Santi Cazorla

Lore & Background

Cazorla began his professional career at Villarreal in 2003 after impressing as a youngster with Oviedo, his hometown club, where he was forced to leave due to Oviedo's poor financial situation. He continued his development at Villarreal before a short spell at partner club, Recreativo de Huelva. He was Recreativo Huelva's standout player in the 2006–07 La Liga season, contributing to their top-ten finish and being awarded Spain's Footballer of the Year.

He returned to Villarreal for €1.2 million the following season, becoming a key contributor to the side, regularly being named in the La Liga Team of the Season. In 2011, Cazorla moved to Málaga in a club-record €21 million deal, where he gained a reputation for his speed, shooting accuracy, capacity to change the rhythm of gameplay, and excellent close control. After the 2011–12 season, coupled with Málaga's perilous financial situation, Cazorla moved to Premier League side Arsenal for a fee of £10 million, where he became a core component to the team in his first year at the club, registering thirteen assists, after which he was voted Arsenal Player of the Season, as well as becoming ranked one of the best footballers in Europe.

Cazorla was integral in ending the club's nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial free-kick en route to winning the FA Cup final in 2014. Injuries plagued his latter years with Arsenal. In 2018, Cazorla returned to Villarreal; in his two seasons, he recorded his highest appearance, league goals and assist count since 2015. In 2020, he signed for Qatari club Al Sadd.

Having been strongly linked to Oviedo, as both a lifelong fan, and having bought a significant stake in the club to save it from bankruptcy in 2012, he returned in 2023 on the lowest financial contract possible as to help the club. He played a significant role in the club's return to the La Liga after 24 years in 2025. Cazorla made his senior debut for Spain in a victory against Peru in May 2008, and was a semi-regular participant in the nation's triumphs at UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, as well as featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Chile, and went on to amass 81 appearances and 15 goals for the national side.

Reader's Guide

Club career: Real Oviedo: start of career — Born near Llanera, Asturias, Cazorla grew up supporting local team Real Oviedo, as did his whole family and surroundings. He started playing club football for Oviedo aged 8. Having seen the senior team relegated at 16, he was forced to leave having never played a first-team game, and was acquired by Villarreal, six months before turning 18, as Oviedo, immersed in a deep financial crisis, suffered two relegations at the end of the 2002–03 season which saw it land in Tercera División.

Villarreal — Cazorla progressed through Villarreal's reserve side in the Third Division, before making his debut with the first team on 30 November 2003 in a 1–0 La Liga win at Deportivo de La Coruña, playing one minute in place of Roger, making one more appearance off the bench over the season. He scored his first goal in a 3–0 win at Odense Boldklub in the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup, which the 'Yellow Submarine' went on to win. Established in the main squad in the 2004–05 campaign, Cazorla scored four goals in a run to the quarter-finals of the season's UEFA Cup.

On 1 May 2005, given an opportunity due to Juan Román Riquelme's suspension, he scored his first league goal in a 4–0 win over Getafe at El Madrigal, and followed it a week later with a strike in a 2–0 victory at Málaga. After contributing to an eventual fourth-place finish, he also made two goalless appearances in the following season's UEFA Champions League, where Villarreal were semi-finalists. Recreativo — On 7 July 2006, newly promoted Recreativo de Huelva signed Cazorla for €600,000 on a four-year deal, with a clause in his contract whereby he could return to Villarreal (for €1.2 million), going on to score in his official debut, a 1–1 home draw with Mallorca, on 27 August.

The following 22 April, he dedicated a goal to his father, José Manuel, who had died recently, in a 4–2 home win against Racing de Santander; in the penultimate fixture on 10 June, he struck twice in a 5–2 win at Deportivo de La Coruña. His performances helped the Andalusians finish eighth, and he was named Spain's Player of the Year according to Don Balón, a member of European Sports Magazines, after topping its rating list. Return to Villarreal — The following year, Villarreal took advantage of the clause in Cazorla's contract and bought him back, as the team believed he had proven himself.

Did You Know?

• Cazorla was forced to leave Oviedo at age 17 due to the club's financial crisis, never playing a first-team game for them.
• He was named Spain's Footballer of the Year in 2007 after a standout season with Recreativo de Huelva.
• Cazorla rejected a move to Real Madrid in 2008, stating he felt valued at Villarreal.
• He scored a hat-trick for Arsenal against Reading in his first season at the club.