Roberto Soldado

Roberto Soldado Rillo (born 27 May 1985) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a striker.

Real Madrid

Born in Valencia, Soldado joined Real Madrid at the age of 15 from local small club CF Don Bosco. After seasons of prolific goalscoring with the club's B team, he made his first team debut on 23 October 2005, against Valencia CF, playing 18 minutes in a 1–2 home loss. Previously, on 28 September, he had scored an 86th minute winner, after just six minutes on the pitch, in the season's UEFA Champions League contest against Olympiakos FC (2–1 home win), adding a late equalizer against CA Osasuna and another in a 3–2 away success against Racing de Santander, as Real finished second in the league, also netting in the 4–0 Spanish Cup victory against Athletic Bilbao.

In 2005–06, with Castilla, Soldado scored 19 goals in the second division (two penalties) to become joint-second highest goalscorer, alongside Ciudad de Murcia's José Juan Luque, one goal behind Nigerian Ikechuwku Uche, of Recreativo de Huelva.

On 24 July 2006, Soldado officially became the first member of Real Madrid to leave under new manager Fabio Capello and new president Ramón Calderón. Soldado left on a one-season loan to fellow top flight club Osasuna. Set to score goals and return to Real Madrid as a better footballer, Soldado stated: "The idea is to leave and have a good season with a first division team scoring goals, and to develop as a footballer".Osasuna had finished fourth in the previous campaign, to earn themselves a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, hence Soldado chose them over a number of other Spanish clubs competing for his presence. "The following year I want to return to the Real first team. I chose Osasuna because it gives me the chance to play in the Champions League", Soldado said to Real Madrid's website after his signing. He would finish 2006–07 with a total of 14 goals, making him Osasuna's highest scorer, with 11 of those coming in the league.

Soldado returned to Real Madrid where, on 11 July 2007, he renewed his contract with the team until 30 June 2012. In a 21 July interview with Spanish newspaper Diario AS, Soldado revealed that he would be wearing number 9 shirt on this new Madrid stint. "During the preseason I'll be number 9, the number I've always dreamed of. When I step onto the pitch at the Bernabéu I'll remember all the hard work it took to get here". However, he would finish the season with just five league appearances (one start, at Deportivo de La Coruña), the second with fewer minutes for the league champions.

Valencia

In early June 2010, after a successful year at Getafe - 16 league goals, and the club qualified for the UEFA Europa League - Soldado returned to his hometown and signed for Valencia for €10 million, replacing FC Barcelona-bound David Villa. In his first official game, on 14 September, for the Champions League group stage, he contributed one goal in the Che's 4–0 win at Bursaspor; when the two teams met at the Estadio Mestalla in November, he netted two more, in a 6–1 success.

On 2 April 2011, Soldado scored all of Valencia's goals in a 4–2 away win against former club Getafe. In the next fixture, a local derby against Villarreal CF, he netted two more, in a 5–0 home thrashing, and finished the season as joint-fourth top scorer as his team ranked third and qualified to the Champions League.

In the first game of the 2011–12 season (second round), Soldado scored four goals against Racing Santander, a hat-trick and one in his own net in an eventual 4–3 home win. His last two goals arrived in the final three minutes. In the second league match of the season, against Atletico Madrid at home, Soldado scored the only goal in a 1-0 win. A week later, he scored again against Sporting Gijon in a 1-0 away win, taking his goal tally to 5 goals in 3 games. On 23rd October, he scored a late equalizer against Athletic Bilbao in a 1-1 draw. On 19th November, Soldado scored both goals for Valencia against Real Madrid in a 2-3 loss.

International Career

Soldado represented Spain at all its youth levels, scoring a total of 26 goals.

He was first called-up to the first team for two UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers, against Latvia and Liechtenstein, in June 2007, playing in both; however, he did not make it to the finals in Switzerland and Austria, as the nation emerged victorious.