Fernando Llorente

Fernando Llorente

Personal information
Full name	Fernando Llorente Torres
Date of birth	February 26, 1985 (1985-02-26) (age 25)
Place of birth	Pamplona, Spain
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Athletic Bilbao
Number	9
Youth career
1995–1996	FC Funes
1996–1997	River Ebro
1997–2003	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2004	Baskonia	33	(12)
2004–2005	Bilbao Athletic	16	(4)
2005–	Athletic Bilbao	167	(47)
National team‡
2003	Spain U17	3	(2)
2005	Spain U20	4	(5)
2005–2006	Spain U21	9	(5)
2008–	Spain	9	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 August 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 July 2010

Fernando Llorente Torres (Spanish pronunciation: [ferˈnando ʎoˈɾente]; born February 26, 1985) is a Spanish World Cup-winning professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain's first division, as a striker.

Club career

Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Llorente joined Athletic de Bilbao's youth system in 1996, at the age of 11, being eligible through his Navarrese roots. He spent several seasons in the various junior levels of the club, moving in 2003 to CD Baskonia of the fourth category,^[1] effectively an Athletic youth team, and also a feeder club since 1997.

Llorente scored 12 goals in 33 appearances for Baskonia, paving way for his promotion to Bilbao Athletic, Athletic's reserve team, then in Segunda División B.^[2]

After featuring in 16 games and scoring four goals for the Bilbao Athletic in the first half of season, Llorente was awarded with a contract extension until June 2008.^[3] On January 16, 2005, he made his first-team debut in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol.^[4] Three days later, in a Spanish Cup match with UD Lanzarote, Llorente scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 victory,^[5] and would go on to feature in all but five of the 19 remaining league games while scoring three goals, and also featuring in four Cup matches and the UEFA Cup game against FK Austria Wien.

Before the 2005–06 season, Llorente's squad number was promoted from number 32 to 9.^[6] He scored in the opening day, a Basque derby 3–0 victory against Real Sociedad.^[7] Throughout the season, Llorente found goals hard to come by, which could be partly attributed to a series of injuries including a knee strain,^[8] gastroenteritis,^[9] and a muscle injury.^[10] He ended the season with just four goals, two in the league and as much in the Cup, against CE L'Hospitalet.^[11]

On July 13, 2006, Llorente signed a new contract with Athletic until June 2011, which included a buy-out clause of between €30 and 50 million.^[12] He started the season as arguably the club's fourth-choice striker, behind Aritz Aduriz, Joseba Etxeberria and veteran Ismael Urzaiz. Athletic's poor form and lack of goals led to then-coach Félix Sarriugarte into rotating the players, allowing Llorente to force his way back into the side. Llorente ended the season with only two goals in 23 matches, although he did score an important goal in the closing minutes of a 1–1 away draw with Valencia CF.

In preparation for the 2007–08 season, Llorente scored six goals in as many pre-season games, and another against CD Numancia in the Caja Duero Trophy. His form led to him becoming Athletic's first-choice forward, and although he started the season poorly, he ended it with a total of 11 league goals for a side that finished in mid-table. His tally included four goals in two games against Valencia, both impressive wins,^[13][14] and further strikes against FC Barcelona,^[15] Villarreal CF^[16] and Atlético de Madrid.^[17]

Prior to 2008–09, Llorente was confident of a successful season. "I know that I am capable of scoring goals and having a good year and I want to start this term in the same form that I ended the last one in" he said.^[18] Despite Athletic's modest start to the season, he netted 14 league goals - a career-best - with another four in the Cup, helping his team reach the final against Barcelona (1–4 loss).

In the 2009–10 season, Llorente again netted in double figures; additionally, he led all scorers in the Europa League for a lengthy period, with eight goals. He added 14 in the league as Athletic finished in eighth position.

On 28 August 2010, Llorente scored the first goal of 2010–11, in a 1–0 win at Hércules CF.

International career

Llorente represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. His five goals led him to win the silver boot as the competition's second highest scorer,^[19] and he was also capped at under-18 and u-19 levels.

On November 14, 2008, senior national team manager Vicente del Bosque called Llorente for a friendly against Chile.^[20] He was brought on as a substitute in the 72nd minute of a 3–0 win.^[21] He scored his first goal in a 2–0 friendly win over England, on 11 February 2009, coming on from the bench to score in the 64th minute.^[22] netting the second at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, with a low finish against hosts South Africa.^[23] He was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in South Africa, playing in one match for the eventual champions: the last 30 minutes of the 1–0 round of 16 win against Portugal.

Additionally, Llorente was called several times by the Basque Country national football team. He scored one goal for the tricolor in a match against Catalonia at the Camp Nou, in 2006.

International goals

Llorente (right, with number 16, marked by Peter Crouch) moments before his first goal for the Spanish national team.

Fernando Llorente: International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	February 11, 2009	Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla, Spain	England	2–0	2–0	Friendly
2	June 20, 2009	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa	South Africa	2–0	2–0	2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	May 28, 2010	Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, Austria	Saudi Arabia	3–2	3–2	Friendly

Club statistics

All stats correct as of May 2, 2010.^[24]

Honours

Club

• Spanish Cup: Runner-up 2008–09
• Spanish Supercup: Runner-up 2009

Country

• FIFA World Cup: 2010
• FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009
• UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup: 2003

Individual

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Silver boot 2005

References

External links

• Athletic Bilbao profile
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Fernando Llorente - FIFA competition record
• 2010 FIFA World Cup profile
• Profile at Rincón de Soto's official website

Spain Squads Spain squad – 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Third Place 1 Casillas (c) • 2 Albiol • 3 Piqué • 4 Marchena • 5 Puyol • 6 Pablo • 7 Villa • 8 Xavi • 9 F. Torres • 10 Fàbregas • 11 Capdevila • 12 Busquets • 13 López • 14 Alonso • 15 Ramos • 16 Llorente • 17 Güiza • 18 Riera • 19 Arbeloa • 20 Cazorla • 21 Silva • 22 Mata • 23 Reina • Coach: del Bosque Spain squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Casillas (c) • 2 Albiol • 3 Piqué • 4 Marchena • 5 Puyol • 6 Iniesta • 7 Villa • 8 Xavi • 9 F. Torres • 10 Fàbregas • 11 Capdevila • 12 Valdés • 13 Mata • 14 Alonso • 15 Ramos • 16 Busquets • 17 Arbeloa • 18 Pedro • 19 Llorente • 20 Martínez • 21 Silva • 22 Navas • 23 Reina • Coach: Del Bosque