LUIS GARCÍA SANZ

I started playing soccer with five years at school in my neighbourhood, but it wasn´t until 7 that I changed to play 11v11. Badalona was my first team, I was three years playing there before my uncle advised my father to swap it for San Gabriel, according to ” will give more opportunities ”, and it did, even though I cried and cried trying to stay close to my friends.

I played in Barça four seasons between youth team and Barcelona B, getting a under 18 cup and a Spain Super Cup in the same category, a promotion from Division B to Division A with JM Gonzalvo as a coach and a team of future international stars like Xavi, Puyol and Gabri as main components of the next first team members.
San Gabriel is a subsidiary of the FC Barcelona, and that helped after a good season and with 17 years, I had the chance to have a trial and make come true any child dream, play for FC Barcelona.

I moved to Real Valladolid, a team located near the center of Spain,where despite not having a lot of minutes, I learnt very fast of what professional football was. That same season I went on loan to Toledo and then to Tenerife, where I met Rafa Benitez and Pako Ayestarán , and with them I improved all the aspects as a football player, scoring 16 goals and ascending to First Division, on a second division of fear, with big teams like Sevilla , Betis and Atlético Madrid.
Thanks to this season, Valladolid returns to be my house and I can enjoy of playing in La Liga.
Barcelona exercises its option and I start the preseason at Can Barça , with an eye on the capital, which would be my next destination.
In 2002 signed by Atlético Madrid, making a great campaign and having players like Fernando Torres, Demetrio Albertini or Sergi Barjuan, as some of my team-mates.

Once again I fall in Barcelona hands, but this time is different, is to stay as first team player and be part of what was a new era for the club. Ronaldinho, Luis Enrique, Xavi; kluivert and many La Masia players, the team took second place in the tournament, but the revolution would continue, Eto, Giouly, Deco and a young Messi, made our Asian tour a stunning success.
Arrived that moment I receive the call from my ” football Mentor” Rafa Benitez, new challenge ahead playing for Liverpool FC, one of the greatest teams in the history of football.
Once there and with fear of the unknown, four Spaniards, Xabi Alonso, Josemi , Antonio Núñez and I, we managed to get into the team and fight for big trophies with Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as a Captains and leaders . I am filled with deep emotion.
The best three years of my career, one Champions League as the main point and a World Cup with the Spanish National team, made come true all dreams I had since I was 5.
In 2008 and after losing our second Champions League final in Athens , signed back to Atlético Madrid meeting again with world-class players like Simao, Forlan and Kun Aguero.
In 2009 some injuries do not allow me to give as much as I wished to Racing Santander, but Panathinaikos in Athens, returns me the opportunity to experience amazing nights of Champions League.

In 2011 a proposal of Puebla FC in Mexico makes me get my bags and trek to Mexican lands, meeting there with an attractive and intense football, where I can get my full fitness back and enjoy scoring goals again. Thanks to a good season, one of the most important clubs in Mexico is interested in me and decided to accept the challenge and travel to Mexico City to sign for Pumas UNAM.

In Pumas, with one of the best Supporters in the Country, we struggle to get the objectives that such an important teams deserve and after two years and missing my home and family I decided to go back to Spain and retire from football. Not a easy decision at all, we though about it quite about it but that was the decision and we started the new chapter as a TV Pundit on BeIN Sports.
Just a few months took me to get back on the field with a franchise of Atlético de Madrid in India.
Indian Super League, what a fantastic experience, a new way of enjoying football with attendance of 50.000 supporters every game and an unforgettable Culture out of the pitch.
Wining the Hero ISL was a perfect finish but something special was waiting for me.
After a year analysing football on TV, doing as a Liverpool and UEFA Ambassador and a few Legends games, Central Coast Mariners offer me te chance of playing for the team on the Hyundai A-League in Australia, an amazing country far from everything rich of beautiful places, kind people and a league improving by leaps and bounds.
I lived football with passion, I’ve laughed and enjoyed glorious moments, but I also cried of pain and rage, I have endeavoured to overcome some very difficult tests … I don´t know what holds for me tomorrow, what I know is that each of the steps, of sacrifice, of traveling and away from people who i love, is worth it.
It’s not an easy road, but if you have a dream, fight and work, work very hard for it, because only with your effort, perseverance and discipline will make you get as far you desire.