 Coentrão in action for Real Madrid in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fábio Alexandre da Silva Coentrão | ||
| Date of birth | 11 March 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Vila do Conde, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Wingback | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Real Madrid | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2006 | Rio Ave | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2007 | Rio Ave | 29 | (5) |
| 2007–2011 | Benfica | 52 | (2) |
| 2008 | → Nacional (loan) | 16 | (4) |
| 2008 | → Zaragoza (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Rio Ave (loan) | 16 | (3) |
| 2011– | Real Madrid | 40 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005 | Portugal U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Portugal U19 | 6 | (5) |
| 2007 | Portugal U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Portugal U21 | 8 | (6) |
| 2009– | Portugal | 43 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:52, 2 November 2013 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:00, 19 November 2013 (UTC) | |||
Fábio Alexandre da Silva Coentrão (born 11 March 1988) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid in Spain, and the Portuguese national team. Mainly a left back he can also operate as a left winger, and occasionally as a defensive midfielder.
After starting playing professionally with Rio Ave, he signed for Benfica at 19, going on to be loaned several times before becoming an important member of the first team, as a left-back. In 2011 he joined Real Madrid.
A Portuguese international since 2009, Coentrão represented the nation in one World Cup and oneEuropean Championship.
Club career
Rio Ave
Born in Vila do Conde, Coentrão joined hometown Rio Ave F.C. in 2004 at the age of 16, playing three first division games in the following season for a northern side that would be relegated from the top division. In the 2006–07 campaign he established himself as first-choice, as Rio Ave barely missed promotion back and had a good run in the Cup of Portugal, ended by Sporting Clube de Portugal with a 2–1 win in Lisbon, with him scoring his team's goal from 30 metres; whilst playing for the club, he earned the nickname "Figodas Caxinas."
After that season, where he was voted the divisions' Breakthrough Player of the Year,[1] many clubs showed interest in Coentrão, most notably Sporting Clube de Portugal and S.L. Benfica, with Coentrão choosing the Encarnados (reds) on July 2007. His playing style was likened to that of Arjen Robben byWorld Soccer Magazine in their 50 World Talents 2007 issue.
Benfica
On 1 January 2008, having received insignificant playing opportunities at Benfica, Coentrão joinedMadeira's C.D. Nacional, loaned until the season's end. On 3 May, he scored twice in a 3–0 away success against already crowned league champions F.C. Porto.
Coentrão came close to signing with Eredivisie's Feyenoord during the 2008 off-season, with reports of a one-year loan deal being announced on the Internet.[2] Two days later, however, he joined Real Zaragoza, freshly relegated into Spain's second level.[3] After almost no appearances during the campaign, however, he returned to Portugal and Rio Ave in January 2009, still owned by Benfica; on 15 February he scored after an individual effort, albeit in a 1–3 loss at Porto.
In the 2009 summer Coentrão extended his contract with Benfica until 2015, with a release clause of €30 million.[4] On 2 December, having played some matches for Benfica as a left defender, he scored his first goal in European competition, against FC BATE Borisov of Belarus in a 2–1 away win for the UEFA Europa League group stage.[5]
On 10 February 2010, Benfica sold 20% of Coentrão's economic rights on any future transfer to a third party owner, Benfica Stars Fund, along with other teammates. He was tagged at €15 million, with the fund paying €3 million.[6] During that season, he had a breakthrough year, appearing in a total of 43 official games (2,851 minutes), as the club won the league and the Portuguese League Cup; he ended the season in style, as he was voted Portuguese League Breakthrough Player of the Year.[7]
On 27 September 2010, fully established with both his club and the national team, 22-year old Coentrão extended his contract with Benfica until 2016.[8][9] On 2 November he scored his first career brace, helping to a 4–3 home win against Olympique Lyonnais for the season's UEFA Champions League group stage – in a 67-minute fast break, he combined with Carlos Martins to make it 4–0 for the hosts.[10]
Real Madrid
On 5 July 2011, after extensive negotiations, Benfica and Real Madrid reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Coentrão, who signed a six-year contract the same day, for €30m –[11][12]Ezequiel Garaywent in the other direction as part of the deal.[13] He made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Los Angeles Galaxy on the 16th, creating an assist for Karim Benzema and also receiving Man of the matchhonours.[14] His first two official games were against FC Barcelona for the season's Spanish Supercup: in the first leg, he replaced Sami Khedira in the second half of a 2–2 home draw and played as a defensive midfielder, and he started as left back in the second match, a 2–3 loss at the Camp Nou.
Coentrão made his La Liga debut on 28 August 2011 against former club Zaragoza, appearing as a central midfielder in a 6–0 away win (90 minutes played).[15] While he played mostly in these positions, he was also deployed by manager José Mourinho as a right defender, against Sporting de Gijón on 3 December[16] and against Barcelona the following week.[17]
In the last minutes of the second matchday in the 2012–13 season, Coentrão was sent off after insultingreferee Pérez Lasa whilst on the substitutes bench, in an eventual 1–2 loss at Getafe CF. He subsequently received a four-match ban.[18]
Coentrão scored his first goal with Real Madrid on 16 December 2012, netting after an assist from Cristiano Ronaldo to help the hosts come from behind against RCD Espanyol, as the game eventually ended 2–2.[19] On 2 September of the following year, Manchester United launched a late loan bid for him on transfer deadline day. It was accepted by the Spaniards, but the deal fell through when they failed to secure a replacement in Guilherme Siqueira fromGranada CF, who subsequently joined Benfica on loan.[20]
International career
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An international for Portugal at youth level,[21] Coentrão was voted MVP in the 2007 Madeira Cup for the U-20s,[22] also being crowned the competition's topscorer. Subsequently, he represented the nation in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup[23] and, also during that year, made his U-21 debuts.
After consistent performances at Benfica, although he started rarely in the early 2009–10, Coentrão earned his first senior call-up in November 2009, for the decisive 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification playoffs against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and made his debut in the first leg on 14 November at the Estádio da Luz, playing the second half of the 1–0 win.
Coentrão was chosen for Carlos Queiroz's squad of 23 for the final stages in South Africa, starting as left back ahead of another adapted player, Duda. He played in all the matches in Portugal's eventual round-of-16 exit.
On 10 August 2011 Coentrão scored his first international goal, netting through a rare header in a 5–0 win over Luxembourg. He played all the games and minutes at UEFA Euro 2012, acting as left defender as Portugal reached the semifinals.
