Rafael "Rafa" Carlos Santacruz Aragonés (born 27 January 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central defender.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rafael Carlos Santacruz Aragonés | ||
| Date of birth | 27 January 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Córdoba, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Valladolid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2004 | Valladolid B | ||
| 2004–2005 | Valencia B | 25 | (2) |
| 2005 | Valencia | 1 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Real Madrid C | 30 | (9) |
| 2006–2007 | Real Madrid B | 17 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Ceuta | 29 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Linares | 32 | (4) |
| 2009–2010 | Conquense | 28 | (3) |
| 2010–2011 | Albacete | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | Hospitalet | 11 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Puertollano | 20 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | Pozoblanco | 22 | (3) |
| 2013–2015 | Lucena | 62 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | Ciudad Lucena | 22 | (6) |
| 2016–2017 | Pozoblanco | 33 | (3) |
| 2017–2019 | Atlético Porcuna | 58 | (9) |
| 2019–2021 | Pozoblanco | 40 | (7) |
| 2021–2024 | Atlético Espeleño | 41 | (4) |
| International career | |||
| 1999 | Spain U16 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 May 2024 | |||
Club career
editSantacruz was born in Córdoba, Andalusia. After starting out at Real Valladolid Promesas, he joined Valencia CF's reserves. On 10 April 2005, he made his only La Liga appearance with the latter's first team, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 home draw against Málaga CF.[1]
Subsequently, Santacruz spent one season apiece for Real Madrid's C and B sides, suffering relegation from Segunda División with the latter in 2007. After that, he returned to Segunda División B and represented in quick succession AD Ceuta, CD Linares and UB Conquense.[2]
In the summer of 2010, the 27-year-old Santacruz went back to division two, signing for Albacete Balompié.[3] In the following transfer window, however, he left without one single official appearance and resumed his career in the third tier. He retired well into his 30s, having competed in the Tercera División[4] and the Andalusian regional leagues.[5]
References
edit- ^ Valencia 2–2 Málaga; ESPN Soccernet, 10 April 2005
- ^ Balderas, Miguel Ángel (26 November 2013). "La última plantilla que descendió con el Castilla. ¿Qué fue de ellos?" [The last squad to be relegated with Castilla. What happened to them?] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ El Albacete confirma los fichajes del delantero Asen y del defensa Santacruz (Albacete confirm signings of forward Asen and defender Santacruz); Marca, 14 July 2010 (in Spanish)
- ^ Rafa Santacruz volverá a vestir la elástica del Club Deportivo Pozoblanco (Rafa Santacruz will don Club Deportivo Pozoblanco jersey again); Hoy al Día, 10 July 2016 (in Spanish)
- ^ El Porcuna se aprovecha del Oriente, que no arranca (Porcuna take advantage of Oriente, who do not get it started); Ideal, 24 September 2018 (in Spanish)
External links
edit- Rafa Santacruz at BDFutbol
- Rafa Santacruz at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
- Rafa Santacruz at Soccerway