Esekiel Garay is a famous Argentinean footballer, Olympic champion and silver medalist at the World Cup. Known for his performances for Real Madrid, Benfica and Zenit. Now stands for the Spanish “Valencia".
Biographical data
Garay Esekiel Marcelo was born in October 1986 in the third largest city in Argentina - Rosario. Here, the future Olympic champion began to play football.
As a child, Ezekiel, like most boys, dreamed of the glory of a striker, so he first trained as a striker. Subsequently, he radically changed his role and became the central defender.
The beginning of a professional career
At the age of 18, the football player Ezekiel Garay made his first debut in the Example of Argentina. At that time, he defended the colors of the team in his hometown, Newells Old Boys. In his debut season with this club, the football player became the champion of the country, although he went on the field in only two matches.
In the next championship Garay got more playing time. He played in 13 fights and scored 1 goal.
After a successful game at the World Youth Championship, the Argentine defender was picked up by European club breeders. In the end, he signed a contract with the Spanish Racing.
European career stage
For six months, Esekiel Garay fully acclimatized to the new team. Starting from the 2006/07 season, he became a player in the starting lineup of the Santander team. I especially remember the match with Real Madrid, in which the defender scored two penalties and brought victory to his team. In total, “Racing” Garay spent two seasons, played in 61 games and scored 14 goals.
In 2008, an Argentinean footballer signed a contract with Real Madrid. However, the young defender was leased back to Racing, where he spent another good season.
A year after signing the contract, Esekiel Garay made his debut with Real Madrid. That season he played in 20 fights and scored one goal.
Everything changed with the arrival of Jose Mourinho at the Royal Club . Esekiel Garay increasingly remained on the bench, which did not suit the promising defender. As a result, in 2011, the Argentinean was sold to the Portuguese Benfica for 5.5 million euros.
In the Lisbon club Esekiel Garay immediately won a place in the first team. For the three seasons spent in Benfica, he became the champion of Portugal, the owner of the Cup and twice - the Super Bowl of the country. In 128 matches, the defender scored 12 goals scored.
In 2014, Garay moved to Zenit for 6 million euros. As part of the St. Petersburg team, the Argentine defender spent two and a half seasons. During this time, he became the champion of Russia, and also won the Cup of the country and twice won the Super Bowl. In 75 matches held, the Argentine defender scored 3 goals.
In September 2016, Esekiel Garay transferred to Valencia for 20 million euros. In the first match for the new team, he scored against Betis.
Team appearances
For the first time, Garay received a call to the Argentine national team at 17. As part of the junior team at the World Championships in Finland, he spent 6 matches, in which he scored 2 goals. As a result of the tournament, he became a bronze medalist.
In 2005, the defender went with the youth team to the World Cup in Holland. At this championship, Argentina, in which future world football stars Lionel Messi, Pablo Sabaleta and Sergio Aguero shone, was the strongest team and deservedly won first place.
In 2008, Garay as part of the Olympic team went to Beijing. Here he spent all 6 matches and became the gold medalist of the tournament.
In 2012, the defender made his debut in the national team. In 2014, at the World Cup in Brazil, Garay and his team reached the final, where the Argentines lost to the Germans. The player won another silver award the following year at the America's Cup in Chile.