He started playing with Osasuna in 2005, going on to appear in 144 official games over the course of five La Liga seasons.[4] In 2011 he signed with Málaga and, two years later, joined Arsenal, winning three FA Cup trophies with the latter club while taking part in 251 matches in all competitions.[5] He ended his career in 2022 with Real Sociedad, winning the 2019–20 Copa del Rey.
Monreal became first-choice in 2007–08, retaining that status in the subsequent seasons, with another youth product, César Azpilicueta, being the undisputed starter in the other defensive wing.[7]
Málaga
On 10 June 2011, Monreal signed a five-year contract with Málaga CF on a €6 million transfer fee.[8] In his first season he initially battled for first-choice status with Eliseu, but ended up only missing seven games as the club finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time.[9]
Monreal scored his only goal for the Andalusians on 27 January 2013, in a 3–2 away win over RCD Mallorca.[10]
Arsenal
On 31 January 2013, Monreal joined English side Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee, believed by Sky Sports to be around £8.5 million.[11][12] He was given the number 17 shirt,[13] and made his Premier League debut against Stoke City two days later in a 1–0 home win.[14][15]
On 23 February 2013, Monreal provided the assist for countryman Santi Cazorla to score the winner in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa.[16] He scored his first goal for the Gunners on 16 March, opening a 2–0 win at Swansea City.[17]
Upon the arrival of Alexis Sánchez in the 2014 off-season, Monreal took the vacant number 18 previously worn by Sébastien Squillaci. On 23 August, he assisted Olivier Giroud's late equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Everton.[21] Additionally, an injury crisis in the squad saw him being deployed in an unfamiliar central defender role in a string of games, after Laurent Koscielny was put out of action due to an Achilles tendon injury.[22]
On 19 January 2016, Monreal signed a new long-term contract.[25] On 23 April 2017, he scored the vital equaliser as his team came from behind to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.[26]
On 6 November 2017, after good performances on the left side of a three-man defence,[27] Monreal won the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Month award for October of that year.[28] The following 20 January, he netted once and made two assists before retiring injured 30 minutes into an eventual 4–1 home win against Crystal Palace.[29]
Real Sociedad
Monreal returned to Spain on 31 August 2019, with the 33-year-old joining Real Sociedad on a two-year contract.[30] He scored on his competitive debut two weeks later, converting an easy tap-in at the hour mark of an eventual 2–0 victory over Atlético Madrid at Anoeta Stadium.[31]
Monreal missed the entire 2021–22 season, due to a knee injury.[32] On 23 May 2022, the club announced his departure.[33]
On 16 August 2022, Monreal announced his retirement at 36.[34]
Monreal scored his first goal for Spain on 12 November 2016, contributing to a 4–0 defeat of Macedonia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Granada.[39] He was then selected by manager Julen Lopetegui for the finals in Russia.[40]
Style of play
Upon signing with Arsenal in 2013, the club's manager Arsène Wenger described Monreal as "a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air."[41] Although he usually played as a defensive–minded left-back in a four-man back-line, he was also capable of playing as a centre-back or even as a left-sided defender in a back three.[42][43]
^"Acta del partido celebrado el 27 de enero de 2013, en Palma de Mallorca" [Minutes of the match held on 27 January 2013, in Palma de Mallorca] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2019.[permanent dead link]
^"Nacho Monreal: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
^"Nacho Monreal Eraso". Real Sociedad. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
^"El navarro Nacho Monreal ya está en San Sebastián para jugar con la Real Sociedad hasta el año 2021" [Navarre's own Nacho Monreal is already in San Sebastián to play with Real Sociedad until the year 2021]. El Español (in Spanish). 1 September 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
^"Monreal leaves Arsenal for Real Sociedad". Business Standard. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
^"Valencia 1–0 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 22 October 2006. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
^Hayward, Ben (2 February 2013). "Monreal y Azpilicueta, dos amigos que vuelven a reunirse en Londres" [Monreal and Azpilicueta, two friends that reunite in London] (in Spanish). Goal. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^Ballesteros, Jesús (10 June 2011). "Monreal jugará en el Málaga las próximas cinco temporadas" [Monreal will play with Málaga in next four seasons]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 October 2012.
