Román Golobart

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

Román Golobart Benet (born 21 March 1992) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Román Golobart

Golobart being presented at 1. FC Köln
Personal information
Full name	Román Golobart Benet[1]
Date of birth	(1992-03-21) 21 March 1992 (age 32)[1]
Place of birth	Barcelona, Spain[1]
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Youth career
2006–2009	Espanyol
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2013	Wigan Athletic	3	(0)
2011–2012	→ Inverness CT (loan)	22	(2)
2012	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	1	(0)
2013–2015	1. FC Köln	5	(0)
2013–2015	1. FC Köln II	2	(2)
2015	→ Erzgebirge Aue (loan)	4	(0)
2015–2016	Racing Ferrol	34	(1)
2016–2017	Murcia	34	(3)
2017–2018	Elche	12	(0)
2018	Mérida	10	(0)
2018–2019	Nea Salamina	21	(1)
2019–2020	Maccabi Netanya	10	(2)
2020–2021	AEK Larnaca	5	(0)
2021	Doxa	15	(1)
2021–2023	Nea Salamina
Total		178	(12)
International career
2008	Spain U17	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Wigan Athletic

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, 17-year-old Golobart signed for Wigan Athletic from RCD Espanyol on 7 August 2009 as new manager Roberto Martínez identified him as a future talent.^[2] Despite appearances in pre-season friendlies and on the substitutes bench, he failed to play a competitive match in his first two seasons at the club, and in August 2011 was loaned to Scottish Premier League side Inverness Caledonian Thistle for six months.^[3] He made his debut the following day at Pittodrie against Aberdeen,^[4] but was unaccustomed to the pace of Scottish football and made two significant errors during the 2–1 away loss.^[5]

Golobart scored his first goal for Inverness on 24 December 2011, also against Aberdeen but now in a 2–1 home win.^[6] Shortly before the game he had expressed a desire to extend his loan spell,^[7] which eventually befell under manager Terry Butcher, with the pair having previously been engaged in a heated discussion during training, and he made his last appearance for the club in a 1–0 away victory over St Mirren, also winning the Young Player of the Year award.^[8]

On 31 August 2012, Golobart joined Tranmere Rovers on a one-month loan.^[9] He made his debut a day later in a 4–0 win against Colchester United,^[10] but failed to play again for his new team following Ash Taylor's early return from injury.^[11]

Golobart played his first match for Wigan on 5 January 2013, in the third round of the FA Cup against Bournemouth.^[12] He made his Premier League debut for the Latics that same month, starting at Stoke City in a 2–2 draw.^[13]

1. FC Köln

At the end of the 2012–13 season, Golobart turned down a new deal with Wigan and signed a three-year contract with 1. FC Köln.^[14] He made his debut in the 2. Bundesliga on 20 July 2013, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against Dynamo Dresden.^[15]

In February 2015, Golobart was loaned to FC Erzgebirge Aue also in the German second division for the remainder of the campaign.^[16]

Return to Spain

On 21 August 2015, Golobart returned to his homeland, signing a one-year deal with the option of a second at third-tier team Racing de Ferrol,^[17] contributing two goals from 36 appearances as they reached the play-offs. The following 23 July, he transferred to Real Murcia CF in the same league.^[18]

After the latter's defeat to Valencia CF Mestalla in the playoffs, Golobart joined Elche CF in June 2017.^[19] In November, his club warned him over controversial online comments relating to the political unrest in his native region.^[20] In January 2018, having rescinded his contract at the Estadio Martínez Valero, he moved to Mérida AD also from division three.^[21]

International career

Golobart represented Spain at under-17 level. His first cap came in a 1–1 draw with England.^[22]

Personal life

Golobart's father, Joan, was also a footballer. He also represented Espanyol, but at senior level.

Golobart shared his birthdate with fellow Espanyol youth graduate Jordi Amat.^[23]

Career statistics

As of 8 December 2013^[24][1]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Wigan Athletic	2010–11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2011–12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Inverness CT	2011–12	22	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	25	2
Wigan Athletic	2012–13	3	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Tranmere Rovers	2012–13	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
1. FC Köln	2013–14	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Total		27	2	8	0	1	0	0	0	36	2

Honours

Wigan Athletic

• FA Cup: 2012–13^[25]

References

1. Román Golobart at WorldFootball.net
2. "Latics raid Spain for duo". Sky Sports. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
3. "Roman's road heads North". Wigan Athletic F.C. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
4. "Aberdeen 2–1 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
5. "It's not Barcelona, but Golobart is adapting to Scottish football". The Scotsman. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
6. "Inverness CT 2–1 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. 24 December 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
7. "Spaniard Golobart finally feels at home in Scottish game". The Herald. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
8. Owen, Danny (7 October 2016). "Former Wigan defender recalls the time he took on Terry Butcher – and won". Here Is The City. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
9. "Tranmere Rovers sign Wigan Athletic's Roman Golobart on loan". BBC Sport. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
10. Hilton, Nick (6 September 2012). "Roman Golobart desperate to make good impression at Tranmere Rovers FC". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
11. "Golobart returns to Latics". Sky Sports. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
12. "Wigan 1–1 Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 5 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
13. Rose, Gary (29 January 2013). "Stoke 2–2 Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
14. "Golobart verstärkt das Abwehrzentrum" [Golobart strengthens center of defence] (in German). Kicker. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
15. "Köln-Keeper sorgt für Lachnummer" [Köln's keeper made himself a laughing stock]. Bild (in German). 20 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
16. "FC Erzgebirge künftig mit Golobart und Wood" [FC Erzgebirge now with Golobart and Wood] (in German). Erzgebirge Aue. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
17. "El Racing de Ferrol llega a un acuerdo con el central Román Golobart" [Racing de Ferrol reach an agreement with stopper Román Golobart]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 21 August 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
18. "Román Golobart, un nuevo refuerzo para la defensa grana" [Román Golobart, a new reinforcement for the grana defence]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). 23 July 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
19. "El Elche se refuerza con Golobart" [Elche bolster with Golobart] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
20. "Un comentario de un jugador del Elche sobre Franco, Rajoy y Puigdemont indigna a la afición ilicitana" [A comment by an Elche player on Franco, Rajoy and Puigdemont angers the ilicitano supporters]. Marca (in Spanish). 3 November 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
21. "Golobart jugará hasta final de temporada en el Mérida" [Golobart will play for Mérida until the end of the season]. Diario Información (in Spanish). 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
22. "Roman Golobart". UEFA. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
23. Torres, Axel (3 July 2013). "Amat-Golobart, pareja de centrales" [Amat-Golobart, stopper duo] (in Spanish). Marcadorint. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
24. Román Golobart at Soccerway
25. McNulty, Phil (11 May 2013). "FA Cup final: Manchester City 0–1 Wigan Athletic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 August 2019.

External links

• Román Golobart at BDFutbol
• Román Golobart at Soccerbase
• Román Golobart at fussballdaten.de (in German)