Spanish footballer and manager
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
Denia and the second or maternal family name is
Sánchez .
Santiago Denia Sánchez (born 9 March 1974), commonly known as Santi , is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender , currently manager of the Spain under-21 national team .
He appeared in 297 La Liga matches over 11 seasons (eight goals scored), with Albacete and Atlético Madrid . He won the 1996 league championship with the latter club.
Club career
Born in Albacete , Castilla–La Mancha , Santi began playing professionally with his hometown side Albacete Balompié . He made his La Liga debut at age 18, and immediately became an undisputed starter as they constantly managed to retain their top-flight status.[ 1] [ 2]
Santi signed for Atlético Madrid in the summer of 1995, being crowned league and Copa del Rey champion in his first season as part of a defensive line which also included youth graduates Juan Manuel López and Roberto Solozábal . He appeared in 37 league matches during the campaign.[ 3] [ 4]
Following Atlético's 2000 relegation (he collected a career-worst 17 yellow cards ),[ 5] Santi gradually lost his importance in the team's plans. In 2004–05 , after the signing of Pablo Ibáñez – who also came from Albacete – he featured in no games at all in the first half of the season, and was subsequently allowed to leave on loan in January 2005 to his first club.[ 6] The move was made permanent in June and he retired after two more years, with Albacete now in the Segunda División .[ 7]
Santi eventually returned to Atlético Madrid in early February 2009, as assistant to newly-appointed Abel Resino who had replaced Javier Aguirre .[ 8] [ 9] He was a caretaker manager for the fixture against RCD Mallorca on 24 October, before the appointment of Quique Sánchez Flores .[ 10]
International career
Santi was capped twice for Spain , his debut coming on 11 October 1997 in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands (3–1 in Gijón , playing the entire match).[ 11] He still featured in a friendly win over Sweden in March 1998,[ 12] but did not make the cut for the finals in France.
Previously, Santi appeared for the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics .[ 13] [ 14] After retiring, he acted as head coach to Spain under-17s [ 15] [ 16] and under-19s ,[ 17] leading the second age group to the UEFA European Championship in 2019 .[ 18]
In December 2022, after Luis de la Fuente was promoted to the full side following Luis Enrique 's resignation, Santi was named the former's replacement at the helm of the under-21s .[ 19]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[ 20]
Club
Season
League
National cup
Europe
Other
Total
Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Albacete
1992–93
La Liga
31
0
7
0
—
—
38
0
1993–94
La Liga
34
0
0
0
—
—
34
0
1994–95
La Liga
33
2
8
0
—
—
41
2
Total
98
2
15
0
—
—
113
2
Atlético Madrid
1995–96
La Liga
37
0
11
0
—
—
48
0
1996–97
La Liga
37
2
3
0
7[ a]
0
—
47
2
1997–98
La Liga
33
3
2
0
8[ b]
1
—
43
4
1998–99
La Liga
30
0
6
0
8[ b]
1
—
44
1
1999–2000
La Liga
28
0
7
0
5[ b]
0
—
40
0
2000–01
Segunda División
23
0
4
0
—
—
27
0
2001–02
Segunda División
15
1
0
0
—
—
15
1
2002–03
La Liga
8
1
3
0
—
—
11
1
2003–04
La Liga
14
0
4
0
—
—
18
0
2004–05
La Liga
0
0
2
0
—
1[ c]
0
3
0
Total
225
7
42
0
28
2
1
0
296
9
Albacete (loan)
2004–05
La Liga
12
0
0
0
—
—
12
0
Albacete
2005–06
Segunda División
21
0
1
0
—
—
22
0
2006–07
Segunda División
5
1
—
—
—
5
1
Total
38
1
—
—
—
39
1
Career total
361
10
58
0
28
3
1
0
448
13
Managerial statistics
As of match played 21 March 2024 [ 21]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team
From
To
Record
Atlético Madrid (caretaker)
24 October 2009
25 October 2009
1
0
1
0
1
1
+0
00 0.00
Spain U17
1 July 2010
24 July 2018
82
42
24
16
141
73
+68
0 51.22
Spain U19
24 July 2018
11 December 2022
37
20
14
3
73
27
+46
0 54.05
Spain U21
12 December 2022
present
17
9
6
2
31
11
+20
0 52.94
Total
137
71
45
21
246
112
+134
0 51.82
Honours
Player
Atlético Madrid
Spain U21
Manager
Spain U17
Spain U19
Spain U21
UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2023 [ 26]
Spain U23
References
^ Carrizo, Juan; Guzmán, Cristóbal (26 November 2020). "El día que Maradona se cruzó con el Albacete" [The day Maradona crossed paths with Albacete]. La Tribuna de Albacete (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Fernández, Xurxo (1 September 2021). "Santi Denia: "Al jugador que esté preparado hay que adelantarle los procesos" " [Santi Denia: "Whenever a footballer is ready the stages must be accelerated"]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Gato, Juan (23 May 2006). " "López me decía: 'disfrútalo'"" ["López used to say: 'enjoy'"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2019 .
