:Álvaro Domínguez (footballer, born 1989)

Having been released from the academy of Real Madrid as a youngster, Domínguez was signed by local rivals Atlético Madrid when he was 12 years old.{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=esp/news/newsid=1487370.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516144000/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=esp/news/newsid=1487370.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 May 2010|title=Defender Domínguez dazzles for Atlético|publisher=UEFA|last=Bryan|first=Paul|date=15 May 2010|access-date=27 February 2017}} In the coming years he progressed through the various youth levels at Atlético before being handed his senior debut by manager Javier Aguirre on 22 October 2008, starting in place of the injured Tomáš Ujfaluši in a 1–1 Champions League draw with Premier League team Liverpool. Four days later, he made his La Liga debut in a 4–4 draw with Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica.{{cite web|url=https://www.vavel.com/es/futbol/atletico-de-madrid/730852-un-partido-para-no-olvidar-jamas.html|title=Un partido para no olvidar jamás|trans-title=A game to never forget|publisher=Vavel|language=es|last=Sanchez Villena|first=Miguel|date=10 December 2016|access-date=3 March 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/deportes/alvaro-dominguez-ficha-borussia-monchengladbach_768527.html|title=Álvaro Domínguez ficha por el Borussia Mönchengladbach|trans-title=Álvaro Domínguez signs for Borussia Mönchengladbach|newspaper=El Periódico de Aragón|location=Zaragoza|language=es|date=27 June 2012|access-date=2 March 2017}} Domínguez managed five senior appearances for the campaign but spent the majority of his first professional season with the Atlético Madrid B team in Segunda División B.

The following year, following the appointment of Quique Sánchez Flores as new club manager, Domínguez became a mainstay in the Atlético Madrid team at left back where he displaced captain Antonio López from the starting XI. López later returned to the starting line-up when Sánchez Flores opted to convert Domínguez to the centre-back position.{{cite web|url=http://www.atleticofans.com/alvaro-dominguez/|title=Alvaro Dominguez|website=AtleticoFans|access-date=27 February 2017}} It was also the season in which Domínguez signed his first professional contract with los Colchoneros, penning a four-year deal until June 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/11/16/1628804/alvaro-dominguez-delighted-with-new-atletico-madrid-contract|title=Alvaro Dominguez delighted with new Atletico Madrid contract|website=Goal|publisher=Perform Group|last=Wright|first=Anthony|date=16 November 2009|access-date=27 February 2017}} He ultimately made 46 appearances for the season across all competitions and was part of the squads which ended as runners-up in the Copa del Rey and as champions in the UEFA Europa League, where he started in a 2–1 win over Fulham.{{cite web|url=http://actas.rfef.es/actas/RFEF_CmpPartido?cod_primaria=1000144&CodActa=11316|title=Atlético Madrid 2–0 Sevilla|publisher=Royal Spanish Football Federation|language=es|date=19 May 2010|access-date=28 February 2017|archive-date=26 May 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526010102/http://actas.rfef.es/actas/RFEF_CmpPartido?cod_primaria=1000144&CodActa=11316|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8675486.stm|title=Atletico Madrid 2–1 Fulham|work=BBC Sport|last=McNulty|first=Phil|date=12 May 2010|access-date=8 June 2018}}

