Five LaLiga players who returned to their first club – football

Pure love for a football club is an emotion we most often associate with fans, but players are often huge fans too. Here are five world-class stars who’ve moved around but ultimately came back to their first loves: their childhood clubs.

Santi Cazorla (Villarreal)

Back in 2018 Santi Cazorla was unveiled by a magician on the pitch at the Estadio de la Ceramica, returning to the club he took his first professional steps with. Many wrote him off, with his chances of truly overcoming the horrendous ankle injury he’d been sidelined for almost two years at Arsenal with looking slim. But over the last season and a half, the Spaniard has turned that narrative on his head, propelling his beloved Villarreal to the verge of a European spot and even earning a call-up to the Spanish national team. Now that’s a successful homecoming.

Jesús Navas (Sevilla)

Hometown icon Navas joined Sevilla’s youth academy aged 15 and went on to win six trophies as part of the iconic mid-00s Sevilla side before leaving for Manchester City in 2013. After four trophy-laden seasons in England the pull of his childhood club proved too much and Navas returned, converted into a full-back. Since 2017 Navas has been named club captain, broken the club’s all-time appearance record and had the club’s reserve team stadium renamed in his honour.

Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Club)

Though he was born and grew up in nearby San Sebastian, Aduriz moved across the Basque Country to start out his career in Bilbao with Athletic Club. The striker has had stints away from San Mames, most notably with RCD Mallorca and Valencia CF, but the draw of his first club has always held strong. In fact, the prime of Aduriz’s career has come since his return aged 30 in 2012. He’s announced that he’ll retire at the end of the 2019/20 season, and it’s fitting that he’ll do so in the red and white stripes of Athletic Club.

Joaquín (Real Betis)

There is no legend at Real Betis quite like Joaquín. Currently a player, captain and even a shareholder at the Benito Villamarín, Joaquín personifies the club. He’s also spent time at other clubs, notably Valencia, Malaga and Fiorentina, before returning in 2015. Having just renewed his contract at the club until 2021, Joaquín will be playing for the club he loves for some time yet. And he’s showed no signs of slowing up quite yet; he recently became the oldest player in LaLiga history to score a hat-trick.

Gerard Piqué (Barcelona)

Gerard Piqué came through the La Masia academy at Barcelona, but it wasn’t until he moved to Manchester United and Real Zaragoza that he made his name as a future star of the game. But his great success has come back at his childhood club, where he’s won 8 LaLiga titles, 6 Copa del Reys and 3 Champions Leagues since being brought back by Pep Guardiola in 2008.