Álvaro Peña (Spanish footballer)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Peña and the second or maternal family name is Herrero.
Álvaro Peña
Personal information
Full name Álvaro Peña Herrero[1]
Date of birth (1991-10-24) 24 October 1991 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Andorra
Number 16
Youth career
2006–2010 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Basconia 52 (5)
2011–2013 Bilbao Athletic 63 (2)
2012 Athletic Bilbao 0 (0)
2013–2015 Lugo 65 (4)
2015–2017 Racing Santander 72 (8)
2017–2019 Alcorcón 58 (7)
2019–2021 Albacete 52 (2)
2019–2020 → Mirandés (loan) 34 (2)
2021–2022 Amorebieta 37 (2)
2022–2024 Almere City 54 (6)
2024– Andorra 8 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:47, 19 October 2024 (UTC)

Álvaro Peña Herrero (born 24 October 1991) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays mainly as a central midfielder for Primera Federación – Group 1 club Andorra.

Having been brought up at Athletic Bilbao (two competitive appearances), he scored 17 Segunda División goals in 246 games over seven seasons, playing for Lugo, Alcorcón, Albacete, Mirandés and Amorebieta.

Club career

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Peña joined local Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2006, aged 15. After appearing for farm team CD Basconia, he went on to spend two full seasons with the B side in the Segunda División B.

Peña made his debut with the main squad on 28 November 2012, starting in a 2–0 away win against Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.[2][3] He scored two goals in 34 matches for the reserves in his last year, playoffs included.[4]

On 3 July 2013, Peña signed a two-year contract with Segunda División club CD Lugo.[5] He made his league debut on 17 August, playing 65 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against CD Numancia,[6] and scored his first goal as a professional on 19 October by netting his team's second in a 3–3 draw at Recreativo de Huelva.[7]

Peña joined Racing de Santander of division three in August 2015, on a two-year deal.[8] On 5 July 2017, he returned to the second tier after agreeing to a two-year contract at AD Alcorcón.[9]

On 17 January 2019, Peña signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Albacete Balompié, still in the second division.[10] On 2 September, he moved to CD Mirandés of the same league on loan for the season.[11]

Upon returning, Peña was a regular starter for Alba as they suffered relegation.[12] On 21 July 2021, he joined second-division newcomers SD Amorebieta.[13]

On 25 August 2022, Peña signed a one-year contract (with an option to extend) with Almere City FC in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.[14] He won promotion to the Eredivisie in his debut campaign via the play-offs, a first-ever for the club in its 22-year history to which he contributed five goals from 31 appearances.[15]

Peña scored his only goal in the Dutch top tier on 17 December 2023, in a 5–0 home victory over SBV Vitesse.[16] His side managed to easily avoid relegation, finishing with 34 points.[17]

On 17 July 2024, Peña joined FC Andorra on a one-year deal with an option to extend.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Álvaro Peña". Diario AS. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Athletic post comfortable Kiryat Shmona win". UEFA. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ^ Martínez, Aitor (1 December 2016). "Álvaro Peña, recuerdos en rojo y blanco" [Álvaro Peña, memories in red and white]. Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. ^ García, Alberto (5 July 2013). "El Lugo reconoce su interés por Isma López y Álvaro Peña" [Lugo acknowledge interest in Isma López and Álvaro Peña]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  5. ^ Del Campo, José Luis (3 July 2013). "Lugo: Álvaro Peña, dos años con los gallegos" [Lugo: Álvaro Peña, two years with the Galicians] (in Spanish). Todo Mercado Web. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Lugo y Numancia firman un pacto de no agresión" [Lugo and Numancia sign pact of no aggression]. Marca (in Spanish). 17 August 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  7. ^ "El Decano salvó un punto tras remontar tres goles 'in extremis'" [The Dean rescued point after coming back from three-goal deficit 'in the nick of time']. Marca (in Spanish). 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  8. ^ Herrero, Sergio (31 August 2015). "Migue García y Álvaro Peña cierran la plantilla" [Migue García and Álvaro Peña complete the squad]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Álvaro Peña, nuevo fichaje de la A.D. Alcorcón" [Álvaro Peña, new signing of A.D. Alcorcón] (in Spanish). AD Alcorcón. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Álvaro Peña se pone la camiseta del Alba" [Álvaro Peña puts the shirt of Alba] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Álvaro Peña, cedido al CD Mirandés" [Álvaro Peña, loaned to CD Mirandés] (in Spanish). CD Mirandés. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  12. ^ Villaescusa, Paco (31 May 2021). "¡¡¡¡18 jugadores no seguirán!!!! Comienza la desbandada" [18 players will not continue!!!! Exodus begins]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Álvaro Peña, décima incorporación de la SD Amorebieta" [Álvaro Peña, tenth addition of SD Amorebieta] (in Spanish). SD Amorebieta. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  14. ^ "City trekt ervaren Spaanse middenvelder Álvaro Peña aan" [City attract experienced Spanish midfielder Álvaro Peña] (in Dutch). Almere City. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  15. ^ Ruiz, Pako (30 June 2023). "Álvaro Peña: "Disfruto como un niño"" [Álvaro Peña: "I'm happy as a kid"] (in Spanish). Onda Vasca. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Almere City vernedert Vitesse (5–0) en stuurt Arnhemmers als hekkensluiter de kerst in" [Almere City humiliate Vitesse (5–0) and send Arnhem team to last place at Christmas] (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  17. ^ "City met geslepen zwaarden richting seizoensopener tegen AZ" [City sharpen their claws heading into season opener against AZ] (in Dutch). Almere City. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Álvaro Peña arriba per sumar forces al mig del camp" [Álvaro Peña arrives to add strength to the midfield] (in Catalan). FC Andorra. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.