Domínguez continued to be a fixture in the Atlético Madrid first-team the following season and in August 2010 he started and played the full 90 minutes in the team's UEFA Super Cup win over Inter Milan.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/7968572/Inter-Milan-0-Atletico-Madrid-2-match-report.html|title=Inter Milan 0 Atletico Madrid 2: match report|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|last=Winter|first=Henry|date=27 August 2010|access-date=27 February 2017}} He then scored his first senior goal for the club on 19 December, netting the team's second in a 3–0 La Liga win over Málaga.{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniverso.com/2010/12/19/1/1372/atletico-derroto-3-0-malaga.html|title=Atlético derrotó 3–0 al Málaga|trans-title=Atlético defeated Málaga|newspaper=El Universo|language=es|date=19 December 2010|access-date=3 March 2017}} He scored once more for Atlético Madrid as he ended the season with 28 appearances to his name across all competitions. In the 2011–12 campaign, Domínguez was named as the third-captain for the season, behind López and vice-captain Luis Perea.{{cite web|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2011/08/29/mas_futbol/1314568836_850215.html|title=Gabi y Domínguez, en la lista de capitanes del Atlético|trans-title=Gabi and Domínguez, in Atlético's squad|newspaper=Diario AS|location=Madrid|language=es|date=29 August 2011|access-date=28 February 2017}} On 10 September, he made his 50th league appearance for Atlético Madrid when he started in a 1–0 loss against Valencia at the Mestalla.{{cite web|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2011/09/10/mas_futbol/1315636035_850215.html|title=Domínguez cumple 50 partidos en Liga con el Atlético|trans-title=Domínguez reaches 50 games in League with Atlético|newspaper=Diario AS|location=Madrid|language=es|last=Garcia|first=Jorge|date=10 September 2011|access-date=28 February 2017}} Domínguez ultimately featured in 41 matches as the club ended the season in fifth in the league, thereby missing out on a Champions League spot. He enjoyed success in the Europa League, however, coming on as a late substitute for Arda Turan as Atlético Madrid beat fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao 3–0 in the final to reclaim their title.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17995827|title=Atl Madrid 3–0 Athletic Bilbao|work=BBC Sport|last=Henson|first=Mike|date=9 May 2012|access-date=8 June 2018}}

It would be his final match for the Red and Whites, though, as at the end of the season he agreed to sign for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach. He made 120 appearances for Atlético Madrid over the course of a four-year span, scoring six goals and earning three winners' medals. Domínguez later revealed that the club's lack of trust in academy players had contributed to his decision to sign for Gladbach.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spanish-football/2012/07/04/3220454/alvaro-dominguez-atletico-madrid-never-had-faith-in-their|title=Alvaro Dominguez: Atletico Madrid never had faith in their youth products|website=Goal|publisher=Perform Group|last=Lim|first=Jeremy|date=4 July 2012|access-date=27 February 2017}}

On 27 June 2012, Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach completed the signing of Domínguez on a five-year contract for a fee of €8 million, bringing him in to replace the outgoing Dante.{{cite news|url=http://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/dominguez/fuer-acht-mio-verpflichtet-24874362.bild.html|title=Gladbach holt Spanien-Star|trans-title=Gladbach get Spanish star|newspaper=Bild|location=Berlin|language=de|date=27 June 2012|access-date=28 February 2017}} He made his league debut for the club on 1 September, starting in a 0–0 draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-za/match/fortuna-d%C3%BCsseldorf-vs-borussia-mgladbach/1300789/lineups?ICID=MP_MS_2|title=Fortuna Düsseldorf vs Borussia M'gladbach|website=Goal|publisher=Perform Group|date=1 September 2012|access-date=5 March 2017}} Three games later, Domínguez scored his first goal for the club, netting an extra-time equalizer in 2–2 draw against Hamburg.{{cite web|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/late-goal-earns-gladbach-draw-hamburg|title=Late goal earns Gladbach draw with Hamburg|website=FourFourTwo|date=26 September 2012|access-date=28 February 2017}} He ultimately made 40 appearances and scored two goals across all competitions for the season as Gladbach finished eighth in the Bundesliga.

During Gladbach's opening match of the 2013–14 season against Bayern Munich, Domínguez conceded a penalty when he handled the ball in the box. Thomas Müller's resultant penalty was saved by goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen but Domínguez handled again from the rebound, giving away a second penalty which was duly converted by David Alaba. Gladbach ultimately lost the match 3–1.{{cite web|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/soccer-germany-idINDEE97901A20130810|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301015414/http://in.reuters.com/article/soccer-germany-idINDEE97901A20130810|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 March 2017|title=Bayern make winning Bundesliga start on Guardiola debut|work=Reuters|date=10 August 2013|access-date=28 February 2017}} It was an injury-disrupted season for Domínguez, though, as early in October he suffered a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder.{{cite web|url=https://www.borussia.de/english/team/news/borussia-news/news-detailansicht.html?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=9538&cHash=00a3d0d5001440fa5da2059d4b35bea9|title=Borussia without Marx and Younes for Stuttgart tie|publisher=Borussia Mönchengladbach|date=22 November 2013|access-date=28 February 2017}} He managed just 22 appearances for the campaign, and 34 in the next before a spate of back injuries severely curtailed his playing time in the seasons that followed.

