Iván Zarandona

Iván Zarandona Esono (born 30 August 1980) is a sports agent and former footballer. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he also played as a central defender.

Iván Zarandona
Zarandona with Hong Kong Rangers in 2014
Personal information
Full nameIván Zarandona Esono
Date of birth (1980-08-30) 30 August 1980 (age 43)
Place of birthValladolid, Spain
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1997–1998Valladolid
1998–1999Extremadura
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1999–2000Mallorca B2(0)
2000–2001Ferriolense
2001–2002Mallorca B27(1)
2002–2003Betis B24(1)
2003–2004Caravaca
2004–2005Valladolid15(0)
2005Rayo Vallecano9(2)
2006Zamora2(0)
2006Murcia B
2006Los Palacios
2007–2008Pájara Playas52(3)
2008–2010Leganés60(4)
2010–2011Jaén32(4)
2011–2012Lugo18(0)
2012–2013Noja43(2)
2014–2015Hong Kong Rangers10(0)
2015–2016Burgos26(1)
2016–2017Palencia14(0)
2017Atlético Astorga14(1)
2017–2019Tropezón69(16)
Total417+(35+)
International career
1998Spain U181(1)
2003–2017Equatorial Guinea35(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He spent the better part of his career in Spain, representing Valladolid at the professional level.

Born in Spain, Zarandona was a member of the Equatorial Guinea national team.

Club career

Born in Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain, Zarandona spent the vast majority of his career in the lower leagues of that country, having a Segunda División stint with Real Valladolid in the 2004–05 season where he played less than half of the games.[1]

Rarely settling with a club, he also represented CF Extremadura, CD Ferriolense, RCD Mallorca B, Real Betis B, Caravaca CF, Rayo Vallecano, Zamora CF, Real Murcia Imperial, UD Los Palacios, UD Pájara Playas de Jandía, CD Leganés, Real Jaén,[2] CD Lugo, SD Noja and Burgos CF.[1] In the Segunda División B, he totalled 309 matches for several teams.[3]

International career

Zarandona played for the Spain under-18 team[4] but, in June 2003, FIFA allowed him to change his national association. This rule originally applied only for under-21 players not yet capped for senior sides, but FIFA also allowed overage ones to apply until December 2004.

Zarandona started representing his "new nation", Equatorial Guinea, in October 2003, in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification first round tie loss against Togo.[5]

Personal life

Zarandona's father was Basque, and his mother was from Equatorial Guinea. His older brother Benjamín successfully represented Valladolid, Real Betis and the Spain under-21 team, before switching to Equatorial Guinea at senior level.[6]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 April 2015
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mallorca2001–02[7]La Liga001010
Betis B2002–03[7]Segunda División B241241
Valladolid2004–05[7]Segunda División15060210
Rayo Vallecano2005–06[7]Segunda División B9220112
Zamora2005–06[7]Segunda División B200020
Pájara Playas2006–07[7]Segunda División B191001[a]0201
2007–08[7]Segunda División B33200332
Total5220010533
Leganés2008–09[7]Segunda División B283002[b]0303
2009–10[7]Segunda División B32110331
Total6041020634
Jaén2010–11[7]Segunda División B32410334
Lugo2011–12[7]Segunda División B180105[b]0240
Noja2012–13[7]Segunda División B29120311
2013–14[7]Segunda División B14100141
Total43220452
Hong Kong Rangers2013–14[8]Hong Kong First Division League402060
2014–15[8]Hong Kong Premier League6040100
Total10060160
Career total265162008029316

International

Score and result list Equatorial Guinea's goal tally first, score column indicates score Zarandona goal.
International goal scored by Iván Zarandona
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
112 June 2016Stade de l'Amitié, Cotonou, Benin  Benin1–11–22017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification[9]

References