Albert Roca

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

Albert Roca Pujol (born 20 October 1962) is a Spanish professional football manager and former footballer. He currently works as the Technical Consultant for Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC.^[1]

Albert Roca

Roca during his coaching spell with Barcelona
Personal information
Full name	Albert Roca Pujol
Date of birth	(1962-10-20) 20 October 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth	Granollers, Spain
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Bengaluru FC (technical consultant)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1982–1983	Hospitalet	21	(1)
1983–1984	Sabadell	34	(0)
1984–1986	Zaragoza B	67	(2)
1986	Zaragoza	1	(0)
1986–1987	Sabadell	26	(1)
1987–1988	Zaragoza	4	(0)
1988–1990	Atlético Madrileño	55	(3)
1990–1992	Palamós	17	(0)
Total		225	(7)
Managerial career
1997–1998	Europa (assistant)
1998–1999	Europa
1999–2000	Manlleu
2001–2003	Sabadell (assistant)
2003–2008	Barcelona (assistant)
2009–2010	Galatasaray (assistant)
2011–2013	Saudi Arabia (assistant)
2014–2015	El Salvador
2016–2018	Bengaluru
2020	Hyderabad
2020–2021	Barcelona (assistant)
2023–	Bengaluru (Technical Consultant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Roca spent most of his career with clubs in his native region, starting out at CE L'Hospitalet in the Segunda División B. In 1984 he signed for Real Zaragoza, being assigned to the B team also in that league and helping them promote to the Segunda División in his first season.

Roca's input at the professional level consisted of 75 games and three goals in the second tier with Zaragoza B, Atlético Madrid B and Palamós CF, and 31 matches and one goal in La Liga with Zaragoza and CE Sabadell CF. He scored his only goal in the latter competition on 8 March 1987, in a 3–1 away loss against RCD Español whilst playing for the latter side.^[2]

Roca retired at the end of the 1991–92 campaign, aged 29.

Coaching career

Roca began working as a head coach in 1998, at CE Europa in the Tercera División. He won the Copa Catalunya against FC Barcelona, before switching to neighbouring club AEC Manlleu the following year.^[3]

In 2001, Roca joined Sabadell's coaching staff, leaving two years later for Barcelona under newly appointed Frank Rijkaard. The pair went on to work together at Galatasaray SK and the Saudi Arabia national team.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

On 12 May 2014, Roca was appointed as manager of El Salvador.^[9][10] His first game in charge occurred on 4 June at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, ending with a 1–2 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast.^[11] His first win came against the Dominican Republic in another exhibition match, on 30 August (2–0).^[12]

Roca returned to club duties on 6 July 2016, signing a two-year contract with I-League champions Bengaluru FC.^[13] They immediately proceeded to reach the final of the AFC Cup, becoming the first team in the country to achieve the feat but eventually losing 1–0 to Iraq's Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.^[14][15] Subsequently, and still under his guidance, the side won the 2016–17 edition of the Federation Cup^[16] and reached the finals in the Indian Super League.^[17][18]

On 12 January 2020, Roca became head coach of Hyderabad FC also in the Indian top flight.^[19][20] He returned to Barcelona in August after agreeing to terminate his two-year contract, as fitness coach under newly appointed Ronald Koeman.^[21]