1. Overview
Alejandro "Álex" Baena Rodríguez is a Spanish professional footballer born on 20 July 2001. He primarily plays as a left winger or attacking midfielder for Villarreal in La Liga and represents the Spain national team.
2. Early Life and Background
Baena was born in Roquetas de Mar, Almería, Andalusia, Spain. He began his youth career at CD Roquetas from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, at the age of 10, he joined the youth setup of Villarreal CF, marking the initial significant step in his football journey.
3. Club Career
Baena's club career began in Villarreal's youth system, progressing through their C and B teams before establishing himself in the first team. He also experienced a successful loan spell at Girona FC.
3.1. Youth Career and Villarreal C/B
After joining Villarreal's youth academy in 2011, Baena made his senior debut with the C-team on 21 December 2018. He came on as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 home victory against UD Rayo Ibense in the Tercera División. For the 2019-20 season, Baena was assigned to the reserves in Segunda División B. He made his debut for the B team on 14 September 2019, starting in a 3-0 win at UE Llagostera. During this period, he made 1 appearance for Villarreal C and 23 appearances for Villarreal B, scoring no goals for either team.
3.2. Villarreal First Team Debut and Progression
Baena's first team debut for Villarreal occurred on 18 December 2019 in a Copa del Rey match against Comillas CF. On 13 July 2020, he made his La Liga debut, replacing fellow youth graduate Manu Trigueros in a 1-2 home loss against Real Sociedad. His first professional goal came on 5 November 2020, when he scored his team's third goal in a 4-0 UEFA Europa League home victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. Just seven days later, he renewed his contract with Villarreal, extending his commitment to the club until 2025, alongside other promising young talents like Yeremy Pino and Fernando Niño.
3.3. Loan to Girona FC
On 19 August 2021, Baena moved to Segunda División side Girona FC on a one-year loan deal. During his time at Girona, he was a key starter and contributed significantly to the Catalans' promotion to La Liga. He played 38 league matches and scored 5 goals, in addition to 3 appearances in the Copa del Rey and 4 appearances in the promotion play-offs.
3.4. Return to Villarreal and Key Seasons
After his successful loan spell, Baena returned to Villarreal. On 13 August 2022, he scored a brace in a 3-0 away win over Real Valladolid. On 26 August 2022, Baena and teammate Nicolas Jackson were officially promoted to the main squad, solidifying his place in the first team. In the 2023-24 season, Baena emerged as a standout performer, becoming the top assist provider in La Liga with 14 assists. He stands at 69 in (174 cm) tall and primarily uses his right foot.
4. International Career
Alejandro Baena has represented Spain at various youth levels before making his debut for the senior national team.
4.1. Youth International Career
Baena has been a consistent presence in Spain's youth national teams, representing his country at U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20, and U-21 levels. He participated in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. His youth international record includes:
- U-16: 3 appearances, 2 goals
- U-17: 11 appearances, 3 goals
- U-18: 10 appearances, 3 goals
- U-19: 7 appearances, 0 goals
- U-20: 5 appearances, 1 goal
- U-21: 12 appearances, 2 goals
4.2. Senior National Team
In August 2023, Baena received his first call-up to the Spain senior national team by head coach Luis de la Fuente for two UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Georgia and Cyprus. He made his debut for Spain on 12 September 2023 against Cyprus, coming on as a substitute for Gavi in the 76th minute. Just one minute later, he scored his first goal for the national team in a decisive 6-0 victory. In May 2024, he was named in the 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.
5. Career Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive statistical breakdown of Alejandro Baena's professional career at both club and international levels.
5.1. Club Statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Villarreal C | 2019-20 | Tercera División | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | |||
| Villarreal B | 2019-20 | Segunda División B | 23 | 0 | - | - | - | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2020-21 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Villarreal | 2019-20 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 2 | - | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2022-23 | La Liga | 35 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | - | 48 | 12 | ||
| 2023-24 | La Liga | 34 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | - | 45 | 5 | ||
| 2024-25 | La Liga | 23 | 6 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 24 | 6 | |||
| Total | 99 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 25 | ||
| Girona (loan) | 2021-22 | Segunda División | 38 | 5 | 3 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 45 | 5 | |
| Career total | 161 | 19 | 17 | 3 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 208 | 30 | ||
5.2. International Statistics
Appearances and goals by national team and year
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2023 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 8 | 2 | |
List of international goals scored by Álex Baena
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 September 2023 | Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain | 1 | Cyprus | 5-0 | 6-0 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 2 | 15 October 2024 | Estadio Nuevo Arcángel, Córdoba, Spain | 7 | Serbia | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2024-25 UEFA Nations League A |
6. Honours
Alejandro Baena has achieved several team and individual honors throughout his career at both club and international levels.
6.1. Team Honours
Villarreal
- UEFA Europa League: 2020-21
Spain U23
- Summer Olympics gold medal: 2024
Spain
- UEFA European Championship: 2024
6.2. Individual Honours
- La Liga top assist provider: 2023-24