Tiri (footballer)

José Luis Espinosa Arroyo (born 14 July 1991), known as Tiri, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Indian Super League club Mumbai City.

Tiri
Tiri in 2019
Personal information
Full nameJosé Luis Espinosa Arroyo[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-14) 14 July 1991 (age 32)[1]
Place of birthLos Barrios, Spain
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s)Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Mumbai City
Number4
Youth career
Cádiz
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2009–2012Cádiz B49(0)
2009–2010Cádiz1(0)
2012–2015Atlético Madrid B83(0)
2015ATK13(0)
2016Atlético Madrid B9(0)
2016ATK11(0)
2017Marbella6(0)
2017–2020Jamshedpur48(3)
2020–2023ATK Mohun Bagan38(0)
2023–Mumbai City23(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:04, 4 May 2024 (UTC)

He never played any higher than Segunda División B in his own country, where he made 90 appearances for three clubs. He played over 100 matches in the Indian Super League for ATK, Jamshedpur, ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City, winning the title with the first team in 2016 and the fourth in 2023–24 and being at one point the most-capped foreign player in the history of the competition.[2]

Club career

Cádiz

Born in Los Barrios, Province of Cádiz, Tiri began his career at Cádiz CF.[3] He was mostly associated to the reserves during his spell and only collected two first-team appearances, the first occurring on 10 May 2009 at the age of 17 as he played the final 25 minutes of a 2–1 Segunda División B away win against CD Guadalajara.[4]

On 1 September 2010, Tiri played the full 90 minutes of a 3–1 home defeat of CE L'Hospitalet in the first round of the Copa del Rey, at the Estadio Ramón de Carranza.[5]

Atlético Madrid

Tiri transferred to Atlético Madrid in 2012, being assigned to their B side also in the third tier. He was first choice during his three-year spell, being relegated to Tercera División in his last season.[6]

ATK

On 18 June 2015, Tiri signed for Indian Super League defending champions ATK at the same time as compatriot Jaime Gavilán, joining Borja Fernández and Josemi in the club's Spanish contingent.[7] An unused substitute for their first two matches of the campaign, he made his debut on 7 October by playing the entirety of a 1–1 draw at FC Goa in place of Arnab Mondal, who was away playing internationally for India.[8]

Tiri totalled 1,170 minutes of action, in an eventual elimination in the semi-finals by Chennaiyin FC.[9]

Return to Atlético B

Tiri returned to Atlético Madrid and its B team on 1 February 2016.[10] However, before playing a game for them, on 16 March he agreed terms to go back to Kolkata for the next season.[11]

ATK return

Tiri played 11 matches in his second spell at the Salt Lake Stadium. One of those was in the ISL final, a penalty shootout victory over Kerala Blasters FC on 18 December 2016, thus winning his first league title.[12]

Marbella

On 24 January 2017, Tiri returned to Spain's third division, signing with Marbella FC in his native Andalusia.[13] In the second of his six appearances, he was sent off in a 2–1 home loss to Lorca FC.[14]

Jamshedpur

Tiri returned to the Indian top flight in July 2017, joining expansion team Jamshedpur FC.[15] He played every minute as they finished fifth, one place off the playoffs, and scored in a 3–2 home win against Delhi Dynamos FC on 21 January 2018.[16]

ATK Mohun Bagan

On 12 September 2020, Tiri moved to newly merged ATK Mohun Bagan FC.[17] He made his official debut on 20 November, in a 1–0 away defeat of Kerala Blasters.[18]

Tiri missed the vast majority of the 2022–23 campaign, due to injury.[19]

Mumbai City

On 6 July 2023, Tiri signed a one-year contract with Mumbai City FC as a free agent.[20] He scored his only goal on 4 February 2024 against his former club Jamshedpur, heading from a free kick in a 2–3 home loss.[21] He won his second league title at the end of the season.[22]

Career statistics

As of 4 May 2024
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cádiz B2009–10[23]Tercera División130130
2010–11[23]Tercera División9090
2011–12[23]Tercera División260260
Total480480
Cádiz2009–10[24]Segunda División B1010
2010–11[24]Segunda División B001010
Total101020
Atlético Madrid B2012–13[24]Segunda División B290231
2013–14[24]Segunda División B2502[a]0270
2014–15[24]Segunda División B290290
Total83020850
ATK2015[25]Indian Super League130130
Atlético Madrid B2015–16[23]Tercera División9090
ATK2016[25]Indian Super League110110
Marbella2016–17[23]Segunda División B6060
Jamshedpur2017–18[25]Indian Super League181181
2018–19[25]Indian Super League181181
2019–20[25]Indian Super League121121
Total483483
ATK Mohun Bagan2020–21[25]Indian Super League210210
2021–22[25]Indian Super League170170
2022–23[25]Indian Super League002[b]020
Total38020400
Mumbai City2023–24[25]Indian Super League2315[c]0281
2024–25[25]Indian Super League0000
Total2310050281
Career total280430702904

Honours

ATK

Mumbai City

References