Pablo Ibáñez

1.1. Youth Career and Early Development

At the age of 14, Pablo began his formal football career in the youth teams of Albacete Balompié, a professional club with which his parents had connections. It was during his time in Albacete's youth system that he was converted to play in central defence, a position he would maintain throughout his professional career. He progressed through the club's junior ranks. Instead of immediately joining Albacete's B team, he was sent on loan to Caravaca CF, a club then competing in the Tercera División, the fourth tier of Spanish football. Upon returning to Albacete, he played the 2001-02 season for Albacete B, also in the Tercera División. He was a regular starter for the B team, helping them reach the promotion play-offs, though they were unsuccessful in securing promotion.

2.1. Albacete Balompié

Pablo made his professional debut for Albacete Balompié in the 2002-03 Segunda División on 31 August 2002, in a 1-1 draw against Terrassa FC. His talent quickly became apparent, and coach César Ferrando reportedly stated that he would build his team around Pablo. He started in 38 of Albacete's 42 matches that season, contributing significantly to their third-place finish and subsequent promotion to La Liga. His impressive performances in the second tier attracted interest from both domestic and foreign clubs, and he received his first call-up to the Spanish under-21 team for a friendly match against Bulgaria.

In January 2003, Albacete attempted to transfer him to Celta de Vigo, but the deal failed due to Albacete's requirement for a substantial cash payment. A few weeks later, sports agent Alejandro Camaño acquired half of the player's rights, which helped the club manage its finances and successfully complete the season.

Despite a training-ground injury that initially cast doubt on his top-flight debut, Pablo was fit to start for Albacete on the opening day of the 2003-04 La Liga season. Although his marking, alongside defensive partner Gustavo Siviero, was partially blamed for the opening goal in a 2-0 loss to CA Osasuna, he was described by El País as a "promising" and "mainstay" player. He missed only one league game throughout the season as Albacete secured a 14th-place finish.

During this period, it became increasingly evident that Pablo would join a larger club. Reports indicated interest from clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Leeds United, Roma, Internazionale (reportedly willing to pay around 3.00 M EUR), and Deportivo La Coruña. Ultimately, Pablo signed a four-year contract with Atlético Madrid for a fee of 3.50 M EUR plus add-ons, reuniting with his former coach, César Ferrando, who had recently been appointed Atlético's coach.

2.2. Atlético Madrid

Pablo's tenure at Atlético Madrid was a significant period in his career, marked by consistent performances, a high-profile controversy, and eventual challenges for playing time. Joining in 2004, he formed a strong central defensive partnership with fellow newcomer and Colombian international Luis Amaranto Perea. In the 2004-05 La Liga season, this partnership contributed to Atlético achieving the third-best defensive record in the league, conceding fewer goals than only Barcelona and Real Madrid. He also made 5 appearances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Despite the team finishing in a mid-table 11th position due to a lack of goals, Pablo's three goals made him their third-highest league scorer. His strong performances led to his selection for the senior national team in a November friendly against England and attracted interest from major clubs. Both he and Perea were rewarded with pay raises and contract extensions until 2009. In the 2005-06 season, Pablo remained a regular starter for both club and country, as Atlético again secured a strong defensive record, finishing 10th. He partnered Carles Puyol at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In 2006, Pablo found himself embroiled in controversy during the Real Madrid presidential elections. Presidential candidate Juan Palacios's chosen coach, José Antonio Camacho, publicly claimed that a deal was in place for Real Madrid to sign Pablo if Palacios won the election. Although Palacios ultimately lost, the revelation caused a stir. Pablo's agent defended him, stating that Pablo had not requested to leave Atlético and suggesting that the Palacios faction was exploiting a contractual clause that allowed him to leave if a 15.00 M EUR offer was received. Atlético coach Javier Aguirre affirmed the club's desire to keep "the best centre-back in Spain," and Pablo publicly apologized to the fans, insisting on his commitment to Atlético and acknowledging his mistake in accepting Real's offer.

He retained his place in the team, but in November, an injury sustained against Mallorca was diagnosed as a bruised kidney and fractured vertebrae, sidelining him for several weeks. During his absence, Zé Castro emerged as a strong contender for a starting spot. In January 2007, Pablo marked his 100th game for the club with a rare goal, securing a draw against Racing Santander. He finished the season with 24 league appearances. He helped Atlético qualify for the 2007-08 UEFA Cup through the Intertoto Cup, where he made one appearance, and subsequently played in eight UEFA Cup matches. He maintained a regular starting position as the club finished fourth in the league, qualifying for the Champions League. However, errors in the Madrid derby in January 2008, which led to both of Real's goals, reignited fan hostility.

