Mikel Arce Hualde (born 15 June 1984) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a forward.

Mikel Arce
Personal information
Full name Mikel Arce Hualde[1]
Date of birth (1984-06-15) 15 June 1984 (age 40)[1]
Place of birth Pamplona, Spain[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Osasuna
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2003 Real Sociedad B
2003–2004 Numancia B
2004–2005 Alfaro
2005 Logroñés
2006 Lemona 1 (0)
2006 Calahorra
2007 Constància
2007–2008 Lourdes 35 (20)
2008–2009 San Jose Earthquakes 0 (0)
2009 12 de Octubre 4 (0)
2009–2010 Lorca Deportiva
2010–2011 Aluvión
2011–2014 Valtierrano
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

edit

Early years

edit

Arce was born in Pamplona, Navarre. After graduating from CA Osasuna's youth academy he spent the entirety of his Spanish career in the lower leagues;[2] he appeared only once in the Segunda División B, as a second-half substitute in SD Lemona's 3–0 away win against Marino de Luanco.[3][4]

In the 2007–08 season, Arce scored 20 Tercera División goals for CD Lourdes. Subsequently, he signed for Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes.[5][6]

Paraguay

edit

In the following transfer window, Arce he moved teams and countries again, joining 12 de Octubre Football Club[7][8] for whom he featured in the Paraguayan Primera División[9] as the first Spaniard ever in the competition following the creation of the Paraguayan Football Association.[10] Previously, he had a trial with Olimpia Asunción in the same country.[11]

Arce said of his spell in Paraguay, compared to that of the United States, that he thought he would have an easier time adapting because he spoke the same language as the natives. However, he found that the challenge of learning Guarani was the equivalent of switching from Spanish to Basque in his homeland.[8]

Later career

edit

In the summer of 2009, Arce returned to Spain and resumed his career in the lower divisions and amateur football.[12][13][14]

Personal life

edit

In October 2012, in a Beauty King and Queen contest held in Villarrobledo, Arce finished in third position, being elected Best Spanish Body in the process.[15][16]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Mikel Arce at BDFutbol
  2. ^ "Del Río aterriza en Alaior y Arce está a la espera de la baja" [Del Rio lands at Alaior and Arce is waiting for his release] (in Spanish). Info Balear. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ "El Lemona concluye la liga dándose un festín de goles" [Lemona end league with goal feast]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 29 May 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  4. ^ "El español Mikel Arce, a prueba en el Olimpia paraguayo" [Spaniard Mikel Arce, on trial at Paraguay's Olimpia]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 January 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Earthquakes add young Spaniard Arce". Goal. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Quakes sign Spanish FW Mikel Arce". Major League Soccer. August 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  7. ^ "El español Arce lleva su acento a Itauguá" [Spaniard Arce takes his accent to Itauguá]. ABC Color (in Spanish). 20 January 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b Rubio, Alberto (7 February 2009). "Mikel Arce: "Mi llegada a Paraguay ha supuesto un revuelo mediático"" [Mikel Arce: "My arrival in Paraguay was a media uproar"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  9. ^ "12 de Octubre 0–1 Sportivo Luqueño"., "Sol de América 1–2 12 de Octubre". and "12 de Octubre 1–0 Rubio Ñú" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Un 'galáctico' de paso por el fútbol paraguayo" [The spell of a 'galactic' in Paraguayan football]. Hoy (in Spanish). 13 December 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  11. ^ "El español Mikel Arce se entrena a prueba con el Olimpia paraguayo" [Spaniard Mikel Arce on trial at Paraguay's Olimpia] (in Spanish). Fútbol Red. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  12. ^ Re, Pedro (28 November 2009). "Mikel Arce sigue gafado en el Lorca; primero se retrasó su inscripción y ahora cae lesionado" [Mikel Arce's Lorca jinx continues; first his registration was delayed and now he falls to injury]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Murcia. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  13. ^ "Mikel Arce vuelve a casa para fichar por el Aluvión" [Mikel Arce returns home to sign for Aluvión] (in Spanish). Navarra Fútbol Clic. 7 January 2011. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  14. ^ Astráin, Fermín (23 January 2013). "Mikel Arce volvió a jugar con el Valtierrano tras cuatro meses" [Mikel Arce returned to play with Valtierrano four months later]. Diario de Navarra (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Mikel Arce (Valtierrano) aspira a Rey de la Belleza" [Mikel Arce (Valtierrano) poised for Beauty King] (in Spanish). Navarra Fútbol Clic. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  16. ^ Astráin, Fermín (23 October 2012). "Mikel Arce, elegido el mejor cuerpo de España" [Mikel Arce, elected best body in Spain]. Diario de Navarra (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 July 2014.
edit