David de Gea
Who was David de Gea?
Spanish goalkeeper who made over 540 appearances for Manchester United and won the Premier League Golden Glove award multiple times before joining Fiorentina.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on David de Gea (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
David de Gea Quintana was born on 7 November 1990 in Madrid, Spain. He honed his football skills with Atlético Madrid's youth academy and made his senior debut for the team in 2009 at 18. He quickly became Atlético's main goalkeeper, and in 2010 helped the club win the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup, marking him as a promising young goalkeeper in Europe.
His performances at Atlético caught the eye of numerous clubs, and in the summer of 2011, Manchester United signed De Gea for £18.9 million, a British record for a goalkeeper back then. His early days at Old Trafford were challenging, with fans and commentators questioning his readiness for English football's physicality. However, De Gea persisted and gradually became recognized as one of the world's top goalkeepers. Over more than a decade with the club, he made over 500 appearances and won a Premier League title, an FA Cup, two League Cups, three Community Shields, and another UEFA Europa League medal.
De Gea earned significant individual honors at Manchester United. He was named the club's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for three straight seasons between 2013–14 and 2015–16, the first to win it three times in a row and four times overall. He was also named in five PFA Team of the Year lists, including four back-to-back from 2015 to 2018, and featured in the FIFA FIFPro World11 in 2018. His shot-stopping, reflexes, and calm under pressure built his reputation during this time, and he won the Premier League Golden Glove several times.
Internationally, De Gea was long seen as the successor to Iker Casillas as Spain's top goalkeeper. He led Spain's under-21 team to consecutive European Championship wins in 2011 and 2013 and represented his country at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He made his senior debut in 2014 and was picked for that year's FIFA World Cup. He was Spain's main goalkeeper at UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but his performance in the latter drew criticism. He eventually lost his starting spot to Unai Simón before UEFA Euro 2020.
After his Manchester United contract expired in 2023, De Gea took a year off from professional football before joining Italian Serie A club Fiorentina, also taking on the role of captain. His return to club football drew much interest due to his long break and his reputation as one of the most skilled goalkeepers of his generation.
Before Fame
David de Gea grew up in Madrid and joined Atlético Madrid's youth academy as a young boy, spending his early years being trained in one of Spain's top development systems. He moved up quickly through the age groups, and by his late teens, it was clear he had outstanding reflexes and a keen understanding of the game for his age.
De Gea made his senior debut for Atlético Madrid in 2009 at 18. He found himself in a professional environment with experienced players and high-pressure European competition. This early exposure to top-level football at a club frequently competing in UEFA competitions sped up his development and caught the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Europa League twice, with Atlético Madrid in 2010 and Manchester United in 2017
- Named Manchester United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year four times, including three consecutive seasons from 2013–14 to 2015–16
- Included in the FIFA FIFPro World11 in 2018
- Captained Spain under-21 to back-to-back UEFA European Under-21 Championship titles in 2011 and 2013
- Won the Premier League Golden Glove award multiple times during his career at Manchester United
Did You Know?
- 01.De Gea became the first player in Manchester United history to win the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award three consecutive times, eventually claiming the honour four times in total.
- 02.He was signed by Manchester United in 2011 for £18.9 million, setting a British record for a transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper at the time.
- 03.De Gea captained the Spain under-21 national team to two consecutive UEFA European Under-21 Championship titles, in 2011 and 2013, an unusually long tenure at that level for a player of his ability.
- 04.After leaving Manchester United in 2023, De Gea spent approximately a year without a professional club before returning to football with Fiorentina in Serie A.
- 05.He is married to Edurne, a well-known Spanish singer and television presenter, making them one of the more prominent couples in Spanish popular culture.