Ángel Merino

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ángel Merino

| image =

| fullname = Ángel Miguel Merino Torres

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|10|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Madrid, Spain

| height = {{convert|1.82|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = AV La Chimenea

| youthyears2 = 1983–1985 | youthclubs2 = Moscardó

| youthyears3 = 1985–1986 | youthclubs3 = Leganés

| years1 = 1986–1988 | clubs1 = Leganés | caps1 = 24 | goals1 = 5

| years2 = 1988–1994 | clubs2 = Osasuna | caps2 = 190 | goals2 = 17

| years3 = 1994–1997 | clubs3 = Celta | caps3 = 103 | goals3 = 9

| years4 = 1997–1999 | clubs4 = Las Palmas | caps4 = 47 | goals4 = 4

| years5 = 1999–2001 | clubs5 = Leganés | caps5 = 72 | goals5 = 8

| years6 = 2001–2002 | clubs6 = Burgos | caps6 = 40 | goals6 = 4

| years7 = 2002–2003 | clubs7 = Ceuta | caps7 = 21 | goals7 = 2

| totalcaps = 497 | totalgoals = 49

| manageryears1 = 2004–2008 | managerclubs1 = Osasuna (youth)

| manageryears2 = 2008–2013 | managerclubs2 = Osasuna B

| manageryears3 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs3 = Peña Sport

| club-update =

}}

Ángel Miguel Merino Torres (born 2 October 1966) is a Spanish retired football central midfielder and manager.

He amassed La Liga totals of 293 games and 26 goals over nine seasons, with Osasuna and Celta. He added 158 matches and 16 goals in the Segunda División, in representation of three clubs.

Merino started working as a manager in 2004, spending several years at Osasuna in various capacities.

Playing career

Born in Madrid, Merino started playing football with local club CD Leganés, with whom he appeared in two Segunda División B seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.fameceleste.com/2012/11/merino-un-honrado-futbolista-del-futbol.html|title=Merino: Un honrado futbolista del fútbol modesto.|trans-title=Merino: An honourable footballer of modest football.|publisher=Fame Celeste|first=Txema|last=Ereaga|language=Spanish|date=19 November 2012|accessdate=28 September 2022}} In 1988, he moved straight into La Liga after signing with CA Osasuna, making his debut in the competition on 4 September in an away match against Real Madrid and scoring the last goal in a 2–2 draw.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1988/09/05/pagina-9/1184032/pdf.html|title=¡Chupinazo pamplonica!|trans-title=Chupinazo from Pamplona!|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=5 September 1988|accessdate=19 June 2016}}

In 1992–93, Merino scored a career-best six goals (in 35 matches),{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1992/09/14/pagina-18/1268169/pdf.html|title=Osasuna recobra la chispa|trans-title=Osasuna rediscover spark|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Mikel|last=Goñi|language=Spanish|date=14 September 1992|accessdate=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1992/09/27/pagina-15/1257780/pdf.html|title=Reacción del Valencia en El Sadar|trans-title=Valencia react at El Sadar|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Mikel|last=Goñi|language=Spanish|date=27 September 1992|accessdate=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1992/11/02/pagina-15/1260608/pdf.html|title=Osasuna, con el autobús|trans-title=Osasuna, parking the bus|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=José María|last=Valle|language=Spanish|date=2 November 1992|accessdate=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1992/11/09/pagina-20/1258697/pdf.html|title=Spasic marca su primer gol con el Osasuna|trans-title=Spasic scores his first goal with Osasuna|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Héctor|last=Oliva|language=Spanish|date=9 November 1992|accessdate=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/04/05/pagina-21/1268821/pdf.html|title=Osasuna y Cádiz atacan al fútbol|trans-title=Osasuna and Cádiz attack football|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Mikel|last=Goñi|language=Spanish|date=5 April 1993|accessdate=19 June 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/04/19/pagina-22/1269047/pdf.html|title=Entre bostezos, grito del Osasuna|trans-title=Between yawns, Osasuna cry|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Mikel|last=Goñi|language=Spanish|date=19 April 1993|accessdate=19 June 2016}} helping the Navarrese to finish in tenth position. After the team's relegation the following campaign,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1994/05/16/pagina-28/1284401/pdf.html|title=El Sadar se despide con fiesta|trans-title=Party at El Sadar to say goodbye|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Félix|last=Sáez|language=Spanish|date=16 May 1994|accessdate=19 June 2016}} he joined RC Celta de Vigo also in the top flight, being first choice during his three-year tenure.