The recruitment of Tomáš Ujfaluši and Johnny Heitinga in 2008 pushed Pablo down the pecking order, though he still made 21 league appearances in the 2008-09 season, including 4 in the UEFA Champions League. An offer from Real Zaragoza of less than 5.00 M EUR was rejected by Atlético as insufficient. Despite the arrival of Juanito, further increasing defensive competition, Pablo expressed his contentment to see out the final year of his contract. In his final season (2009-10), his playing time significantly decreased. He participated in the early rounds of the Copa del Rey and made 3 appearances in the UEFA Champions League group stage, as Atlético finished third in their group and dropped into the UEFA Europa League. His last appearance for the club came on 20 December 2009, as a late substitute.

2.3. West Bromwich Albion

Despite renewed interest from José Antonio Camacho, then coach of Osasuna, Pablo made the move to England. On 1 July 2010, after his contract with Atlético expired, he signed a three-year deal with West Bromwich Albion, who had recently been promoted to the Premier League. He made his debut on the opening day of the season, partnering Gabriel Tamaș in central defence in a 6-0 loss to Chelsea. Ten days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win against Leyton Orient in the League Cup. However, his appearances were sporadic, with only ten Premier League games, and just two of those coming in 2011. Teammate Jonas Olsson suggested that it typically takes at least a season for a player to adapt to English football, especially for someone who spoke little English upon arrival.

2.4. Birmingham City

In August 2011, at the end of the summer transfer window, Pablo signed a two-year contract with Championship (second-tier) club Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for Birmingham City in a 3-1 home defeat to Braga in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, where he made 5 appearances. In an away match against Club Brugge in the same competition, he was knocked unconscious following a clash of heads with Joseph Akpala, requiring lengthy treatment. In the tenth minute of the resulting stoppage time, Chris Wood scored a winning goal for Birmingham.

Pablo had replaced the injured Curtis Davies in the starting lineup, but the concussion sustained at Brugge allowed Davies time to regain fitness and his undisputed starting place alongside Steven Caldwell in central defence. After Caldwell's season ended prematurely due to injury, Pablo returned to the team for the final few games, including the play-off semi-final defeat, where he made 2 appearances. He finished the 62-game season with 17 starts, only 7 of which were in the league.

Davies and Caldwell began the 2012-13 season as the preferred central defensive pairing until an ankle injury sustained by Davies during a League Cup match at Coventry City provided Pablo with an early opportunity. He retained his place even after Davies returned to fitness, but then chipped a bone in his foot during a defeat to Barnsley, an injury expected to keep him out for a month. Further injuries, Caldwell's return to fitness, and the emergence of young left-back Mitch Hancox, which allowed Paul Robinson to partner Davies in the center, meant that Pablo played only twice more. He was subsequently released at the end of his contract.

3.1. Spain U-21

After playing only a few matches in the Segunda División, Pablo received his first call-up to the Spanish under-21 team for a friendly match against Bulgaria on 19 November 2002. Despite media assumptions that he would be a substitute, he played the entire match, which Spain won 7-1. He was a regular selection for the under-21 squad over the next 12 months, earning a total of 10 caps. His final appearances for the under-21 team came as Spain was eliminated by Sweden in the qualification play-offs for the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

3.2. Spain National Team

Pablo received his first call-up to the senior national squad in October 2004 for World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Lithuania, replacing Juanito who withdrew due to injury. With Carlos Marchena and Carles Puyol as the established center-back pairing, Pablo remained on the bench for both games.

He made his international debut on 17 November 2004, in a friendly against England in Madrid. He came on as a half-time substitute for Marchena, with Spain leading 1-0. With 20 minutes remaining, he appeared to foul Alan Smith during a shot attempt, though no penalty was awarded; Pablo later stated that Smith had dived. Spain maintained their lead and won the match. Pablo replaced Iván Helguera, a previous regular, in the squad for Spain's next match, a World Cup qualifier at home to San Marino in February 2005, but did not play.

In his next match, a friendly against China in March, he appeared to score with a first-half header, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call on Fernando Torres. A few days later, he made his first competitive international appearance in a goalless World Cup qualifier away to Serbia & Montenegro, playing alongside Puyol in the first half and Juanito in the second.

During the World Cup qualification process, Pablo established himself alongside Puyol as Spain's first-choice central defensive pairing. Despite scoring an own goal in the last warm-up game against Croatia, he and Puyol started in Spain's first two group games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, both victories that secured qualification for the knockout stages. They were rested for the third group match against Saudi Arabia. In the last sixteen match against France, Spain took the lead via David Villa's penalty after Pablo was fouled by Lilian Thuram. France equalized in the first half, then took the lead with only a few minutes remaining; as Spain pushed for an equalizer, Zinedine Zidane scored a third goal in stoppage time, resulting in Spain's elimination. This was the first time Pablo had played in a losing Spain eleven.

He retained his place for the remainder of 2006 but played less frequently thereafter, appearing in only four of Spain's twelve Euro 2008 qualifiers. Although named in the 31-man provisional squad for the Euro 2008 finals, he did not make the final cut. His last international appearance came as a substitute in a 1-0 friendly win against France in February 2008, bringing his total senior international caps to 23.

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. International Statistics