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Alberto Belsué

Alberto Belsué Arias is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back, notably winning the Copa del Rey (1994) and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1995) with Real Zaragoza, and represented Spain.

1. Overview

Alberto Belsué Arias (Alberto Belsué AriasSpanish, born 2 March 1968) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Standing at 67 in (171 cm) and weighing 152 lb (69 kg), he was primarily right-footed. He spent 12 seasons in La Liga, amassing 319 appearances and scoring 7 goals, representing clubs such as Real Zaragoza, Deportivo Alavés, and CD Numancia. Belsué is most notable for his significant tenure with Real Zaragoza, where he made 345 competitive appearances and was instrumental in the team's victories in the Copa del Rey in 1994 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1995. He also represented the Spain national team for two years, earning 17 caps and participating in UEFA Euro 1996.

2. Early Life

Alberto Belsué Arias was born on 2 March 1968, in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. He began his youth football career with the Casablanca club, where he played from 1983 to 1986, before transitioning to professional football.

3. Club Career

This section details Alberto Belsué's journey through professional football, starting from his youth and early experiences, his significant tenure at Real Zaragoza, and his subsequent moves before retirement.

3.1. Youth and Early Career

Belsué began his senior career as a sweeper with Endesa de Andorra, playing for the club from 1986 to 1988. During his time there, he made 32 appearances and scored 1 goal. Following his spell at this lower-tier club, he joined La Liga side Real Zaragoza in 1988, marking his entry into top-flight Spanish football.

3.1.1. Club Statistics

The table below details Alberto Belsué's professional club career statistics, primarily focusing on league appearances and goals.

ClubSeason(s)AppearancesGoals
Endesa de Andorra1986-1988321
Real Zaragoza1988-19982777
Deportivo Alavés1988-1989220
CD Numancia1999-2000200
Iraklis2000-200170
Total3588

3.2. Real Zaragoza

Belsué spent a significant portion of his career at Real Zaragoza, remaining with the club for ten seasons, from 1988 to 1998. During this period, he became a stalwart on the right side of the defense, accumulating a total of 345 competitive appearances for the club across all competitions. This included 277 La Liga matches, in which he scored 7 goals.
He was a key figure in Real Zaragoza's most successful period in the 1990s, playing a crucial role in securing two major titles. He was a starter in the team that won the 1993-94 Copa del Rey, a prestigious Spanish domestic cup. The following year, Belsué was also instrumental in Real Zaragoza's triumph in the 1994-95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a significant European club competition.

3.3. Later Career and Retirement

After leaving Real Zaragoza in 1998, Belsué had brief stints with other clubs. He joined Deportivo Alavés for a period, potentially on loan during the 1988-1989 season, where he made 22 appearances without scoring. Subsequently, he moved to CD Numancia, playing for them from 1999 to 2000. During his time at Numancia, he made 20 appearances in a season where the team narrowly avoided relegation from the top flight.
His professional career concluded with a spell abroad at the Greek club Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. from 2000 to 2001, where he made 7 appearances. Alberto Belsué retired from professional football at the age of 33 in 2001. Throughout his entire club career, he accumulated 358 appearances and scored 8 goals.

4. International Career

This section outlines Alberto Belsué's contributions to the Spain national football team, including his debut, tournament participation, and overall record.

Alberto Belsué represented the Spain national team for two years, from 1994 to 1996. During this period, he earned a total of 17 caps, though he did not score any goals for the national squad. His debut came on 16 November 1994, when he played the full 90 minutes in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match against Denmark. Spain won the match 3-0, which was held in Seville.

Belsué was part of the Spanish squad for UEFA Euro 1996 in England. He featured in two of the team's four matches in the tournament: the group stage opener against Bulgaria and the quarter-final match against the host nation, England. In the quarter-final, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout after ending in a draw. Belsué successfully converted his attempt in the shootout; however, Spain ultimately lost the shootout and was eliminated from the tournament.
In addition to his appearances for the senior national team, Belsué also played for the Aragon autonomous football team.

5. Honours

This section lists the major titles won by Alberto Belsué during his professional career.

  • Real Zaragoza
    • Copa del Rey: 1993-94
    • UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1994-95