006, a 1–0 La Liga loss.[6] He finished his first season with ten league appearances, adding two in that campaign's UEFA Champions League; after the Navarrese's relegation to the UEFA Cup, he appeared in four matches as the team reached the last four, being eliminated by fellow Spaniards Sevilla FC.[7]
Monreal became first-choice in 2007–08, retaining that status in the subsequent seasons, with another youth product, César Azpilicueta, being the undisputed starter in the other defensive wing.[8]
Málaga
On 10 June 2011, Monreal signed a five-year contract with Málaga CF on a €6 million transfer fee.[9] In his first season he initially battled for first-choice status with Eliseu, but ended up only missing seven games as the club finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time.[10]
Monreal scored his only goal for the Andalusians on 27 January 2013, in a 3–2 away win over RCD Mallorca.[11]
Arsenal
On 31 January 2013, Monreal joined English side Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee, believed by Sky Sports to be around £8.5 million.[12][13] He was given the number 17 shirt,[14] and made his Premier League debut against Stoke City two days later in a 1–0 home win.[15][16]
On 23 February 2013, Monreal provided the assist for countryman Santi Cazorla to score the winner in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa.[17] He scored his first goal for the Gunners on 16 March, opening a 2–0 win at Swansea City.[18]
Monreal returned from injury[19] on 21 August 2013 to feature in Arsenal's 3–0 win at Fenerbahçe SK in the Champions League group stage play-off, playing the last three minutes in the place of Theo Walcott.[20] On 26 September, he scored the deciding penalty in a shootout against West Bromwich Albion to send his team into the fourth round of the League Cup.[21]
Upon the arrival of Alexis Sánchez in the 2014 off-season, Monreal took the vacant number 18 previously worn by Sébastien Squillaci. On 23 August, he assisted Olivier Giroud's late equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Everton.[22] Additionally, an injury crisis in the squad saw him being deployed in an unfamiliar central defender role in a string of games, after Laurent Koscielny was put out of action due to an Achilles tendon injury.[23]
On 9 March 2015, Monreal scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford that put Arsenal through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.[24] He played the full 90 minutes in the decisive match, a 4–0 defeat of Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.[25]
On 19 January 2016, Monreal signed a new long-term contract.[26] On 23 April 2017, he scored the vital equaliser as his team came from behind to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.[27]
On 6 November 2017, after good performances on the left side of a three-man defence,[28] Monreal won the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Month award for October of that year.[29] The following 20 January, he netted once and made two assists before retiring injured 30 minutes into an eventual 4–1 home win against Crystal Palace.[30]
Real Sociedad
Monreal returned to Spain on 31 August 2019, with the 33-year-old joining Real Sociedad on a two-year contract.[31] He scored on his competitive debut two weeks later, converting an easy tap-in at the hour mark of an eventual 2–0 victory over Atlético Madrid at Anoeta Stadium.[32]
Monreal missed the entire 2021–22 season, due to a knee injury.[33] On 23 May 2022, the club announced his departure.[34]
On 16 August 2022, Monreal announced his retirement at 36.[35]
International career
In 2007, Monreal earned his first call for the Spain under-21 team. He started all their matches in the 2009 UEFA European Championship, in an eventual group-stage exit.[36]
On 6 August 2009, Monreal was called up to the senior side for the first time, for an exhibition game with Macedonia.[37] He played the last 15 minutes for Joan Capdevila in a 3–2 away win;[38] on 7 September 2010, in the nation's second game after they won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, he featured the entire 4–1 friendly loss to Argentina.[39]
Monreal was a member of Spain's squad which reached the final of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, although he was second-choice left-back behind FC Barcelona's Jordi Alba. He started in the last two group games, beginning with a 10–0 thrashing of Tahiti at the Maracanã where he set up a David Villa goal.[40]
Monreal scored his first goal for Spain on 12 November 2016, contributing to a 4–0 defeat of Macedonia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Granada.[41] He was then selected by manager Julen Lopetegui for the finals in Russia.[42]
Style of play
Upon signing with Arsenal in 2013, the club's manager Arsène Wenger described Monreal as "a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air."[43] Although he usually played as a defensive–minded left-back in a four-man back-line, he was also capable of playing as a centre-back or even as a left-sided defender in a back three.[44][45]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2004–05 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2005–06 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 3 | |||||
| Total | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | ||||
| Osasuna | 2006–07 | La Liga | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | |||||
| 2008–09 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 31 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 1 | |||||
| 2010–11 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 127 | 3 | 11 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 144 | 3 | ||||
| Málaga | 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 4[c] | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 45 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 54 | 1 | ||||
| Arsenal | 2012–13 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2013–14 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8[c] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 45 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 36 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7[e] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 38 | 6 | ||
| 2018–19 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12[e] | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 187 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 251 | 10 | ||
| Real Sociedad | 2019–20 | La Liga | 29 | 2 | 5[f] | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2020–21 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[e] | 1 | 1[g] | 0 | 35 | 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 55 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 4 | |||
| Career total | 450 | 17 | 35 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 59 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 554 | 21 | ||
- Includes Copa del Rey, FA Cup
- Includes Football League/EFL Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in FA Community Shield
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Includes appearance in 2020 Copa del Rey final (played in 2021)
- Appearance in Supercopa de España
International
- Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Monreal goal.[48]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 November 2016 | Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain |  Macedonia | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2013–14,[49] 2014–15,[50] 2016–17[51]
- FA Community Shield: 2014,[52] 2015,[53] 2017[54]
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2017–18[55]
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2018–19[56]
Real Sociedad
Spain
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2013[47]
Individual
- Professional Footballers' Association Fans' Player of the Month: October 2017[29]
