Álvaro Arbeloa Coca (born 17 January 1983) is a Spanish World Cup winning football player currently playing for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He is predominantly a right back, although he can play as a central defender. During his return to Real Madrid, he has started most of the games as a left back.
Arbeloa trained with Real Madrid as a youth player, and worked his way up to the first team, making his debut in the 2004–05 season. However, he mostly played for the Real Madrid B team. He moved to Deportivo La Coruña to play first team football in La Liga in 2006, but moved to Liverpool after half a season. He cemented his place in the Liverpool first team and played in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final, which Liverpool lost to Milan in the final. Arbeloa made 93 appearances in his three seasons at the club. He returned to Madrid in 2009 for a fee of £3,500,000.
Internationally, he made his senior debut in 2008 and has played for Spain at UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning the former tournament. Also part of the winning FIFA 2010 World Cup squad.
He married his childhood sweetheart Carlota Ruiz in July 2009, and their daughter, Alba, was born 26 April 2010.
On 1 February 2008, he was called up to the full Spanish national team squad for the first time, to play France in a friendly match in Málaga on 6 February, although he was forced to pull out because of injury. He made his international debut on 26 March against Italy. He was selected for the Spain squad for UEFA Euro 2008, starting the first round match against Greece.
Arbeloa continued in the national team through to the 2009 Confederations Cup, where he helped Spain to the semi-finals. He won the world cup with Spain in 2010 and made one substitute appearance in the tournament.
Arbeloa trained with Real Madrid as a youth player, and worked his way up to the first team, making his debut in the 2004–05 season. However, he mostly played for the Real Madrid B team. He moved to Deportivo La Coruña to play first team football in La Liga in 2006, but moved to Liverpool after half a season. He cemented his place in the Liverpool first team and played in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final, which Liverpool lost to Milan in the final. Arbeloa made 93 appearances in his three seasons at the club. He returned to Madrid in 2009 for a fee of £3,500,000.
Internationally, he made his senior debut in 2008 and has played for Spain at UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning the former tournament. Also part of the winning FIFA 2010 World Cup squad.
He married his childhood sweetheart Carlota Ruiz in July 2009, and their daughter, Alba, was born 26 April 2010.
On 1 February 2008, he was called up to the full Spanish national team squad for the first time, to play France in a friendly match in Málaga on 6 February, although he was forced to pull out because of injury. He made his international debut on 26 March against Italy. He was selected for the Spain squad for UEFA Euro 2008, starting the first round match against Greece.
Arbeloa continued in the national team through to the 2009 Confederations Cup, where he helped Spain to the semi-finals. He won the world cup with Spain in 2010 and made one substitute appearance in the tournament.
