Álvaro Medrán

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Medrán and the second or maternal family name is Just.

Álvaro Medrán Just (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈalβaɾo meˈðɾaŋ ˈxust]; born 15 March 1994) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq as a midfielder.

Álvaro Medrán

Medrán with Rayo Vallecano in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Álvaro Medrán Just[1]
Date of birth	(1994-03-15) 15 March 1994 (age 30)[2]
Place of birth	Dos Torres, Spain[2]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Al-Ettifaq
Number	10
Youth career
2004–2005	Don Bosco
2005–2008	Córdoba
2008–2011	Séneca
2011–2013	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2014	Real Madrid C	47	(13)
2014–2015	Real Madrid B	34	(8)
2014–2016	Real Madrid	2	(0)
2015–2016	→ Getafe (loan)	20	(2)
2016–2019	Valencia	17	(2)
2017–2018	→ Alavés (loan)	17	(2)
2018–2019	→ Rayo Vallecano (loan)	21	(3)
2019–2021	Chicago Fire	55	(5)
2022–2024	Al-Taawoun	58	(7)
2024–	Al-Ettifaq	23	(2)
International career
2013	Spain U19	3	(0)
2014	Spain U21	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:22, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

He began his career with Real Madrid, going through the club's academy and later playing five matches with the first team; he was also loaned to Getafe before being released. He signed for Valencia in July 2016, serving loans at Alavés and Rayo Vallecano.

Medrán represented Spain at youth level.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Dos Torres, Province of Córdoba, Medrán joined Real Madrid's youth setup in 2011, aged 17. After being promoted to the C team the following year he played his first match as a senior on 23 February 2014, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 away win against Real Zaragoza for the reserves in the Segunda División.^[3] He scored his first professional goals on 31 May, netting a brace in a 2–1 home victory over CE Sabadell FC.^[4]

Medrán made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 18 October 2014, replacing Luka Modrić in the 79th minute of a 5–0 away rout of Levante UD.^[5] On 9 December, in his UEFA Champions League maiden appearance, he scored his first senior goal for the club after replacing Gareth Bale in the 83rd minute, netting the last in the 4–0 defeat of PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the group stage five minutes later.^[6] Later that month, he was part of the squad that won the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, but did not take to the field.^[7]

On 2 July 2015, Medrán was loaned to Getafe CF in a season-long deal.^[8] He scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 24 April 2016, his team's first in a 2–2 home draw against Valencia CF.^[9] He added another on 15 May, but in a 2–1 loss at Real Betis which ensured top-tier relegation after a 12-year stay.^[10]

Valencia

On 11 July 2016, Medrán signed a four-year deal with Valencia.^[11] On 1 September of the following year, he was loaned to Deportivo Alavés for one season.^[12]

Medrán scored his first goal for the latter club on 30 September 2017, helping the visitors to defeat Levante 2–0.^[13] After the appointment of new manager Abelardo Fernández in December, however, he was rarely played,^[14] which led to the player bursting into tears in a post-match interview following a league fixture at UD Las Palmas in April 2018 where he featured 16 minutes and netted once (4–0).^[15]

On 11 August 2018, Medrán was loaned to fellow top-division club Rayo Vallecano for the campaign.^[16][17]

Chicago Fire

On 10 October 2019, Medrán was announced as a new signing by Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire FC ahead of the upcoming season.^[18] He made his debut the following 1 March, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–1 loss at Seattle Sounders FC.^[19]

Medrán left Soldier Field in November 2021.^[20]

Saudi Arabia

On 28 December 2021, Medrán joined Al Taawoun FC of the Saudi Pro League.^[21] In January 2024, he agreed to a three-and-a-half-year contract at Al-Ettifaq FC in the same country and league.^[22]

International career

Medrán won his only cap for the Spanish under-21s on 12 November 2014, playing the second half of the 1–4 friendly loss to Belgium in Ferrol.^[23]

