1. Overview
Pedro González Martínez, commonly known as Pedro, is a Spanish former professional footballer who primarily played as a left-back but also occasionally as a centre-back. His career spanned from 1987 to 1998, with his peak years occurring in the 1990s. He is most recognized for his four-year tenure with Atlético Madrid, one of Spain's most prominent clubs, where he made a significant impact, including winning the Copa del Rey twice. Throughout his career, Pedro accumulated 113 appearances in La Liga, Spain's top professional football division. After retiring from football, he transitioned into business, notably running a greengrocer in Logroño.
2. Personal Information
Pedro González Martínez was born on April 18, 1968, in Villarcayo de Merindad de Castilla la Vieja, a municipality located in the Province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. He is a Spanish national. Standing at 67 in (171 cm) and weighing 152 lb (69 kg), he was known for his versatility, primarily playing as a left-back, but also capable of performing as a centre-back. He was left-footed.
3. Club Career
Pedro's professional football journey began in 1987 and saw him play for several clubs across Spain's top two divisions before his retirement in 1998.
3.1. Early Career and Debut
Pedro began his youth career at Villarcayo Nela before turning professional with local club Real Burgos in 1987. He spent two seasons with Real Burgos in the Segunda División, making 18 appearances without scoring. His strong performances earned him a move to CD Logroñés in the summer of 1989, marking his transition to La Liga. He made his La Liga debut on November 5, 1989, in a match against RCD Mallorca at Estadio Las Gaunas, where Logroñés suffered a 0-1 defeat. His first goal in La Liga came on December 3, 1989, when he scored the third goal in a 4-1 home victory against CD Tenerife. During his single season with Logroñés, he made 28 appearances and scored two goals across all competitions.
3.2. Atlético Madrid
Pedro's impressive form at Logroñés led to a move to Spanish giants Atlético Madrid in the summer of 1990. He made his debut for Los Rojiblancos on September 2, 1990, in their first La Liga game of the season, a 1-1 away draw against Valencia CF at Mestalla Stadium. His home debut followed on September 23, in another 1-1 draw against CD Tenerife at the Vicente Calderón Stadium.
His first season with Atlético Madrid saw him make 18 appearances, but his playing time decreased in the subsequent two seasons, with only five appearances in 1991-92 and 13 in 1992-93. Despite limited league appearances, the 1992-93 season marked his debut in European competition. He featured in Atlético's first two home legs of the 1992-93 European Cup Winners' Cup: against Slovenia's NK Maribor on September 30, 1992, and Turkey's Trabzonspor on November 3, 1992. Although the team reached the semi-finals, Pedro did not make further appearances in the tournament.
The 1993-94 season was Pedro's most successful period at Atlético Madrid. He made 32 appearances across all competitions and became a notable goalscorer, netting seven times during this final season after failing to score in his first three years with the club. His first goal came on September 28, 1993, in a UEFA Cup home match against Scotland's Heart of Midlothian. In La Liga, he scored five goals during this season, including a significant free-kick goal in a memorable 4-3 comeback victory against FC Barcelona on league matchday 9, a game where Barcelona's Romário had initially scored a hat-trick. At the end of the 1993-94 season, former Atlético Madrid manager Luis Aragonés signed Pedro for Sevilla. In total, Pedro made 56 appearances and scored 5 goals in his four years with Atlético Madrid.
3.3. Sevilla FC
Pedro joined Sevilla FC in the summer of 1994. He made his debut for the club on October 30, 1994, in a home fixture against Sporting de Gijón at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, which Sevilla won convincingly 5-1. In his first season with Sevilla, he made 13 appearances across all competitions as the club finished a respectable fifth in La Liga. He made an additional 24 appearances in the following 1995-96 season before departing the club in the summer of 1996. During his two seasons at Sevilla, he made 29 appearances.
3.4. Later Career
Pedro concluded his professional career with two seasons in the Segunda División. He spent the 1996-97 season with Deportivo Alavés, making 31 appearances and scoring three goals. For his final season, 1997-98, he moved to Extremadura, where he made four appearances before officially retiring from professional football in 1998.
4. International Career
Pedro's international career was limited to a single appearance for the Spain U-21 national team. This occurred on March 28, 1990, in the second leg of their 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship quarter-final match against the Italy U-21 team. The game was held at the home stadium of his then-club, Logroñés. Although Spain won the match 1-0, it was not sufficient for them to progress to the semi-finals. Pedro never received a call-up to the senior national team.
5. Playing Style
Pedro González Martínez was known for his defensive versatility, primarily operating as a left-back. His ability to play in this wide defensive role was complemented by his occasional deployment as a centre-back, showcasing his adaptability within the defensive line. He was also noted for his left-footedness, which contributed to his offensive contributions, particularly his free-kick goals.
6. Major Achievements and Awards
Pedro's career highlights primarily include team successes during his time with Atlético Madrid:
- Copa del Rey: 1990-91, 1991-92 (with Atlético Madrid)
7. Personal Records
Pedro González Martínez's career statistics are summarized below:
| Competition | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 113 | 7 |
| Segunda División | 53 | 3 |
| Copa del Rey | 28 | 3 |
| European Competitions | 9 | 0 |
| Career Total | 203 | 13 |
His club-specific statistics are as follows:
- Real Burgos: 18 appearances, 0 goals
- CD Logroñés: 28 appearances, 2 goals
- Atlético Madrid: 56 appearances, 5 goals (with an additional 2 goals in European competitions in 1993-94)
- Sevilla FC: 29 appearances, 0 goals
- Deportivo Alavés: 31 appearances, 3 goals
- Extremadura: 4 appearances, 0 goals
8. Post-retirement Activities
Following his retirement from professional football in 1998, Pedro González Martínez transitioned into the business world. He notably established and began operating a greengrocer in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, where he settled after his playing career.