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Bernardo EspinosaColombian footballer, defender
Date of Birth: 11.07.1989
Country:  Colombia |
Content:
- Bernardo Espinosa: From Colombian Roots to Spanish Success
- Sevilla Academy and Debut
- Loan to Racing Santander
- Stint with Sporting Gijón
- Success and Injury at Sporting
- Middlesbrough and Girona
- International Career
- Achievements
Bernardo Espinosa: From Colombian Roots to Spanish Success
Bernardo Espinosa, a Colombian footballer, is a defender currently playing for the Spanish club Girona. Born in Colombia to a Colombian father and a Spanish mother, he moved to Marbella, Spain, at the age of 10. There, he began his football career with local teams.
Sevilla Academy and Debut
At 17, Espinosa joined the Sevilla FC academy. From 2008, he became a regular for Sevilla Atlético, the club's second team, serving as a vital defender and captain for three seasons. On November 10, 2010, Espinosa made his senior debut for Sevilla, scoring a goal in a 6-1 Copa del Rey victory over Real Unión. He made his La Liga debut on May 11, 2011, in a 2-3 away defeat to Osasuna.
Loan to Racing Santander
On August 31, 2011, Espinosa joined Racing Santander on a season-long loan. He debuted on September 21, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 home draw against Real Madrid. On January 7, 2012, he scored his first La Liga goal, netting the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Real Zaragoza. However, Racing finished the season in last place and was relegated to the Segunda División.
Stint with Sporting Gijón
After spending the first half of the 2012/13 season on the Sevilla bench, Espinosa moved on loan to second-division club Sporting Gijón on January 1, 2013. He debuted in a 1-1 away draw against Recreativo on January 5. He scored his first goal on January 20, in a 1-1 home draw against Numancia.
Success and Injury at Sporting
Espinosa impressed at Sporting and signed a three-year contract as a free agent on June 26. In his first full season, he played 40 matches, helping the club finish 5th in the league and reach the playoffs, where they lost to Las Palmas. The following season, Sporting finished 2nd and earned promotion to La Liga, with Espinosa being named the best defender in the division. However, on January 10, 2016, he suffered a torn cruciate ligament in a 2-0 away loss to Villarreal and missed the rest of the season.
Middlesbrough and Girona
After his Sporting contract expired, Espinosa signed a three-year deal with newly promoted Premier League club Middlesbrough on June 15, 2016. He debuted on December 31 in a 1-2 away loss to Manchester United. After one season in England, Espinosa returned to Spain in July 2017, signing a four-year contract with newly promoted La Liga club Girona. The transfer fee was around £4 million.
International Career
In February 2012, Espinosa was called up to the Colombian national team for the first time for a friendly against Mexico but did not play. He was called up again in the summer of 2013 for World Cup 2014 qualifiers against Peru and Ecuador but did not debut. In November 2015, Espinosa received another call-up for World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Chile and Argentina but remained on the bench both times.
Achievements
- Segunda División (1): 2014/15 (2nd place)- Best Defender in Segunda División: 2014/15
