Alberto Baldé

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Alberto Baldé

| image =

| fullname = Alberto Baldé Almánzar

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|3|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Madrid, Spain

| height =

| position = Forward

| currentclub = Annagh

| clubnumber = 18

| youthyears1 = 2014–2017 | youthclubs1 = Portadown

| years1 = 2017–2018 | clubs1 = Portadown | caps1 = 4 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2018–2022 | clubs2 = Middlesbrough | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2021 | clubs3 = → Pickering Town (loan) | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = Portadown | caps4 = 29 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2023–2025 | clubs5 = Loughgall | caps5 = 50 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2025– | clubs6 = Annagh | caps6 = 0 | goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2017

| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U15

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2017

| nationalteam2 = Northern Ireland U16

| nationalcaps2 = 9

| nationalgoals2 = 4

| nationalyears3 = 2023

| nationalteam3 = Dominican Republic U23

| nationalcaps3 = 2

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 2022–

| nationalteam4 = Dominican Republic

| nationalcaps4 = 2

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| club-update = 1 July 2025

| ntupdate = 09:34, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

}}

Alberto Baldé Almánzar (born 21 March 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for NIFL Premiership side Loughgall. Born in Spain and raised in Northern Ireland, he plays for the Dominican Republic national team.

Early life

Baldé was born in Madrid, Spain to a Bissau-Guinean father and an Afro-Dominican mother. He moved to Northern Ireland with his mother at a young age.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alberto-balde-middlesbrough-dominican-republic-24036455|title=Released Boro man could be boosted by historic first international cap|first=Craig|last=Johns|date=23 May 2022|website=TeessideLive}}

Club career

Baldé joined the youth academy of the Northern Ireland club Portadown at the age of 12 when he knew no English, and gained national attention as the focus of a Google advertisement highlighting how his coaches used Google Translate to communicate with him.{{Cite web|url=https://extra.ie/2017/04/03/sport/soccernews/alberto-balde-middlesbrough|title=Portadown teen at the centre of Google video signs for Middlesbrough FC|date=3 April 2017}} At 15, he became their youngest ever goalscorer in a 2–1 NIFL Championship win over Knockbreda.{{Cite web|url=https://www.armaghi.com/news/portadown-news/viral-video-teen-alberto-becomes-portadowns-youngest-goalscorer-at-just-15/58547|title=Viral video teen Alberto becomes Portadown's youngest goalscorer – at just 15|author=Staff Reporter|website=Armagh I|date=12 November 2017 }} He joined Middlesbrough's reserves in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/17-young-jd-club-ni-14876781|title=Meet the 17 young players who have signed for clubs across the water|first=Gareth|last=Fullerton|date=6 July 2018|website=BelfastLive}} He briefly joined non-league club Pickering Town on loan in November 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://the72.co.uk/255723/middlesbrough-duo-join-non-league-side-pickering-town-on-short-term-loan-deals/|title=Middlesbrough duo join non-league side Pickering Town on short-term loan deals|date=18 November 2021|website=The 72}} He was released by Middlesbrough when his contract ended in June 2022, and rejoined Portadown.

International career

Baldé is a youth international for the Northern Ireland U15s and Northern Ireland U16s in 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishfa.com/news/2017/may/under-15s-beat-slovakia-in-opening-game|title=Under-15s beat Slovakia in opening game|website=IFA}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishfa.com/news/2017/october/northern-ireland-s-victory-shield-squad-unveiled|title=Northern Ireland's Victory Shield squad unveiled|website=IFA}} He was called up to the Dominican Republic national team for matches in June 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fedofutbol.do/convocados-de-rd-para-las-cuatro-primeras-jornadas-de-liga-de-naciones-de-concacaf/|title=convocados de RD para las cuatro primeras jornadas de Liga de Naciones de Concacaf}} He debuted with the Dominican Republic in a 3–2 CONCACAF Nations League loss to French Guiana on 5 June 2022, coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.concacaf.com/en/nations-league/game-details?matchid=626303|title=Game Details|date=12 March 2021|website=Concacaf}}