.jpg) Zabaleta withWest Ham United in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1985-01-16)16 January 1985 (age 40)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Right back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Albania (assistant)[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Obras Sanitarias | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2002 | San Lorenzo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | San Lorenzo | 66 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Espanyol | 79 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2017 | Manchester City | 230 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | West Ham United | 73 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 448 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Argentina U20 | 28 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Argentina U23 | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2016 | Argentina | 58 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Albania (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod (Latin American Spanish:[ˈpaβlosaβaˈleta]; born 16 January 1985) is an Argentine former professionalfootballer who played as aright back. Zabaleta could operate on both sides of the pitch as afull-back and was known for his tenacious style of play, and hascaptained his club on numerous occasions.
WithManchester City, Zabaleta won all of English football's major honours: theFA Cup (2011), the Premier League (2012 and2014), theLeague Cup (2014 and2016) and theCommunity Shield (2012). Moreover, Zabaleta is often considered to be a cult hero at Manchester City owing to his determination and passion for the club.[5] Before joining Manchester City, Zabaleta played forLa Liga clubEspanyol, where he won the2005–06 Copa del Rey.[6] He made 333 appearances over nine seasons for Manchester City before signing for London-based club West Ham United in the summer of 2017.
A full international since 2005, Zabaleta represented Argentina at the2011 and2015 Copa América, and was part of their team which finished as runners-up in the2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also in their team which won gold at the2008 Olympics.
Since January 2023, Zabaleta serves as assistant manager of Albania's national football team, under head coachSylvinho.
Born inBuenos Aires, Zabaleta was raised inArrecifes. He began his career atSan Lorenzo in 2002, after progressing through their youth ranks, having been signed at the age of 12 from local club Obras Sanitarias. He started playing as adefensive midfielder, but eventually moved to the right side of midfield.
Zabaleta was transferred toEspanyol in 2005 for €3 million after beingArgentina under-20scaptain in the2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, which Argentina won. During the2005–06 season, Zabaleta helped Espanyol to win theCopa del Rey, playing the full 90 minutes in the 4–1 victory overReal Zaragoza inthe final.[7]
In January 2007, Zabaleta suffered ashoulder injury that kept him off the pitch for almost three months, already having established himself as an undisputed first team choice. Later in the season, he featured in the2006–07 UEFA Cupfinal, where Espanyol lost on penalties to fellow Spanish sideSevilla.
In the summer of 2008, Zabaleta transferred toPremier League clubManchester City after rejecting an offer fromJuventus. He stated upon joining: "The offer is impossible to reject and not just because of the money ... Juventus also wanted me but I wanted to come to England, and to Manchester."[8] Having passed a medical and agreed personal terms, Zabaleta completed a five-year deal with City on 31 August 2008 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be the buy-out clause Zabaleta had attached to his contract of around £6.45 million.[7] Zabaleta joined a day before Manchester City was bought by theAbu Dhabi United Group, led bySheikh Mansour, which enabled a wealth of investment in the club.
On 13 September 2008, Zabaleta made his debut for Manchester City in a 3–1 defeat toChelsea at theCity of Manchester Stadium.[9] On 5 October, he received his firstred card in English football when he was sent off in a 3–2 loss toLiverpool in his fourth Premier League appearance. He scored his first goal for City on 17 January 2009, the only goal of the game in a 1–0 league win overWigan Athletic.[10]
On 21 November 2010, Zabaleta scored his second Premier League goal in Manchester City's 4–1 win againstFulham. In the same match, heassisted aCarlos Tevez goal, helping his compatriot to earn his ninth goal for the club during the2010–11 season.[11]
On 1 January 2011, Zabaleta played his 100th game for Manchester City in all competitions, coming off the bench againstBlackpool in a 1–0 win at Eastlands. Two weeks later, on 15 January, Zabaleta made his second assist of the season in a 4–3 win overWolverhampton Wanderers.[12] This win meant that City went top ofthe league abovelocal rivalsManchester United. However, City's title challenge faded with a loss of form in February and March 2011.
On 1 May 2011, Zabaleta scored his second goal of the season in a Premier League match againstWest Ham United. This secured a 2–1 win for the Citizens and put them seven points ahead ofLiverpool andTottenham Hotspur in the race forfourth place.[13]
On 14 May 2011, Zabaleta appeared as an 88th-minutesubstitute for Carlos Tevez in the2011 FA Cup Final as Manchester City beatStoke City 1–0.[14]
In the summer of 2011, it was reported that Italian clubRoma were keen on signing Zabaleta, but Manchester City insisted the player was not for sale[15] and Zabaleta agreed a three-year contract in July 2011. On 1 October 2011, Zabaleta started and played the full 90 minutes at right-back in a 4–0 win overBlackburn Rovers atEwood Park in the Premier League, as regular starterMicah Richards was not available. On 23 October, he was an unused substitute in the convincing 6–1 win over rivals Manchester United atOld Trafford, with Richards starting at right-back.[16]
In November 2011, Zabaleta extended his contract with City until the summer of 2015. Zabaleta said: "I'm in a very good team, and I try to do my best for the club, the team and the fans. I didn't think twice, I gave a quick answer because I was so happy to sign."[17][18] In his first three and a half years at the club, Zabaleta emerged as a cult hero amongst the Manchester City fans, who admire his never-say-die attitude and commitment to the club.
On 30 April 2012, he started and played the full 90 minutes in the right-back slot in a 1–0 victory over rivals Manchester United thanks to a first-half stoppage time header byVincent Kompany from a corner at the City of Manchester Stadium. Zabaleta broke the deadlock by scoring the first goal in City's dramatic3–2 win overQueens Park Rangers on the last day of theseason, a scoreline which won the club its first league title since 1968.[19] On 9 December 2012, Zabaleta scored a late equalising goal in a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United.