^"Eliseu y Monreal, dos puñales menos" [Eliseu and Monreal, two daggers less]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 26 February 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
^"Mallorca stung by 10-man Malaga". ESPN FC. 27 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
^"Arsenal sign Spain international left-back Nacho Monreal from Malaga". Sky Sports. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^Fifield, Dominic (1 February 2013). "Arsenal swoop late to sign Nacho Monreal from Málaga in £8.5m deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
^"Nacho Monreal agrees to join Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
^"Team news: Monreal handed start on Arsenal debut against Stoke City". Goal. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
^Johnston, Neil (2 February 2013). "Arsenal 1–0 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
^Sanghera, Mandeep (23 February 2013). "Arsenal 2–1 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
^Williams, Aled (16 March 2013). "Swansea 0–2 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
^"Team news: Gibbs, Sagna, Monreal, the Ox". Arsenal F.C. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
^"Fenerbahçe 0–3 Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
^"Capital One Cup third round: Arsenal win penalty shootout after 1–1 draw with WBA". Sky Sports. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
^Wilson, Paul (23 August 2014). "Olivier Giroud rescues a point after Arsenal show backbone at Everton". The Observer. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^Yeend, Simon (29 November 2013). "Arsene Wenger rules out move for centre-back... says he's happy with Nacho Monreal". Daily Express. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
^McNulty, Phil (9 March 2015). "Manchester United 1–2 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
^McNulty, Phil (30 May 2015). "Arsenal 4–0 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
^Jones, Max (19 January 2016). "Monreal signs new long-term contract". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^Steinberg, Jacob (23 April 2017). "Arsenal 2–1 Manchester City: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
^Brewin, Joe (11 August 2017). "Premier League: 5 big talking points from Arsenal 4–3 Leicester". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
^ a b"Nacho Monreal wins October's PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans' Player of the Month". Professional Footballers' Association. 6 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
^Mangan, Andrew (20 January 2018). "Monreal's creative cameo sets up emphatic Arsenal win vs. Palace". ESPN FC. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
^"Agreement for the transfer of Monreal". Real Sociedad. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
^McTear, Euan (14 September 2019). "Real Sociedad hand Atletico their first setback of the season". Marca. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
^"Monreal, cerca de reaparecer aunque Alguacil no pone fecha a su retorno" [Monreal, close to reappearing even though Alguacil is not setting a return date]. Diario de Navarra (in Spanish). 11 March 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
^Barreto, Beñat (23 May 2022). "Nacho Monreal no seguirá en la Real Sociedad" [Nacho Monreal will not continue at Real Sociedad]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2022.
^"Nacho Monreal anuncia su retirada: "Mi rodilla me manda un mensaje, no doy para más"" [Nacho Monreal announces his retirement: "My knee is sending me a message, i've gone as far as I could"]. Naiz (in Spanish). 16 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
^"Monreal: "Esta oportunidad es algo mágico para mí"" [Monreal: "This is a magical opportunity for me"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 6 August 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
^"Crónica del Macedonia-España: 2–3" [Macedonia-Spain match report: 2–3.] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^"Crónica del Argentina – España, 4–1" [Argentina – Spain match report, 4–1] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
^Magowan, Alistair (20 June 2013). "Spain 10–0 Tahiti". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^Bell, Arch (12 November 2016). "Spain march past Macedonia". Marca. Madrid. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^Maston, Tom (21 May 2018). "Morata misses out on Spain's 23-man World Cup squad". Goal. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
^Ornstein, David (31 January 2013). "Nacho Monreal: Arsenal sign Malaga & Spain left-back". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^Harris, Chris (23 July 2019). "Monreal – A leadership role is what I want". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^"Arsenal players ranked and rated – in pictures". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^Nacho Monreal at BDFutbol
^ a bNacho Monreal at Soccerway
^ a b"Nacho Monreal". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^McNulty, Phil (17 May 2014). "Arsenal 3–2 Hull City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^McNulty, Phil (30 May 2015). "Arsenal 4–0 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^McNulty, Phil (27 May 2017). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^Sanghera, Mandeep (10 August 2014). "Arsenal 3–0 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^Cryer, Andy (2 August 2015). "Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^Rostance, Tom (6 August 2017). "Arsenal 1–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^McNulty, Phil (25 February 2018). "Arsenal 0–3 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
^Bevan, Chris (29 May 2019). "Chelsea 4–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
^Reidy, Paul (3 April 2021). "Athletic Club 0–1 Real Sociedad: result, summary, goal". Diario AS. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
^Lowe, Sid (3 April 2021). "Real Sociedad beat Athletic to claim Copa del Rey and Basque glory". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nacho Monreal.
Official Arsenal profile
Nacho Monreal at BDFutbol
Nacho Monreal at Soccerbase
Nacho Monreal at National-Football-Teams.com
Nacho Monreal – FIFA competition record (archived)