_(better_cropped).jpg) Gayà playing forValencia in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Luis Gayà Peña[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1995-05-25)25 May 1995 (age 30)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pedreguer, Spain[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Valencia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2012 | Valencia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Valencia B | 63 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012– | Valencia | 329 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain U17 | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Spain U18 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Spain U19 | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Spain U20 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Spain U21 | 15 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Spain | 22 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:57, 1 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:51, 19 November 2023 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
José Luis Gayà Peña (Valencian:[xoˈseluˈizɣaˈjaˈpeɲa]; born 25 May 1995) is a Spanish professionalfootballer who plays as aleft-back forLa Liga clubValencia, which hecaptains, and theSpain national team.
An academy graduate of Valencia, he made his senior debut in 2012 and went on to play more than 375 competitive matches for the club, winning theCopa del Rey in2019.
Gayà appeared in his first full match with theSpain national team in 2018, being selected forEuro 2020.
Born inPedreguer,Alicante,Valencian Community, Gayà was a product ofValencia CF's youth system, where he started playing as astriker – scoring over 60 goals in one year – before switching to left-back.[3] He made his senior debut withthe reserves when he was not even 17, playing 21 minutes in a 1–0 away win againstAndorra CF in theSegunda División B in what would be his only appearance ofthe season.[4]
On 30 October 2012, Gayà appeared in his first official game with the main squad, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away victory overUE Llagostera in theround of 32 of theCopa del Rey.[5] He made his first appearance in theUEFA Europa League on 12 December of the following year, in a1–1 group stage home draw withFC Kuban Krasnodar.[6]
Gayà played his first game inLa Liga with theChe on 27 April 2014, starting and featuring the full 90 minutes in a0–1 home loss against eventual championsAtlético Madrid.[7] On 3 August, he scored the first goal in a 3–1 defeat ofS.L. Benfica inthat year'sEmirates Cup.[8]
Gayà was made a starter by new managerNuno Espírito Santo in the2014–15 campaign. He scored his first goal as a professional and in the Spanish top flight on 25 September 2014, grabbing his team's second in the 3–0 home victory againstCórdoba CF.[9] His second came in the domestic cup on 7 January of the following year, helping to a2–1 win overRCD Espanyol also at theMestalla Stadium.[10] On 8 May 2015, he renewed his contract with the club, signing until 2020 with a€50 millionbuyout clause.[11][12]
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In May 2018, Gayà agreed to a further extension until 2023 with his release clause increasing to €100 million.[13] That October, having been part of the side that kept aclean sheet againstManchester United inthe group stage of theUEFA Champions League,ESPN FC put him into their Champions League Best XI.[14] He finished the season with hisfirst honour,assistingKevin Gameiro's opener in a 2–1 defeat ofFC Barcelona in the2019 Copa del Rey final.[15]
In March 2020, Gayà and teammatesEzequiel Garay andEliaquim Mangala tested positive forCOVID-19 virus during thecoronavirus pandemic in Spain.[16] That August, due to theeconomic effects of the pandemic, the entire squad was put up for sale except him.[17] Having previously filled in ascaptain in the absence ofDani Parejo,[18] he took the role permanently as the midfielder was shipped toVillarreal CF.[19]
Gayà skippered Valencia in the2022 Copa del Rey final, in which he scored in thepenalty shootout that the team lost toReal Betis.[20] He was suspended for the first four matches of thefollowing league season for criticising thereferee's decisions in a game againstCA Osasuna; his appeal was rejected at theCourt of Arbitration for Sport.[21] On 19 October that year, he extended his contract to last until 2027.[22]
Gayà earned 34caps forSpain across allyouth levels. On 26 May 2015, he was called to the full side for afriendly withCosta Rica and aUEFA Euro 2016qualifying match againstBelarus,[23] but did not make his debut on either occasion.
Gayà played his first match on 11 September 2018, featuring the entire 6–0 home rout ofCroatia in theUEFA Nations League.[24] On 3 September 2020, in thesame competition, he scored the equalising goal in the97th minute of a 1–1 away draw againstGermany.[25]
On 24 May 2021, Gayà was included inLuis Enrique's24-man squad forEuro 2020.[26] His input for the semi-finalists consisted of 77 minutes in the 5–3extra time victory over Croatia inCopenhagen.[27]
Gayà was called up for the2022 FIFA World Cup inQatar. In the pre-tournament training camp inJordan, he suffered a right ankle sprain,[28] and was replaced byAlejandro Balde.[29]
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Valencia B | 2011–12 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | 36 | 2 | — | — | — | 36 | 2 | |||||
| 2013–14 | 26 | 1 | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 63 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 65 | 3 | ||||
| Valencia | 2012–13 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 37 | 2 | ||||
| 2015–16 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 11[c] | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 1 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9[d] | 0 | — | 49 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[e] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 24 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | ||||
| 2022–23 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[f] | 0 | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2023–24 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 2 | ||||
| 2024–25 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2025–26 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 329 | 9 | 34 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 394 | 12 | ||
| Career total | 392 | 12 | 34 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 459 | 15 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | |||
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 3 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 June 2019 | Tórsvøllur,Tórshavn, Faroe Islands |  Faroe Islands | 4–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 2 | 3 September 2020 | Mercedes-Benz Arena,Stuttgart, Germany |  Germany | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A |
| 3 | 5 September 2021 | Nuevo Vivero,Badajoz, Spain |  Georgia | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Valencia
Spain U21
