.jpg) Bruna playing forDerry City in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco | ||
| Date of birth | (1991-01-29)29 January 1991 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Mendoza,Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2007 | Real Madrid | ||
| 2007–2008 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Blackpool | 2 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Huesca | 17 | (1) |
| 2014 | Tranmere Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | Whitehawk | 5 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Accrington Stanley | 9 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Ottawa Fury | 37 | (1) |
| 2016 | →Ottawa Fury Academy | 3 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Derry City | 33 | (1) |
| 2021 | Shelbourne | 0 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Dungannon Swifts | 20 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008 | Spain U17 | 1 | (1) |
| 2009 | Argentina U20 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9th June 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 26th February 2012 | |||
Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco[1] (born 29 January 1991) is an Argentine professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder.
He was on the books ofReal Madrid andLiverpool as a teenager but never made a senior appearance for either club. He has spent most of his career in the lower leagues of England and Spain, moving frequently.
Born in Argentina and raised in Spain, Bruna first represented Spain at a youth international level, before switching to represent his native Argentina.
Bruna spent five years in the youth set-up atReal Madrid from 2002 to 2007.[2]
In the summer of 2007 Bruna moved to England to sign forLiverpool, having been offered and turned down a professional contract by Real Madrid.[3]
"My father agreed with me that moving here would be a great opportunity. I already knew about Liverpool from the Champions League, the final we won and the final we lost. These games, as well as theChelsea semi-finals, made a big impression on me." A left-footer with a talent for set pieces, he learnt his trade with thereserves, helping them to win thePremier Reserve League in2007–08.[2]
Bruna joinedChampionship sideBlackpool on a two-year deal, with an option for a further 12 months, on 17 July 2011.[4] He made his competitive debut as a substitute in theLeague Cup defeat toSheffield Wednesday on 11 August 2011.[5] He made hisFootball League debut in a 2–1 defeat at home toNottingham Forest on 22 October, coming on as a late substitute.[6]
With four total appearances to his name, Bruna was released by Blackpool on 9 May 2013.[7]
On 20 September 2013 Bruna joinedSD Huesca, freshly relegated toSegunda División B.[8] He played 17 games for theAragonese club, scoring one goal.
Bruna played in a number of pre-season friendlies forLeague Two clubTranmere Rovers in the summer of 2014, before picking up an injury.[9] He was then offered a one-month contract by the club.[10] He made his only appearance for the club as a substitute in a league cup match[11] but was not offered a long-term contract.
Bruna signed a one-month contract withWhitehawk, who then played in England's 6th tier, with the option to extend by the club depending on performances.[12] The signing of Bruna was described as a "massive coup" as Bruna had previously played for clubs such as Real Madrid and Liverpool.[13] Bruna scored his first goal for Whitehawk in a 5–1 victory overChelmsford City.[14]
In January 2015, Bruna joined League Two clubAccrington Stanley.[15] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 loss toBury in theFootball League Trophy on 1 September 2015.[16] On 18 January 2016, Bruna signed a pre-contract with Canadian clubOttawa Fury which would have him depart at the end of the season.[17]
On 15 February 2016, Bruna was offered contracts with both Accrington and Ottawa; he decided to join Ottawa, for an undisclosed fee .[18]
On 5 February 2019, Bruna signed withLeague of Ireland Premier Division sideDerry City.[19] On 4 December 2020, Bruna announced his departure from the club after two seasons.[20]
In February 2021, Bruna signed forShelbourne ahead of their first season back in theLeague of Ireland First Division having been relegated 3 months previously.[21] He suffered anAnterior cruciate ligament injury before the season started, which kept him out of action for the entire season meaning he never played a competitive game for the club.[22]
In September 2022, he signed forNIFL Premiership clubDungannon Swifts.[23]
Bruna has represented both Argentina and Spain at youth level.[2] In May 2008 he was a member of theSpain under-17 squadEuropean Under-17 Football Championship in Turkey.[24] He made one appearance in the group stages as a second-half substitute in a 3–3 draw withFrance at theMardan Sports Complex,Aksu, Antalya.[25] Bruna represented theArgentina national under-20 football team at the 2009 Toulon tournament.[26]
His wife is from Liverpool.[27]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackpool | 2011–12[28] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13[29] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Huesca | 2013–14[30] | Segunda División B | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Tranmere Rovers | 2014–15[31] | League Two | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Whitehawk | 2014–15[32] | Conference South | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 6 | 1 | |||
| Accrington Stanley | 2014–15[31] | League Two | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2015–16[33] | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | ||
| Ottawa Fury Academy | 2016 | PLSQ | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Ottawa Fury | 2016[32] | NASL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2017[32] | United Soccer League | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||||
| 2018[32] | United Soccer League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 1 | |||||
| Derry City | 2019[32] | League of Ireland Premier Division | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2020[32] | League of Ireland Premier Division | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 38 | 2 | |||
| Shelbourne | 2021[32] | League of Ireland First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Dungannon Swifts | 2022–23[32] | NIFL Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 106 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 109 | 6 | ||