Having struggled throughout 2015 with back problems, playing through the pain and medicating before matches, Dominguez sought the advice Dr. Miiller-Wohlfahrt in Munich in August. The doctor was astounded that Dominguez was still playing football as X-rays and MRI scans revealed that he had three herniated disks and further complications in his spinal canal.{{cite web|url=https://www.11freunde.de/artikel/wie-alvaro-dominguez-sein-karriereende-erlebte/page/2|title=Vor jedem Spiel fing ich nachts um zwei Uhr an, Dehnübungen zu machen|trans-title="Before every game, I started doing stretching exercises at two o' clock in the morning"|website=11 Freunde|language=de|last=Hijano|first=Eriver|date=2 April 2017|access-date=4 April 2017}} The full extent of Domínguez's back problems, which saw him undergo two operations, was such that during his time with Gladbach he missed 88 of the 194 games the team played while he was at the club.{{cite news|url=http://www.express.de/sport/fussball/borussia-moenchengladbach/sorgen-um-borussia-star-naechste-ruecken-op--muss-dominguez-karriere-beenden--24682484|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161213042004/http://www.express.de/sport/fussball/borussia-moenchengladbach/sorgen-um-borussia-star-naechste-ruecken-op--muss-dominguez-karriere-beenden--24682484|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 December 2016|title=Sorgen um Borussia-Star Nächste Rücken-OP: Muss Dominguez Karriere beenden?|trans-title=Concern over Borussia star's next back OP: Must Domínguez's career end?|newspaper=Express|location=Cologne|language=de|last=Müller|first=Achim|date=2 September 2016|access-date=28 February 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/futbol/espanoles-mundo/2016/12/06/584702d546163f94448b4664.html|title=Álvaro Domínguez se retira: "A nadie le gustaría ser un inválido con 27 años"|trans-title=Álvaro Domínguez retires: "No one would like to be a 27-year-old cripple"|newspaper=Marca|location=Madrid|language=es|date=6 December 2016|access-date=27 February 2017}}

On 6 December 2016, after having not played a match in more than a year, Domínguez announced his retirement from all football at the age of 27 as a result of the chronic back problems he suffered from.{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/alvaro-dominguez_karriereende-mit-27-666231/artikel|title=Alvaro Dominguez: Karriereende mit 27!|trans-title=Alvaro Dominguez: End of career at 27!|website=kicker|language=de|date=6 December 2012|access-date=5 March 2017}} He revealed that he had been living with a back condition for the past few years and that, despite having twice undergone surgery in an attempt to rectify the problem, had been obliged to play by Gladbach.{{cite web|url= http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gladbachs-alvaro-dominguez-retires-27|title=Gladbach's Alvaro Dominguez Retires at 27|website=FourFourTwo|date=7 December 2016|access-date=27 February 2017}} Domínguez later admitted to Spanish news publication Marca that he was considering taking legal action against Gladbach for medical negligence, claiming that the club had failed to treat his condition appropriately.{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/borussia-monchengladbach/story/3014567/alvaro-dominguez-weighs-lawsuit-against-borussia-monchengladbach-for-medical-negligence|title=Alvaro Dominguez weighs lawsuit against Gladbach after back problems|website=ESPN FC|last=Garcia|first=Adriana|date=8 December 2016|access-date=27 February 2017}} He later revealed that he would not be taking legal steps, stating that he "wants peace, not war."{{cite web|url=https://www.11freunde.de/artikel/wie-alvaro-dominguez-sein-karriereende-erlebte/page/4|title=Wenn Ärzte nicht aufpassen, hat es Folgen|trans-title="When doctors don't pay attention, things happen"|website=11 Freunde|language=de|last=Hijano|first=Eriver|date=2 April 2017|access-date=4 April 2017}}

