 Arzu in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arturo García Muñoz | ||
| Date of birth | (1981-03-17)17 March 1981 (age 44) | ||
| Place of birth | Dos Hermanas, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Recreativo (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Betis | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Betis B | 33 | (4) |
| 2000–2011 | Betis | 270 | (12) |
| 2001–2002 | →Córdoba (loan) | 22 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Gimnàstic | 29 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | BEC Tero Sasana | 16 | (2) |
| Total | 370 | (19) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001 | Spain U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Spain U21 | 10 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2019 | Betis C (assistant) | ||
| 2019–2022 | Betis B (assistant) | ||
| 2022–2024 | Betis (youth) | ||
| 2024–2025 | Betis B | ||
| 2025– | Recreativo | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Arturo García Muñoz (born 17 March 1981), known asArzu, is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as adefensive midfielder or acentral defender. He is currentlymanager ofSegunda Federación clubRecreativo de Huelva.
He spent most of his career withBetis, appearing in 200La Liga games in seven seasons (11 years with the club, 317 competitive matches) and winning the2005 Copa del Rey.[1]
A product ofAndalusian clubReal Betis's youth system, Arzu was born inDos Hermanas,Province of Seville, and he played for itsB team during the1999–2000 season, in theSegunda División B. In thefollowing campaign, he made his debut with the main squad, helping them to achieve promotion fromSegunda División with 16 matches and two goals but subsequently staying at that level, being loaned to neighboursCórdoba CF.[2]
In hisfirst season inLa Liga, Arzu scored four times from 35 appearances, including one in the 4–2 away win againstDeportivo de La Coruña on 1 September 2002 to open the league.[3] He totalled a further 60 games from2003 to2005, as Betis finished ninth and fourth respectively.[4][5]
Arzu appeared in eightEuropean matches in the2005–06 campaign: four in theUEFA Champions League (scoring againstLiverpool in a 2–1group-stage home loss)[6] and four in theUEFA Cup. On 13 May 2006, his 75th-minute equaliser in the 1–1 draw atAtlético Madrid in the last matchday proved crucial as theVerdiblancos barely avoided relegation.[7]
Still a defensive cornerstone in2008–09, Arzu made 34 appearances – mostly as acentre-back[8]– but Betis were relegated for the first time in eight years.[9][10] In August 2011, after only taking part in 17 games as the sidereturned to the top flight, he was released from his contract.[11]
On the penultimate day of the 2011 summertransfer window, Arzu signed with second-tierGimnàstic de Tarragona.[12] The following 7 May, he terminated his contract with theCatalans (whosuffered relegation) by mutual consent.[13]
In August 2012, aged 31, Arzu moved abroad for the first time, joiningThai Premier League clubBEC Tero Sasana FC.[14][15]
After retiring, Arzu began working as a manager, starting off as assistant ofBetis C and later having the same role with the reserves. In summer 2022, he was named head coach of the club'syouth sides, being appointed at Betis B in theSegunda Federación for the rest ofthe season on 27 March 2024, following the departure ofAlberto González.[16]
On 26 May 2025, Arzu left Betis Deportivo.[17]
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Betis B |  | 27 March 2024 | 26 May 2025 | 48 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 60 | 66 | −6 | 033.33 | [18] |
| Recreativo | | 27 November 2025 | Present | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 5 | +15 | 054.55 | [19] |
| Total | 59 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 80 | 71 | +9 | 037.29 | — | |||
Betis