1. Overview
Daniel Parejo Muñoz, often known as Dani Parejo, is a Spanish professional footballer widely recognized for his prowess as a central midfielder. Born in Coslada, Community of Madrid, he emerged from the esteemed Real Madrid youth academy, where he was once hailed as the "best masterpiece" of the academy by honorary president Alfredo Di Stéfano. Throughout his extensive career, Parejo has represented several prominent clubs, including Real Madrid, Getafe, Valencia, and Villarreal, making a significant impact at each. He is particularly noted for his lengthy and influential tenure at Valencia, where he served as captain and played a pivotal role in the club's success, including a Copa del Rey victory. His career has also seen him achieve continental success, winning the UEFA Europa League with Villarreal. Internationally, Parejo has represented Spain across various youth levels, securing titles with the national under-19, under-20, and under-21 teams, before making his debut for the senior team at the age of 28. He is known for his technical skill, vision, and dead-ball ability.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Daniel Parejo was born on 16 April 1989, in Coslada, a town in the Community of Madrid, Spain. His football journey began at a young age, leading him to join the renowned Real Madrid youth academy at the age of 14. During his formative years in the academy, Parejo quickly distinguished himself, earning praise from none other than Alfredo Di Stéfano, the club's honorary president, who reportedly lauded him as the "best masterpiece" of the youth system. His talent was recognized early, as he was occasionally called upon by first-team coach Bernd Schuster to train with the senior squad. This exposure to top-level football helped accelerate his development as a promising young midfielder.
2.1. Youth Academy
Within the Real Madrid youth academy, Daniel Parejo honed his skills and progressed through the ranks. His dedication and performance led to his debut for Real Madrid Castilla, the club's reserve team, during the 2006-07 season. Despite being a young player, he appeared in 4 games for the team in the Segunda División. In the subsequent 2007-08 season, he further solidified his place, featuring in 33 matches for Real Madrid Castilla in the Segunda División B and scoring 10 goals, showcasing his growing influence and offensive capabilities. His time in the academy laid the groundwork for his professional career, providing him with a strong technical and tactical foundation.
3. Club Career
Daniel Parejo's professional club career began at Real Madrid, followed by a loan spell in England before establishing himself as a key player in La Liga with Getafe, Valencia, and currently Villarreal. His journey highlights a gradual ascent to prominence, marked by significant contributions and leadership roles at each club.
3.1. Real Madrid and Queens Park Rangers Loan
Parejo's initial professional period commenced with Real Madrid. On 4 August 2008, he signed a one-year loan deal with Championship club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in England. He made his debut for QPR just five days later, coming off the bench in a 2-1 home victory against Barnsley at Loftus Road. During his time with QPR, Parejo amassed 18 official appearances across all competitions.
However, his loan spell was cut short when Real Madrid officially recalled him on 17 December, with the recall effective 1 January 2009. This decision was prompted by injuries to first-team midfielders Rubén de la Red and Mahamadou Diarra, who were both sidelined for the remainder of the season. Upon his return to Real Madrid, Parejo was assigned the squad number 17, previously worn by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was also out for several months due to a serious injury. Despite his recall, Parejo saw limited playing time during the season. His first appearance for the senior Real Madrid team was on 15 February in a 4-0 away victory over Sporting de Gijón in La Liga, where he replaced Sergio Ramos for the final ten minutes of the match.
3.2. Getafe
In late July 2009, Daniel Parejo moved to Getafe CF as part of a deal that saw Esteban Granero re-join Real Madrid from Getafe, with Parejo moving in the opposite direction. On 25 March 2010, Parejo notably scored against his former club, Real Madrid, by dispossessing goalkeeper Iker Casillas, though Getafe ultimately lost the match 4-2. During the 2009-10 season, Parejo had to compete for a starting position in central midfield with Míchel's son, Adrián, who was also a former teammate from Real Madrid B. Despite this competition, Parejo made solid contributions throughout the campaign, playing in 28 league matches and scoring 6 goals. His efforts helped Getafe qualify for the UEFA Europa League for only the second time in their history.
In the subsequent 2010-11 season, Parejo's playing time increased, as he appeared in 36 league matches and scoring 3 goals. However, the club, located on the outskirts of Madrid, struggled and narrowly avoided relegation from the top flight.
3.3. Valencia
On 14 June 2011, Valencia CF officially announced the signing of Daniel Parejo for a reported transfer fee of 6.00 M EUR. As part of the agreement, out-of-favour goalkeeper Miguel Ángel Moyá joined Getafe on a year-long loan. Parejo made his league debut for Valencia on 15 August, playing 80 minutes in a 1-1 away draw against RCD Mallorca.
Initially, Parejo found himself deemed surplus to requirements at his new club, and his situation did not improve even after a serious injury sustained by Sergio Canales, who played in a similar position. However, he gradually overcame this challenging start and made a strong comeback in the 2012-13 season, scoring 2 goals in 36 official appearances as Valencia finished in fifth place in La Liga.
