Table of Contents
- Former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo has announced the end of his footballing career
- While announcing his retirement via the social media platform X, the 39-year-old expressed his gratitude to the football world
On March 6, former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo announced the end of his footballing career. The 39-year-old distinguished forward last played for Spanish side Real Valladolid during the 2023/24 season and has since been a free agent.
Negredo’s decision to hang his boots comes at a time when he is preparing for a new chapter as he is currently undergoing his coaching internship with the youth team of Sevilla. While announcing his retirement via the social media platform X, the former Spain international expressed his gratitude to the football world.
“Thank you for everything, football.” Negredo said on a video posted on his official X (former Twitter) page of him hanging up a pair of boots on a hook.
Alvaro Negredo. Photo/ Sky Sports.
The distinguished forward enjoyed a nomadic career which also included spells at his boyhood club Rayo Vallecano, Almeria, Sevilla, Valencia, UD Almeria, Middlesbrough, Al-Nasr, Besiktas and Cadiz. Some of his achievements include winning the English Premier League, Football League and Copa del Rey. Also, he was part of Spain’s squad that won the UEFA European Championship in 2012, making appearances in two matches.
Over the course of his career, Negredo played a total of 755 matches and scored 290 goals. With the national team, he played 21 games and scored 10 goals.
How Old Is Alvaro Negredo?
Negredo was born on August 20, 1985, making him 39 years old as of the time of his retirement. He was born in Spain’s capital city Madrid, in a family with history in football. His two older brothers, Cesar and Ruben, have also played the game at professional level but never went past the third division of Spanish football.
What Teams Did Negredo Play For?
Alvaro Negredo started his football career at the youth team of Escuela Fútbol A.F.E. He then secured a transfer to Rayo Vallecano where he completed his youth development.
Negredo was handed his senior debut in early 2005 after impressing the manager while still playing with the junior team. That same year, he was signed by Real Madrid and spent two years playing for the Los Blancos’ second team.
During the 2007 summer transfer window, Negredo was sold to newly promoted La Liga side UD Almeria. The forward spent two seasons at Almeria and caught the attention of top clubs with his goalscoring prowess. However, it was Real Madrid who exercised their buyback clause, which saw him return to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid then sold Negredo to Sevilla, where he turned out to be one of the finest forwards in Europe. With the Spanish side, he won the Copa del Rey in his debut season (2009-10). He was acquired by Manchester City in 2013 but returned to Spain after one season on a loan deal at Valencia.
Negredo spent the last years of his career playing for Middlesbrough, Besiktas, Al-Nasr, Cadiz and lastly Valladolid.
Did Negredo Win The Premier League?
Yes! Negredo was part of Manchester City’s squad that won the English Premier League side at the end of the 2013/14 season.
Alvaro Negredo (L) won the Premier League with Manchester City. Photo/ Premier League.premier
The Spaniard joined City in the summer of 2013 for a reported fee of £16.4 million plus bonuses. After signing a four-year deal, he made his Premier League debut on August 19, as a substitute for David Villa. He scored his first goal six days later in a 3-2 loss at Cardiff City. He then scored his first goal at home during City’s 2-0 win over Hull City.
Negredo scored his first hat-trick for Manchester City in a UEFA Champions League match against PFC CSKA Moscow, helping the Cytizens secure a 5-2 group stage win. Interestingly, that was the first time that a City player had scored a hat-trick.
Negredo produced some mind blowing performances to help City win the Football League Cup, including a hat-trick in a 6-0 thrashing of West Ham United in the first leg of the semi-finals. The Spaniard didn’t score a single goal in the second half of the season but still ended the campaign with 23 goals.
