Juan Carlos Ablanedo

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ablanedo and the second or maternal family name is Iglesias.

Juan Carlos Ablanedo
Personal information
Full name Juan Carlos Ablanedo Iglesias
Date of birth (1963-09-02) 2 September 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Mieres, Spain
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Sporting Gijón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1984 Sporting Gijón B 94 (0)
1983–1999 Sporting Gijón 401 (0)
Total 495 (0)
International career
1981–1982 Spain U18 10 (0)
1984–1986 Spain U21 12 (0)
1986–1987 Spain U23 2 (0)
1986–1991 Spain 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Juan Carlos Ablanedo Iglesias (Spanish pronunciation: [xwaŋ ˈkaɾlos aβlaˈneðo];[a] born 2 September 1963) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Due to his above-average reflexes, he was nicknamed El gato (cat), and represented local club Sporting de Gijón for almost 20 years as a professional.[1][2]

Club career

Ablanedo was born in Mieres, Asturias. He played solely for Sporting de Gijón after being a product of the club's famed youth system, Mareo, and received his first-team debut on 2 January 1983, as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 home win against RCD Español after José Aurelio Rivero was sent off.[3]

After two further games the following season, Ablanedo became the Asturian side's undisputed starter, totalling 399 in La Liga.[4] In the 1986–87 campaign, as Sporting finished fourth, he appeared in 42 matches (out of 44, as the league had a second stage).

Ablanedo retired from football after 1998–99, with Sporting now in the Segunda División.[5] He also had some serious injuries during his career, making only two appearances in his last season and none whatsoever in 1991–92.[6][7][8] He was awarded the Ricardo Zamora Trophy three times.[1][9]

International career

Ablanedo earned four caps for Spain, the first coming on 24 September 1986 in a 3–1 friendly victory over Greece in Gijón.[10] He was a backup at both the 1986[11] and 1990 FIFA World Cups.[12]

Previously, Ablanedo helped the nation's under-21s to conquer the 1986 European Championship.[13]

Personal life

Ablanedo's older brother, José Luis, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played several top-tier seasons with Sporting, and they were hence known as Ablanedo I and Ablanedo II.[14]

Honours

Spain U21

Individual

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In isolation, Juan is pronounced [xwan].

References

  1. ^ a b Ablanedo, el portero más seguro (Ablanedo, the safest goalkeeper); El País, 13 November 1985 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Juan Carlos Ablanedo: palabras mayores (Juan Carlos Ablanedo: bigger words) Archived 14 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Yo Jugué en el Sporting, 28 March 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ 1–0: Savic, en su debut, marcó el gol del Sporting ante el Español (1–0: Savic, in his debut, scored Sporting's goal against Español); ABC, 3 January 1983 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ "Ex Sporting: Cuéllar donará al club su trofeo Zamora del ascenso con Abelardo" [Ex Sporting: Cuéllar will donate Zamora trophy of the promotion with Abelardo to the club] (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  5. ^ Ablanedo se despide (Ablanedo says goodbye); Mundo Deportivo, 18 June 1999 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ Ablanedo: Un mes y medio K.O. (Ablanedo: One month and a half out); Mundo Deportivo, 15 August 1987 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Ablanedo, cinco meses K.O. (Ablanedo, five months out); Mundo Deportivo, 28 January 1989 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ El Sporting de Gijón se queda sin guardametas (Sporting de Gijón lose all goalkeepers); Mundo Deportivo, 1 May 1991 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ El portero más seguro (The safest goalkeeper); Mundo Deportivo, 22 April 1985 (in Spanish)
  10. ^ 3–1: Son los mismos, pero parecían dormidos (3–1: Same guys, they just looked asleep); Mundo Deportivo, 25 September 1986 (in Spanish)
  11. ^ "Del utillero falangista al positivo de Calderé: nuestro Mundial 86 en diez episodios" [From the falangista kit man to Calderé's positive: our 86 World Cup in ten episodes] (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Ochotorena abandona la selección y le sustituye Sambade" [Ochotorena leaves national team and Sambade replaces him] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  13. ^ a b ¡¡¡Campeones!!! (Champions!!!); Mundo Deportivo, 30 October 1986 (in Spanish)
  14. ^ a b Qué fue de… Ablanedo (What happened to… Ablanedo); 20 minutos, 20 June 2008 (in Spanish)