On 1 January 2013, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win at the City of Manchester Stadium over Stoke City, doubling his goal tally from the previous season. On 25 January 2013, Zabaleta scored his third goal of the season and the only goal of the match in a 1–0 win away against Stoke City in theFA Cup, fourth round. His goal took Manchester City through to the fifth round.
Zabaleta was voted Manchester City's Player of the Month for both December 2012[20] and January 2013,[21] and was stand-in captain for the club duringVincent Kompany's injury absence between January and March 2013.[22] He was the only City player to be named in the 2012–13 Premier LeaguePFA Team of the Year.[23] After a superb season, Zabaleta was voted 2012–13 Manchester City Player of the Year.[24]
Zabaleta was sent off in the2013 FA Cup Final against Wigan Athletic for a secondyellow card after a clear foul onCallum McManaman 84 minutes into the match. Wigan went on to win 1–0 through aBen Watson goal in stoppage time. He was the third player to be sent off in an FA Cup final and first for the losing side.
On 2 March 2014, Zabaleta played the full 90 minutes as Manchester City beatSunderland 3–1 in the2014 League Cup Final to complete a full set of major honours in English football.[25] On 21 April, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 defeat of West Bromwich Albion at the City of Manchester Stadium.[26] On 11 May, Zabaleta was part of the victory against West Ham that won Manchester City the Premier League, his second in three seasons.
On 21 September 2014, Zabaleta was sent off for a secondyellow card due to a challenge on Chelsea'sDiego Costa. Both players received a yellow card, Zabaleta for the initial challenge and Costa for his reaction.
On 21 August 2015, it was announced that Zabaleta was out for a month with knee injury.[27] On 17 January 2016, Zabaleta reached 200 appearances for Manchester City in the club's 4–0 victory overCrystal Palace.[28]
Zabaleta made 32 appearances in all competitions in the 2016–17 season scoring two goals; againstWatford in the Premier League and againstHuddersfield Town in the FA Cup. His final appearance for Manchester City came on 16 May 2017, a 3–1 home win againstWest Bromwich Albion.[29] After the game he was praised by the City manager,Pep Guardiola, as a "legend".[30] Zabaleta was given a lifetime season ticket for Manchester City and a shirt that read "Zabaleta 333", to mark the number of City appearances he made.[31]
On 26 May 2017, Zabaleta signed forPremier League clubWest Ham United on a free transfer, agreeing to a two-year contract. He was given number five as his squad number.[32]
On 22 May 2018,Manuel Pellegrini was confirmed as manager ofWest Ham United,[33] reuniting him with his former manager atManchester City.
In May 2019, Zabaleta extended his contract with West Ham Until the summer of 2020.[34] On 5 January 2020, Zabaleta scored his only goal for West Ham, in a 2–0 win againstGillingham in the FA Cup third round.[35] On 10 January 2020, in a match againstSheffield United, Zabaleta became the first Argentine, and only the third South American, to record 300 Premier League appearances.[36] In June 2020, West Ham confirmed his departure from the club at the end of the month.[37] Zabaleta played 80 times for West Ham over three seasons, scoring one goal.[38]
At the age of 14, Zabaleta was called up byHugo Tocalli to the Argentina under-15 squad. He took part in many youth tournaments, including theFIFA U-20 World Cup in2003 and2005, winning the latter in theNetherlands. He received over 75 caps to national youth sides, and started representingthe senior side in 2005. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning team at the2008 Summer Olympics, starting at right-back and playing all six matches.
After the2010 FIFA World Cup, for which Zabaleta was not selected by head coachDiego Maradona, under the new Argentina manager he has established himself as first-choice right-back. On 1 June 2011, Zabaleta captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly againstNigeria.
In June 2014, Zabaleta was named in Argentina's squad for the2014 World Cup.[39] He made hisWorld Cup debut in Argentina's 2–1 win overBosnia and Herzegovina at theEstádio do Maracanã, playing the full match in defence.[40]
At the2015 Copa América in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the cross from which his Manchester City teammateSergio Agüero headed the only goal of the game as Argentina defeated holdersUruguay in their secondgroup match.[41]
In June 2018, he worked as a pundit for the BBC'sMatch of the Day2018 World Cup coverage from Russia.[42] Zabaleta again worked as a pundit for the BBC andMatch of the Day during their coverage of the2022 World Cup inQatar.[43]
After announcing his retirement from professional football on 16 October 2020,[44] Pablo Zabaleta transitioned into a coaching role. In January 2023, he was appointed as an assistant coach of the Albania national football team, joining the coaching staff under head coach Sylvinho.[45]
He now works forESPN on theirLa Liga coverage.
Zabaleta is ofSpanishBasque descent.[46] He has a tattoo on his chest which bears the name of his mother.[47]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| San Lorenzo | 2002–03 | Argentine Primera División | 11 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2003–04 | Argentine Primera División | 27 | 3 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 2004–05 | Argentine Primera División | 28 | 5 | — | — | 9[d] | 0 | — | 37 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 66 | 8 | — | — | 13 | 0 | — | 79 | 8 | |||||
| Espanyol | 2005–06 | La Liga | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[e] | 0 | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9[e] | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 79 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 102 | 3 | |||
| Manchester City | 2008–09 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11[e] | 0 | — | 42 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11[g] | 0 | — | 45 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5[h] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 30 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5[i] | 0 | 1[j] | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6[i] | 0 | — | 48 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[i] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[i] | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7[i] | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| Total | 230 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 333 | 12 | ||
| West Ham United | 2017–18 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| Total | 73 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 80 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 448 | 20 | 39 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 83 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 594 | 24 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2005 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 58 | 0 | |
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Manchester City
Argentina Youth
Argentina U23
Argentina
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