Benjamín Zarandona
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamín Zarandona Esono | ||
| Date of birth | 2 March 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Valladolid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Valladolid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1996 | Valladolid B | 30 | (6) |
| 1995–1998 | Valladolid | 86 | (11) |
| 1998–2007 | Betis | 170 | (9) |
| 2005–2006 | → Cádiz (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2007 | Xerez | 2 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Palencia | 13 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Íscar | 16 | (0) |
| 2012 | Cuéllar Balompié | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 332 | (27) | |
| National team | |||
| 1997–1998 | Spain U21 | 3 | (2) |
| 1997 | Spain U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 2006–2009 | Equatorial Guinea | 10 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Benjamín Zarandona Esono (born 2 March 1976), known simply as Benjamín, is an Equatoguinean retired footballer who played as a midfielder.
He spent most of his professional career in Spain, notably with Betis where he remained nine years, winning one Copa del Rey and appearing in 194 official games.
Over the course of 12 seasons, Benjamín amassed La Liga totals of 244 games and 18 goals, also representing in the competition Valladolid and Cádiz.
Club career
Valladolid
Born in Valladolid, Castile and León, Benjamín began his career with Real Valladolid, playing initially for the reserves in Segunda División B. His first-team debut took place on 2 April 1995 in a 0–3 away loss against Real Sociedad, and he would make a further nine La Liga appearances during that season.
The highlight of Benjamín's career at Valladolid was helping the club qualify for the 1997–98 UEFA Cup as seventh in the league,[1] scoring home braces against CD Logroñés (2–1)[2] and Valencia CF (4–1).[3]
Betis
In 1998, Benjamín joined Real Betis, playing in 28 games in his first year and making four appearances in the team's UEFA Cup run, netting twice. Additionally, he spent the 2000–01 campaign helping the Andalusians achieve promotion from Segunda División, alongside neighbours Sevilla FC.
After appearing in 26 league matches in 2004–05, as Betis achieved qualification honours to the UEFA Champions League and lifted the Copa del Rey, Benjamín went on loan to Cádiz CF for the 2005–06 season, and his role at the former would gradually lose importance onwards: he was unregistered for over a year,[4][5] and a mutual termination of his contract was agreed in the summer of 2007.
Later years
Benjamín joined second level side Xerez CD for 2007–08,[6] but lasted only a few months, being released. In September 2008, he signed with CF Palencia from Tercera División, continuing to compete in amateur football until his retirement in June 2013.[7]
International career
In 1998, Benjamín helped the Spanish under-21s win the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. However, in 2004, he switched allegiances and, as his younger brother Iván who also played for Valladolid, opted to represent Equatorial Guinea.[8]
Personal life
Benjamín's father is Basque, and his mother is from Equatorial Guinea. Despite his Basque parentage, he was never approached by Athletic Bilbao nor did he play for Euskadi.[9]
Honours
Club
- Betis
Country
- Spain U21
References
- ↑ Vuelve el 'Europucela' ('Europucela' is back); Mundo Deportivo, 16 June 1997 (Spanish)
- ↑ Vuelve el sueño europeo (The European dream returns); Mundo Deportivo, 24 March 1997 (Spanish)
- ↑ Un paseo el Valladolid (A walk in the park for Valladolid); Mundo Deportivo, 7 April 1997 (Spanish)
- ↑ Benjamín: "Estoy muy triste. Esperaba haber encontrado algo" (Benjamín: "I am very sad. I hoped to have found something"); El Desmarque, 1 September 2006 (Spanish)
- ↑ Benjamín se recupera en Sevilla de un golpe de calor sufrido en Guinea (Benjamín recovers from heat stroke suffered in Guinea in Seville); El Mundo, 27 March 2007 (Spanish)
- ↑ Benjamín deja el paro y tendrá ficha con el Xerez (Benjamín leaves unemployment line and will be registered by Xerez); Marca, 20 September 2007 (Spanish)
- ↑ Entrevista exclusiva a Benjamín Zarandona (Exclusive interview to Benjamín Zarandona) Archived 17 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine.; La Zamarra, 17 December 2012 (Spanish)
- ↑ Equatorial Guinea import success; BBC Sport, 29 May 2007
- ↑ Voluntad de tradición (Will of tradition); El Correo, 27 May 2001 (Spanish)
- ↑ Dani delivers for Betis; UEFA.com, 12 June 2005
- ↑ 1998: Iván Pérez applies finishing touch; at UEFA.com
External links
- Benjamín Zarandona profile at BDFutbol
- Stats and bio at Cadistas1910 (Spanish)
- Benjamín Zarandona at National-Football-Teams.com
- Benjamín Zarandona – FIFA competition record