Career statistics

As of match played 30 December 2023^[24][25]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Real Madrid C	2012–13	Segunda División B	18	3	—		—		18	3
	2013–14		29	10	—		—		29	10
	Total		47	13	0	0	0	0	47	13
Real Madrid B	2013–14	Segunda División	9	2	—		—		9	2
	2014–15	Segunda División B	25	6	—		—		25	6
	Total		34	8	0	0	0	0	34	8
Real Madrid	2014–15	La Liga	2	0	2	0	1[b]	1	5	1
Getafe (loan)	2015–16	La Liga	20	2	0	0	—		20	2
Valencia	2016–17	La Liga	16	2	4	1	—		20	3
	2017–18		1	0	—		—		1	0
	Total		17	2	4	1	0	0	21	3
Alavés (loan)	2017–18	La Liga	17	2	4	0	—		21	2
Rayo Vallecano (loan)	2018–19	La Liga	21	3	1	0	—		22	3
Chicago Fire	2020	Major League Soccer	23	2	—		—		23	2
	2021		32	3	—		—		32	3
	Total		55	5	—		—		55	5
Al-Taawoun	2021–22	Saudi Pro League	14	0	1	0	4[c]	1	19	1
	2022–23	Saudi Pro League	27	6	1	0	—		28	6
	2023–24	Saudi Pro League	17	1	2	1	—		19	2
	Total		58	7	4	1	4	1	66	9
Career total			271	42	15	2	5	2	291	46

1. Includes Copa del Rey, King Cup
2. Appearance in UEFA Champions League
3. Appearances in AFC Champions League

Honours

Real Madrid

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2014^[7]

References

1. "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players: Real Madrid CF" (PDF). FIFA. 15 December 2014. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
2. "Álvaro Medrán". Eurosport. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
3. "El filial madridista deja al Zaragoza fuera de la promoción" [Real Madrid reserves leave Zaragoza out of the promotion places]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
4. "Medrán saca al filial madridista de los puestos de descenso" [Medrán takes Madrid reserves out of the relegation places]. Marca (in Spanish). 31 May 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
5. "Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Real Madrid put five past Levante". ESPN FC. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
6. "Real Madrid set record in Champions League win over Ludogorets". The Guardian. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
7. Sanghera, Mandeep (20 December 2014). "Real Madrid 2–0 San Lorenzo". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
8. Giménez, José Antonio (2 July 2015). "El Getafe cierra las cesiones de Medrán y Velázquez" [Getafe complete the loans of Medrán and Velázquez]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 July 2015.
9. "2–2. El destino se ceba con el Getafe" [2–2. Fate mocks Getafe] (in Spanish). EFE. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
10. Vidal, José Manuel (15 May 2016). "El Getafe no cumple en el Villamarín y desciende tras doce temporadas" [Getafe do not get job done at the Villamarín and get relegated after twelve seasons]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
11. "VCF official statement | Álvaro Medrán". Valencia CF. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
12. "El Deportivo Alavés incorpora a Álvaro Medrán" [Deportivo Alavés add Álvaro Medrán] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
13. Folgado, Salva (30 September 2017). "De Biasi se estrena con victoria ante el Levante y el Alavés por fin puntúa" [De Biasi has winning debut against Levante and Alavés get points at last]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
14. Pancorbo, R. O. (9 March 2018). "Medrán: "No hay que confiarse"" [Medrán: "No overconfidence"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
15. "La desolación de Medrán: de marcar gol a romper a llorar ante las cámaras" [Medrán's misery: from scoring a goal to bursting into tears in front of camera]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
16. Valero, Adrián (11 August 2018). "Medrán llega cedido al Rayo" [Medrán arrives on loan at Rayo]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
17. "Club statement | Álvaro Medrán". Valencia CF. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
18. "Chicago Fire Soccer Club acquire former Real Madrid midfielder Álvaro Medrán". Chicago Fire. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
19. Mood, Abbie (1 March 2020). "Seattle Sounders FC 2, Chicago Fire FC 1 | 2020 MLS Match Recap". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
20. Bogert, Tom (5 November 2021). "Source: Alvaro Medran not returning to Chicago Fire in 2022". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
21. McCraney, Patrick (28 December 2021). "Alvaro Medran to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Taawoun". SB Nation. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
22. Prada, Jon (26 January 2024). "Medrán, el pelotazo de invierno en Arabia: ¡¡¡se va con Gerrard al Al-Ettifaq!!!" [Medrán, the winter bomb in Arabia: he goes to Al-Ettifaq with Gerrard!!!]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2024.
23. Cudeiro, Juan Luis (12 November 2014). "Tsunami belga a la nueva ola española" [Belgian tsunami to the new Spanish wave]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
24. Álvaro Medrán at Soccerway
25. Álvaro Medrán at FBref.com

External links

• Álvaro Medrán at BDFutbol
• Álvaro Medrán at AS.com (in Spanish)