Gaizka Toquero

Gaizka Toquero

Toquero in action for Athletic Bilbao in 2011
Personal information
Full name Gaizka Toquero Pinedo
Date of birth (1984-08-09) 9 August 1984
Place of birth Vitoria, Spain
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Alavés
Number 18
Youth career
2001–2002 Ariznabarra
2002–2003 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Alavés C
2005–2006 Alavés B 29 (2)
2006–2007 Lemona 33 (0)
2007–2008 Sestao 37 (5)
2008–2015 Athletic Bilbao 156 (20)
2008 → Eibar (loan) 16 (4)
2015– Alavés 39 (9)
National team‡
2010– Basque Country 4 (2)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 June 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 December 2012
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Toquero and the second or maternal family name is Pinedo.

Gaizka Toquero Pinedo (born 9 August 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Deportivo Alavés mainly as a forward.

He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 207 competitive games over the course of seven La Liga seasons and scoring 24 goals.

Club career

Early years

Toquero was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava. After a brief youth spell at Real Sociedad, and some years with both reserve teams of Deportivo Alavés, he started playing professionally for SD Lemona in the 2006–07 season, later joining Basque neighbours Sestao River Club (both clubs were in the third division).

While playing for Sestao, Athletic Bilbao showed interested in acquiring Toquero, whom eventually signed him in 2008.[1] After not fitting coach Joaquín Caparrós' plans to play for the Rojiblancos, he was loaned to neighbouring SD Eibar greatly due to new manager Carlos Pouso, who had coached the player before.[2]

Athletic Bilbao

After 15 matches in 2008–09's second level, Toquero was re-called by Athletic on 4 January 2009, making his La Liga debut six days later by appearing as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol.[3] He scored his first goal for the team on 4 March 2009, in a 3–0 Copa del Rey home win against Sevilla FC (4–2 on aggregate)[4] which qualified Athletic to the final: there, he opened the score, albeit in a 1–4 loss to FC Barcelona.[5]

In 2009–10 Toquero, blessed with few technical skills but a tremendous hard-worker, blossomed into a first division player.[6] He started most of the campaign as an offensive complement to Fernando Llorente, and also found the net on several occasions, notably a double against Real Valladolid on 7 March 2010 in a 2–0 home success.[7]

Toquero once again was a regular starter for Athletic during the 2010–11 season. He opened his official goal account on 30 January 2011, netting twice in a 2–0 win at Atlético Madrid.[8] In October of the following year, he renewed his contract – due to expire in June 2013 – for three more years.[9]

Alavés

On 10 July 2015, Toquero cut ties with Athletic[10] and returned to Alavés four days later after agreeing to a two-year deal.[11]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao
Alavés

References

  1. ↑ El Athletic ficha al delantero Gaizka Toquero (Athletic signs forward Gaizka Toquero); El Correo, 21 May 2008 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Toquero: "No había pensado ni en debutar en Primera" (Toquero: "I had never even thought about making debuts in Primera"); Las Provincias, 5 February 2012 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ Iraola adelanta los Reyes (Iraola bring Reyes sooner); Marca, 4 January 2009 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Athletic-Sevilla: Desmelene vasco hacia la final (3–0) (Athletic-Sevilla: Basque go crazy en route to final (3–0)); Diario de Sevilla, 5 March 2009 (Spanish)
  5. ↑ Athletic Bilbao 1–4 Barcelona; ESPN Star Sports, 14 May 2009
  6. ↑ Sacrificio, entrega y valía, el secreto del éxito de Toquero (Sacrifice, hard work and value, Toquero's secret for success); El Desmarque, 20 February 2012 (Spanish)
  7. ↑ Toquero double sinks Valladolid; ESPN Soccernet, 7 March 2010
  8. ↑ Toquero at the double for Athletic; ESPN Soccernet, 30 January 2011
  9. ↑ Gaizka Toquero renueva su contrato con el Athletic hasta 2016 (Gaizka Toquero renews contract with Athletic until 2016); Mundo Deportivo, 11 October 2012 (Spanish)
  10. ↑ Gaizka Toquero's contract terminated; Athletic Bilbao, 10 July 2015
  11. ↑ Gaizka Toquero firma por dos temporadas con el Deportivo Alavés (Gaizka Toquero signs for two seasons with Deportivo Alavés); Deportivo Alavés, 14 July 2015 (Spanish)
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