^ a b c Moñino, Ladislao Javier (30 November 2012). "Una pareja de centrales crecida" [Growing stopper duo]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 December 2015 .
^ "¿Qué once tenía el Atleti el año del descenso?" [Who started for Atleti the year they got relegated?]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 7 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2024 .
^ "Atlético farewell for Santi" . UEFA. 13 January 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ "Hasta siempre capitán" [Farewell captain]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 17 June 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2013 .
^ "El Atlético de Madrid rescinde el contrato de Aguirre y ficha a Abel Resino" [Atlético de Madrid terminate Aguirre's contract and sign Abel Resino] (in Spanish). Europa Press . 3 February 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ G. Gómara, Javier (3 February 2009). "Santi será el segundo de Abel y Peiró el preparador físico" [Santi will be Abel's assistant and Peiró the physio]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2019 .
^ "El 'sueño' de Santi Denia" [Santi Denia's 'dream']. El Mundo (in Spanish). 23 October 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2013 .
^ Román, Rogelio (12 October 1997). "Luis Enrique ¡aclamado!" [Luis Enrique cheered!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 May 2014 .
^ Galindo, Jesús (26 March 1998). "La selección va que chuta" [National team are a real craze]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Cubero, Cristina (21 July 1996). "Mágico gol de Óscar" [Óscar wonder goal]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Cubero, Cristina (23 July 1996). "Óscar, otra vez vital" [Óscar, crucial again]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ "Santi Denia cita a seis representantes del fútbol valenciano con la Selección Española Sub-17" [Santi Denia calls six members of Valencian football to Spain's Under-17 national team] (in Spanish). Valencian Community Football Federation . 23 February 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Vázquez, Antonio (8 July 2023). "Quién es Santi Denia, nuevo seleccionador de España Sub-21 y sustituto de Luis de la Fuente: a qué equipos ha entrenado y dónde jugó como jugador" [Who is Santi Denia, new Spain Under-21 national team manager and Luis de la Fuente replacement: what teams has he managed and where did he play as player] (in Spanish). Goal . Retrieved 16 October 2023 .
^ "Santi Denia da la lista de convocados para dos amistosos con México" [Santi Denia names squad for two friendlies with Mexico]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 24 August 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ a b Caballero, Nacho (27 July 2019). "España conquista su octavo europeo sub-19" [Spain conquer their eighth under-19 European Championship]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ "Ya hay recambio para Luis de la Fuente al frente de la Sub-21" [We already have a replacement for Luis de la Fuente at the helm of the Under-21s]. La Razón (in Spanish). 9 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
^ Santi Denia at BDFutbol
^ Santi Denia coach profile at Soccerway
^ "Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996" [Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996] (in Spanish). Orgullo Bianconero. 18 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013 .
^ "España, campeona de Europa sub'17" [Spain, under'17 European champions]. Sport (in Spanish). 19 May 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2023 .
^ "España pierde la final ante Portugal en la tanda de penaltis (1–1 /5–4)" [Spain lose final against Portugal in penalty shootout (1–1 /5–4)] (in Spanish). Eurosport . 21 May 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2023 .
^ Furones, Oscar (28 October 2017). "Mundial Sub'17 (final), Inglaterra-España: La remontada más cruel (5–2)" [Under'17 World Cup (final), England-Spain: The cruellest comeback (5–2)] (in Spanish). Eurosport. Retrieved 16 October 2023 .
^ Barco, Jon (8 July 2023). "Un sólo gol de Inglaterra arrebata la sexta Eurocopa sub 21 a España" [Lone England goal snatches sixth under 21 Eurocup from Spain] (in Spanish). Cadena SER . Retrieved 10 July 2023 .
^ Ronay, Barney (9 August 2024). "Camello's extra-time double clinches football gold for Spain against France" . The Guardian . Retrieved 9 August 2024 .
External links
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