Nolito

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Agudo and the second or maternal family name is Durán.
Nolito

Nolito in 2013
Personal information
Full name Manuel Agudo Durán
Date of birth (1986-10-15) 15 October 1986
Place of birth Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Winger / Forward
Club information
Current team
 Celta
Number 10
Youth career
1990–2000 Algaida
2000–2003 Sanluqueño
2003–2004 Valencia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2003 Sanluqueño
2004–2006 Sanluqueño 32 (24[1])
2006–2008 Écija 71 (15)
2008–2011 Barcelona B 106 (29)
2010–2011 Barcelona 2 (0)
2011–2013 Benfica 35 (12)
2013 → Granada (loan) 17 (3)
2013– Celta 97 (38)
National team‡
2014– Spain 6 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 April 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 March 2016

Manuel Agudo Durán (born 15 October 1986), known as Nolito (Spanish pronunciation: [no'lito]), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Celta de Vigo as a left winger or forward.

Having begun his career at lower-league clubs he signed for Barcelona in 2008, playing predominantly with its reserves. Three years later he moved to Benfica, and was loaned back to Spain with Granada before joining Celta in 2013.

Nolito made his debut for the Spanish national team in November 2014.

Club career

Barcelona

Born in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz, Andalusia, Nolito arrived at FC Barcelona at nearly 22 years of age, having appeared with Écija Balompié in his native region in two third division seasons. With the Catalans, in the same level, he scored 16 league goals in two seasons combined – 12 in the second – as the B-team returned to the second level after an 11-year absence; still as a youth, he briefly represented Valencia CF, but quickly returned to his first club Atlético Sanluqueño CF.[2]

On 3 October 2010 Nolito made his La Liga debut for Barcelona, coming on as a substitute for Pedro Rodríguez in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Mallorca;[3] on 10 November, he opened the scoring in a 5–1 home win against AD Ceuta for the season's Copa del Rey (7–1 on aggregate).[4]

Benfica

Nolito (right) challenging Rio Ave's Éder in December 2011

In late May 2011, Nolito rejected Barcelona's offer of a professional contract and signed a five-year deal with S.L. Benfica, effective as of 1 July.[5] He scored on his official debut on the 27th, a 2–0 home win against Trabzonspor for the season's UEFA Champions League.[6] He also netted in the second leg, a 1–1 draw.[7]

On 20 August 2011, Nolito scored once in a 3–1 home win against C.D. Feirense, making him alongside Eusébio the only player to score in his first five official matches for the Portuguese.[8] He netted 15 goals in 48 official games in his first season, helping the Eagles to the domestic League Cup.

Nolito returned to his country and his native region on 29 January 2013, being loaned to Granada CF for six months and a fee of €600,000, without the possibility of making the move permanent in June.[9][10] In his first match, four days after signing, he took the corner which resulted in Cristiano Ronaldo's own goal for the game's only goal, giving Granada its first win over Real Madrid in 40 years.[11][12]

Celta

On 1 July 2013 Nolito signed with Celta de Vigo, penning a four-year deal and reuniting with former Barcelona B boss Luis Enrique.[13] He finished his debut season as team top scorer, with 14.[14]

Nolito was named La Liga Player of the Month for September 2014, with four goals during a month which ended with Celta in sixth position.[15] He created 96 goalscoring opportunities over the campaign, the most in the Spanish league and fourth most in Europe's five leading ones.[16]

On 23 September 2015 Nolito took his league tally to five, scoring once and providing two assists for Iago Aspas in a 4–1 home success over former club Barcelona.[17] He totalled three goals and an assist that month to help his team remain unbeaten, earning him a second Player of the Month accolade.[18]

International career

Nolito did not gain one sole cap for Spain at youth level. On 7 November 2014 he was called up by full side manager Vicente del Bosque, for a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus and a friendly with Germany.[19] He made his debut against the latter on the 18th, starting at his club ground of Balaídos in a 0–1 loss.[20]

Club statistics

As of 2 April 2016[21]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Écija 2006–07 31253—365
2007–08 401300—4013
Total 711553—7618
Barcelona B 2008–09 284—284
2009–10 4012—4012
2010–11 3813—3813
Total 10629—10629
Barcelona 2010–11 20310051
Total 20310051
Benfica 2011–12 2911711234815
2012–13 616030151
Total 35121311536316
Granada 2012–13 173—173
Total 173—|173
Celta 2013–14 351420—3714
2014–15 361310—3713
2015–16 221000—2210
Total 933730—|9637
Career totals 32497245153363103

Honours

Club

Barcelona
Benfica

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Fíjate en... Nolito" [Have a look at... Nolito] (in Spanish). Geografía Fútbol. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Nolito, el gol callejero de España" [Nolito, Spain's street goal] (in Spanish). ABC. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Nsue shocks Barca; ESPN Soccernet, 3 October 2010
  4. ↑ Barcelona 5–1 Ceuta; ESPN Soccernet, 10 November 2010
  5. ↑ Nolito confirma su fichaje por el Benfica (Nolito confirms deal with Benfica); Marca, 21 May 2011 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ Benfica leave Trabzonspor up against it; UEFA.com, 27 July 2011
  7. ↑ Benfica ease past ten-man Trabzonspor; UEFA.com, 3 August 2011
  8. ↑ Nolito iguala Eusébio (Nolito equals Eusébio); Record, 21 August 2011 (Portuguese)
  9. ↑ "Nolito será rojiblanco hasta junio de 2013" [Nolito will be rojiblanco until June 2013] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Jesus confirma saída de Nolito" [Jesus confirms Nolito exit] (in Portuguese). Sábado. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Granada 1–0 Real Madrid: Ronaldo own goal gifts Andalusians three precious points". Goal.com. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "Result: Cristiano Ronaldo own goal gives Granada the win". Sportsmole. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  13. ↑ "Nolito refuerza la delantera del Real Club Celta" [Nolito strengthens Real Club Celta's offense] (in Spanish). Celta Vigo. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "La temporada de oro de Nolito" [Nolito's golden season] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Premios BBVA a los mejores de septiembre" [BBVA awards for the best in September] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Kevin de Bruyne: Manchester City sign Wolfsburg midfielder". BBC Sport. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Iago Aspas scores twice as Celta Vigo give Barcelona shock thrashing". The Guardian. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Nolito named Liga BBVA Player of the Month for September". Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  19. ↑ "Chelsea’s Diego Costa left out of Spain squad to play Belarus and Germany". The Guardian. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Experimento pasado por agua" [Soggy experiment] (in Spanish). Marca. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  21. ↑ "Nolito". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

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