From 1997 to 2002, Merino competed in the Segunda División, netting a total of 16 goals for UD Las Palmas, Leganés and Burgos CF and suffering administrative relegation with the latter team. He retired at the age of 36, after one season in the third tier with AD Ceuta.

Coaching career

One year after retiring, Merino returned to Osasuna and started working with its youth sides. In March 2008 he was appointed at the reserves who competed in division three, his first game in charge being a 1–0 away win over CF Palencia late into the month.{{cite web|url=http://www.navarrasport.com/noticias/buen-estreno-de-merino|title=Buen estreno de Merino|trans-title=Good debut for Merino|publisher=Navarra Sport|language=Spanish|date=23 March 2008|accessdate=19 June 2016}}

After being relegated from the third tier in 2013, Merino cut ties with the club and joined neighbouring Peña Sport FC in the same capacity.{{cite web|url=http://www.navarrasport.com/noticias/miguel-merino-nuevo-entrenador-de-la-pena-sport|title=Miguel Merino, nuevo entrenador de la Peña Sport|trans-title=Miguel Merino, new manager of Peña Sport|publisher=Navarra Sport|language=Spanish|date=8 October 2013|accessdate=19 June 2016}} After meeting the same fate, he was relieved of his duties.{{cite news|url=https://www.noticiasdenavarra.com/futbol/2014/05/10/merino-paso-pena-sido-positivo-3002006.html|title=Merino: "Mi paso por la Peña ha sido positivo a pesar del descenso"|trans-title=Merino: "My spell at Peña was a positive one in spite of relegation"|newspaper=Noticias de Navarra|first=M.J.|last=Armendáriz|language=Spanish|date=10 May 2014|accessdate=28 September 2022}}

Personal life

Merino's elder brother Julián was also a footballer, playing as a defender for Leganés in the third and fourth levels (they were teammates between the 1985–86 and 1987–88 seasons).{{cite web|url=https://www.cdleganes.com/noticias/conoce-el-top-10-de-futbolistas-de-la-historia-del-club-con-mas-partidos-oficiales|title=Conoce el top 10 de futbolistas de la historia del club con más partidos oficiales|trans-title=Meet the top 10 of footballers in the club's history with the most official matches|publisher=CD Leganés|language=Spanish|date=25 May 2020|accessdate=6 July 2024}}{{BDFutbol|102963|Julián Merino}}

His son, Mikel, is a footballer and a midfielder.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2014/09/26/futbol/equipos/osasuna/1411726345.html|title=Merino, la nueva joya de Tajonar|trans-title=Merino, Tajonar's new gem|newspaper=Marca|first=Gonzalo|last=Velasco|language=Spanish|date=26 September 2014|accessdate=18 June 2016}} At UEFA Euro 2024, he scored a late winning goal for Spain in Stuttgart, with his celebration of running around the corner flag mirroring that of his father after he had done so for Osasuna in a UEFA Cup fixture at the same stadium in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/merino-father-celebration-spain-euro-0b0ae284c713110e30319904e47dcc5b|title=Like father, like son. Mikel Merino emulates dad’s goal celebration at same stadium at Euro 2024|publisher=Associated Press|first=Daniella|last=Matar|date=5 July 2024|accessdate=6 July 2024}}