Biography
Who is Ezequiel Garay?
Early life and beginnings
Ezequiel Garay Marcelo Garay González was born in Rosario, Argentina. He started playing football professionally for his hometown club, Newell's Old Boys, at age 18. During the 2004-05 season, he participated in the Primera División and helped the team secure the Apertura championship. His first league goal arrived in a local derby against Rosario Central, which ended in a victory for his side.
Club career in Europe
In December 2005, he moved to Spain to join the La Liga club Racing de Santander. His first complete season proved successful as he scored nine league goals across 31 matches. This performance made him the second highest-scoring defender in Europe's top leagues that year. Despite a leg injury in 2008, he helped the team reach a sixth-place finish, qualifying them for the UEFA Cup.
Real Madrid acquired him in 2008, though he remained on loan at Racing for that year. Upon returning to the Spanish capital, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid in a match against Valencia CF. During the 2010-11 campaign, he played limited minutes but participated in the Spanish Cup final, which the team won. In 2011, he moved to S.L. Benfica for a fee of 5.5 million euros. While in Portugal, he won several major titles, including the domestic treble during the 2013-14 season. He also reached the UEFA Europa League final twice with the Lisbon team.
International success and retirement
After his time in Portugal, he signed with the Russian club FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2014 for 6 million euros. He appeared in 42 games during his first season, contributing to the team's victory in the Russian Premier League. In 2016, he returned to Spain to play for Valencia. He was a starter in the 2019 Copa del Rey final when the team defeated Barcelona. In 2020, he suffered a severe knee injury and subsequently left the club. He announced his retirement from professional football in July 2021, citing a long-term injury that had persisted since 2018.
Internationally, he played for the Argentine under-20 team, winning the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005. He made his debut for the senior Argentine national team in 2007 against Norway. He represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, starting every match after his debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He scored a penalty in the shootout against the Netherlands, helping Argentina reach the final. He also played in two Copa América tournaments.
Personal life and details
Regarding his personal life, Ezequiel is married to Tamara Gorro. In March 2020, he became the first La Liga player to test positive for COVID-19. After retiring from his playing career, he began working in real estate development in Valencia.
Birthday and age
Ezequiel Garay was born on October 10, 1986, which makes Ezequiel 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Ezequiel shares the date with 76 other famous people.
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