In the following years, Parejo became an undisputed starter under several different managers. During the 2014-15 season, his first as captain, he achieved a career-best 12 goals, establishing himself as one of the top-scoring midfielders in the competition. In doing so, he became the first Valencia midfielder to score 10 or more goals in a single La Liga season since Vicente achieved 12 goals in 2003-04.
On 7 November 2015, Parejo and Paco Alcácer each scored two goals in a commanding 5-1 away victory over third-placed RC Celta de Vigo. Parejo's first goal, a free kick, came just before half-time to put Valencia ahead 2-1. However, in January 2016, following a period of poor team form, Parejo was stripped of his captaincy by manager Gary Neville, with Alcácer taking over the role. Despite this setback, he was reinstated as captain by Marcelino García Toral ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
Parejo achieved a significant career highlight when he lifted the Copa del Rey on 25 May 2019, after Valencia secured a 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona in the final. He departed Valencia as a club icon, having appeared in 383 official matches and scoring 64 goals during his nine years there.
3.4. Villarreal
On 12 August 2020, Daniel Parejo joined Villarreal CF, a local rival of Valencia, on a free transfer and a four-year contract. He moved alongside his Valencia teammate Francis Coquelin, a double transfer that reportedly caused significant anger among Valencia fans directed towards their chairman Peter Lim.
In his first season at the Estadio de la Cerámica, Parejo played a crucial role in Villarreal's triumph in the UEFA Europa League. In the final against Manchester United, he delivered the free kick that led to Gerard Moreno's goal, leveling the score at 1-1. Parejo also successfully converted his spot-kick in the thrilling 11-10 penalty shootout victory, securing the title for Villarreal. He has continued to be a key player for Villarreal, demonstrating consistent impact in both domestic and European competitions.
4. International Career
Daniel Parejo has represented Spain across multiple youth national team levels before making his debut for the senior squad. He was a prominent figure in the Spain under-19 team, being selected for the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. In that tournament, held in Austria, Parejo scored the decisive winning goal against Greece in the final, securing a 1-0 victory and the championship title for Spain.
The following year, Parejo was promoted to the under-21 team, where he featured in several qualification matches for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He also played a role in the Spain under-20 team that won the Mediterranean Games in 2009. His success continued with the U-21 squad, as he was part of the team that clinched the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship title.
Parejo earned his first cap for the senior team on 27 March 2018, at the age of 28. He came on as a substitute for Thiago Alcântara late in a friendly match where Spain convincingly defeated Argentina 6-1. He has since made a total of 4 appearances for the senior national team between 2018 and 2019.
5. Career Statistics
Daniel Parejo's career statistics provide a comprehensive overview of his appearances and goals across various club and international competitions.
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Madrid B | 2006-07 | Segunda División | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 | ||||
| 2007-08 | Segunda División B | 33 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 33 | 10 | |||||
| Total | 37 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 37 | 11 | ||||||
| Real Madrid | 2008-09 | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 2008-09 | Championship | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 18 | 0 | ||
| Getafe | 2009-10 | La Liga | 28 | 6 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 36 | 7 | |||
| 2010-11 | La Liga | 36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | - | 5 | 1 | - | 44 | 4 | |||
| Total | 64 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 11 | ||
| Valencia | 2011-12 | La Liga | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | - | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2012-13 | La Liga | 27 | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 36 | 2 | |||
| 2013-14 | La Liga | 31 | 4 | 4 | 0 | - | 11 | 1 | - | 46 | 5 | |||
| 2014-15 | La Liga | 34 | 12 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 37 | 12 | ||||
| 2015-16 | La Liga | 33 | 8 | 6 | 1 | - | 11 | 2 | - | 50 | 11 | |||
| 2016-17 | La Liga | 36 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 39 | 6 | ||||
| 2017-18 | La Liga | 34 | 7 | 8 | 1 | - | - | - | 42 | 8 | ||||
| 2018-19 | La Liga | 36 | 9 | 8 | 0 | - | 12 | 1 | - | 56 | 10 | |||
| 2019-20 | La Liga | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | - | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 10 | ||
| Total | 282 | 54 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 383 | 64 | ||
| Villarreal | 2020-21 | La Liga | 36 | 3 | 5 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | - | 53 | 3 | ||
| 2021-22 | La Liga | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2022-23 | La Liga | 37 | 3 | 4 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | - | 50 | 3 | |||
| 2023-24 | La Liga | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 7 | 1 | - | 42 | 4 | |||
| 2024-25 | La Liga | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 25 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 162 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 16 | ||
| Career total | 563 | 90 | 70 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 100 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 739 | 104 | ||
5.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
6. Honours
Daniel Parejo has accumulated several significant team titles and individual accolades throughout his distinguished career at both club and international youth levels.
6.1. Club
- Copa del Rey: 2018-19 (with Valencia)
- UEFA Europa League: 2020-21 (with Villarreal)
6.2. International
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2007 (with Spain U19)
- Mediterranean Games: 2009 (with Spain U20)
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2011 (with Spain U21)
6.3. Individual
- UEFA La Liga Team of The Season: 2017-18, 2018-19
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2020-21