Domínguez represented Spain at various youth levels and in 2009 was called up to the Spain under-20 team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=306962/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120032134/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=306962/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 November 2015|title=Alvaro Domínguez|publisher=FIFA|access-date=28 February 2017}} He was then named in Luis Milla's under-21 squad for the 2011 UEFA European Championship. He started in all of Spain's matches, partnering Sporting de Gijón's Alberto Botía in central defense, as the national team won the tournament in Denmark.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/spain/8599346/European-Under-21-Championship-Spain-win-tournament-with-victory-over-Switzerland.html|title=European Under-21 Championship: Spain win tournament with victory over Switzerland|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=26 June 2011|access-date=28 February 2017}} The following year, Domínguez was included in the Spain squad for the 2012 Olympics alongside Atlético Madrid teammates Adrián López and Koke.{{cite web|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2012/02/26/mas_futbol/1330241244_850215.html|title=Los olímpicos recibieron ayer su citación|trans-title=Olympians were notified of selection yesterday|newspaper=Diario AS|location=Madrid|language=es|date=26 February 2012|access-date=28 February 2017}} Spain were eliminated early on however, after defeats to Japan and Honduras saw them knocked out of the tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/football/9437276/London-2012-Olympics-Spain-crash-out-of-football-after-Honduras-loss.html|title=London 2012 Olympics: Spain crash out of football after Honduras loss|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|last=Edwards|first=Luke|date=29 July 2012|access-date=28 February 2017}}

On 25 August 2011, following the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Domínguez was called up to the senior national team by coach Vicente del Bosque for matches against Chile and Liechtenstein.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2011/08/25/futbol/seleccion/1314268980.html|title=Domínguez, Montoya y Botía, novedades de la lista de Del Bosque|trans-title=Domínguez, Montoya and Botía, news in Del Bosque's list|newspaper=Marca|location=Spain|last=Amaro|first=Javier|date=25 August 2011|access-date=28 February 2017}} Domínguez failed to feature in either match but made his debut on 26 May the following year, playing 45 minutes in a 2–0 friendly win over Serbia ahead of the 2012 European Championship.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/marcador/futbol/2011_12/amistosos_seleccion/2/spa_srb/|title=Adrián está listo para la Eurocopa|trans-title=Adrián is ready for Euro|newspaper=Marca|location=Spain|last=Villalobos|first=Fran|date=26 May 2012|access-date=28 February 2017}} He featured again four days later in Spain's 4–1 win over South Korea but ultimately missed out on a place in the final tournament squad.

In 2018, Domínguez worked in collaboration with the Spanish footballers' Association to publish a manual which aimed to help footballers better deal with their finances. In an interview with Marca, he revealed that he had once spent €15,000 in one night and that young players were not educated on how to manage their money.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/en/football/spanish-football/2018/01/11/5a57544d22601dfe628b45a0.html|title=Alvaro Dominguez: When you are a footballer you do not value money...One night I had a bill for 15,000 euros|newspaper=Marca|location=Spain|date=11 January 2018|access-date=28 January 2018}}

Domínguez attended King's College in his native Madrid until he was 18-years old. As a result of the school's British curriculum, Domínguez learned to speak English fluently.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/may/12/alvaro-dominguez-small-talk|title=Small Talk with Alvaro Domínguez|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|last=Lowe|first=Sid|date=12 May 2010|access-date=28 February 2017}} Though an Atlético Madrid supporter from birth, Domínguez revealed in a 2010 interview with The Guardian that he is fan of Premier League team Chelsea, and that the club's captain John Terry was his idol.

{{notelist}}

Atlético Madrid

• UEFA Europa League: 2009–10, 2011–12
• UEFA Super Cup: 2010

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2011

{{reflist}}

• {{BDFutbol|8466|Álvaro Domínguez}}
• {{Fussballdaten|dominguezsotoalvaro|Álvaro Domínguez}}

{{Spain men's football squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dominguez, Alvaro}}

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Madrid

Category:Spanish men's footballers

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Atlético Madrid B players

Category:Atlético Madrid footballers

Category:Borussia Mönchengladbach players

Category:Segunda División B players

Category:La Liga players

Category:Bundesliga players

Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players

Category:Spain men's youth international footballers

Category:Spain men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Spain men's under-23 international footballers

Category:Olympic footballers for Spain

Category:Spain men's international footballers

Category:Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Category:Spanish expatriate men's footballers

Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Germany

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany

Category:21st-century Spanish sportsmen