Gaizka Toquero

Gaizka Toquero

250px Toquero in action for Athletic Bilbao in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Gaizka Toquero Pinedo
Date of birth	(1984-08-09) 9 August 1984
Place of birth	Vitoria, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Alavés
Number	18
Youth career
2001–2002	Ariznabarra
2002–2003	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2005	Alavés C
2005–2006	Alavés B	29	(2)
2006–2007	Lemona	33	(0)
2007–2008	Sestao	37	(5)
2008–2015	Athletic Bilbao	156	(20)
2008	→ Eibar (loan)	16	(4)
2015–	Alavés	17	(6)
International career‡
2010–	Basque Country	4	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 December 2012

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Toquero and the second or maternal family name is Pinedo.

Gaizka Toquero Pinedo (born 9 August 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Deportivo Alavés mainly as a forward.

He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 207 competitive games over the course of seven La Liga seasons and scoring 24 goals.

Club career

Early years

Toquero was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava. After a brief youth spell at Real Sociedad, and some years with both reserve teams of Deportivo Alavés, he started playing professionally for SD Lemona in the 2006–07 season, later joining Basque neighbours Sestao River Club (both clubs were in the third division).

While playing for Sestao, Athletic Bilbao showed interested in acquiring Toquero, whom eventually signed him in 2008. After not fitting coach Joaquín Caparrós' plans to play for the Rojiblancos he was loaned to another Basque club, SD Eibar, greatly due to new manager Carlos Pouso, who had coached the player before.

Athletic Bilbao

After 15 matches in 2008–09's second level, Toquero was re-called by Athletic on 4 January 2009, making his La Liga debut six days later, appearing as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol. He scored his first goal for the club on 4 March 2009, in a 3–0 Copa del Rey home win against Sevilla FC (4–2 on aggregate) which qualified Athletic to the final: there, he opened the score, albeit in a 1–4 loss to FC Barcelona.

In 2009–10 Toquero, blessed with few technical skills but a tremendous hard-worker, blossomed into a first division player. He started most of the campaign as an offensive complement to Fernando Llorente, and also found the net on several occasions, notably a double against Real Valladolid on 7 March 2010 in a 2–0 home success.

Toquero once again was a regular starter for Athletic during the 2010–11 season. On 30 January 2011 he opened his official goal account, netting twice in a 2–0 away win against Atlético Madrid. In October of the following year he renewed his contract, due to expire in June 2013, for three more years.

Alavés

On 10 July 2015 Toquero rescinded his link with Athletic, and returned to Alavés four days later after agreeing to a two-year deal.

Honours

• UEFA Europa League: Runner-up 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: Runner-up 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15
• Supercopa de España: Runner-up 2009

External links

• Athletic Bilbao profile
• Gaizka Toquero profile at BDFutbol
• Gaizka Toquero at Soccerway