Carlos Marchena

Carlos Marchena López plays for Deportivo de La Coruña as central defender or a defensive midfielder. A Spanish footballer was born in 1979 in Las Cabezas, Spain, and started his youth playing career with Sevilla FC, where he went on playing in the Segunda División. During the 1999/2000 season he made his La Liga debut, earning a full cap in a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad. By the end of this season Deportivo suffered relegation and Marchena moved to Portugal to join SL Benfica.

The following season he transferred to Valencia CF, signing a four-year deal. In his first season there the team won La Liga title for the first time in thirty years. Marchena gradually became the first-choice and, showing good results, he was called up for the Spanish national team to represent the country at Euro 2004.

During his eight seasons with Valencia they won the 2003/04 UEFA Cup, 2004 UEFA Super Cup, twice they became La Liga winners and in 2007/08 the team won Copa del Rey.

Carlos Marchena made his international debut at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. In 2000 he helped Spain to win silver at the Olympic Games.He was selected for the 2006 World Cup. When the national team was under the guidance of Vicente del Bosque he was called-up for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup. Marchena retired from international career in 2012.

In that year the 33-year old joined Deportivo La Coruña.