Cifu (footballer, born 1990)

Miguel Ángel Garrido Cifuentes (born 5 October 1990), commonly known as Cifu, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-winger and also right-back for Malaysia Football League club Sabah.

Cifu
Cifu with Girona in 2015
Personal information
Full name Miguel Ángel Garrido Cifuentes
Date of birth (1990-10-05) 5 October 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Zújar, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right-winger, right-back
Team information
Current team
Sabah
Number 9
Youth career
Independiente de Elche
Alicante
Elche
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Torrellano Illice 52 (3)
2011–2012 Orihuela 31 (1)
2012–2015 Elche Ilicitano 33 (1)
2014–2015Girona (loan) 41 (1)
2015–2016 Elche 17 (0)
2016Málaga (loan) 0 (0)
2016–2020 Málaga 61 (4)
2016–2017Girona (loan) 24 (0)
2018Albacete (loan) 9 (0)
2020–2021 Elche 11 (0)
2021–2022 Ibiza 28 (1)
2023 Kelantan 13 (4)
2023– Sabah 6 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 December 2023

Football career

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Born in Zújar, Granada, Andalusia,[1] Cifu graduated from Elche CF's youth setup, and made his senior debut for Torrellano Illice CF (the club's farm team) in Tercera División, in 2009. On 11 August 2011 he joined Orihuela CF in Segunda División B,[2] appearing regularly for the side.

In July 2012 Cifu returned to Elche, being assigned to the reserves in the fourth level.[3] He appeared in 38 matches during his first campaign, scoring once and achieving promotion.

On 17 July 2014 Cifu was loaned to Segunda División's Girona FC, in a season-long deal.[4] On 24 August he made his debut in the competition, starting in a 1–0 home win against Racing de Santander.[5]

Cifu scored his first professional goal on 9 May 2015, netting the last in a 4–2 away win against FC Barcelona B.[6] After his loan expired, he was subsequently assigned to the Valencians' main squad.

On 26 January 2016, as his contract was due to expire in the summer, Cifu was loaned to La Liga side Málaga CF,[7] with a three-year permanent deal being effective at the expiration of the loan.[8] On 15 July, after making no appearances for the Andalusians, he returned to his previous club Girona again in a temporary deal.[9]

On 30 January 2018, Cifu was loaned to Albacete Balompié still in the second division, for six months.[10] Upon returning, he became a regular starter for the Albicelestes, now also in division two.

On 22 September 2020, Cifu terminated his contract with Málaga,[11] and returned to his former side Elche, now in the top tier, on a two-year contract just hours later.[12]

On 20 July 2021, Cifu left Elche and signed a one-year deal with second division newcomers UD Ibiza.[13]

Personal life

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Cifu is part of the Hipster subculture, distinguishing himself with a thick beard and tattoos.[1]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 8 July 2023[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Elche 2010–11 Segunda División 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012–13 Segunda División 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Segunda División 17 0 1 0 18 0
Total 17 0 1 0 0 0 18 0
Orihuela(loan) 2011–12 Segunda División B 30 1 1 0 2[b] 0 33 1
Girona (loan) 2014–15 Segunda División 40 1 0 0 1[c] 0 41 1
Málaga (loan) 2015–16 La Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0
Málaga 2017–18 La Liga 2 0 2 0 4 0
2018–19 Segunda División 24 2 0 0 1[c] 0 25 2
2019–20 Segunda División 34 2 1 0 35 2
Total 60 4 3 0 1 0 64 4
Girona (loan) 2016–17 Segunda División 24 0 1 0 25 0
Albacete (loan) 2017–18 Segunda División 9 0 0 0 9 0
Elche 2020–21 La Liga 11 0 3 0 14 0
Ibiza 2021–22 Segunda División 28 1 0 0 28 1
Kelantan 2023 Malaysia Super League 13 4 2 0 15 4
Sabah 2023 Malaysia Super League 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 233 11 11 0 4 0 248 11
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Malaysia FA Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in Segunda División promotion play-offs
  3. ^ a b Appearance in La Liga promotion play-offs

References

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  1. ^ a b Cifu, el «hipster» del Elche (Cifu, Elche's "hipster"); Diario Información, 12 October 2015 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ El Orihuela cierra el fichaje del extremo Miguel Ángel Garrido (Orihuela completes the signing of winger Miguel Ángel Garrido); Diario Información, 11 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Miguel Ángel afirma que es nuevo jugador del Ilicitano (Miguel Ángel states that he is a player of Ilicitano) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Elche Diario, 13 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ El Girona obtiene la cesión de Miguel Ángel Garrido (Girona gets the loan of Miguel Ángel Garrido); El Mundo Deportivo, 17 July 2014 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Un gol de Felipe Sanchón le basta al Girona (A goal from Felipe Sanchón is enough for Girona); Marca, 25 August 2014 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ El Girona mantiene el pulso por Primera (Girona keeps the momentum for Primera); Marca, 9 May 2015 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Cifu pasa el examen médico y jugará cedido en el Málaga procedente del Elche (Cifu passes medical and will play on loan at Málaga from Elche); El Mundo Deportivo, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ El Málaga ficha a Cifu, lateral derecho del Elche, hasta 2019 (Málaga signs Cifu, Elche's right back, until 2019); Diario AS, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ Cifu, alta velocitat al carril dret (Cifu, high speed to the right flank); Girona FC, 15 July 2016 (in Catalan)
  10. ^ Cifu is loaned out to Albacete Balompié; Málaga CF, 30 January 2018
  11. ^ "Cifuentes deja de pertenecer al Málaga CF" [Cifuentes leaves Málaga CF] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sexto fichaje del Elche CF" [Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sixth signing of Elche CF] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Cifu nuevo jugador del Ibiza" [Cifu new player of Ibiza] (in Spanish). UD Ibiza. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  14. ^ Cifu at BDFutbol
edit
  • Cifu at BDFutbol
  • Cifu at Futbolme (in Spanish)
  • Cifu at Soccerway