Anselmo García MacNulty

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Anselmo García MacNulty

| image = Go Ahead Eagles - PEC Zwolle - Anselmo García MacNulty.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = García MacNulty in 2024 with PEC Zwolle

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|02|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Seville, Spain

| height = 1.87 m{{cite web |title=A. MacNulty – Profiel |url=https://www.vi.nl/spelers/anselmo-garcia-macnulty/profiel |website=Voetbal International |access-date=5 August 2023}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = PEC Zwolle

| clubnumber = 15

| youthyears1 = 2018–2019

| youthclubs1 = Real Betis

| youthyears2 = 2019–2021

| youthclubs2 = VfL Wolfsburg

| years1 = 2021–2023

| clubs1 = VfL Wolfsburg

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022–2023

| clubs2 = → NAC Breda (loan)

| caps2 = 32

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2023–

| clubs3 = PEC Zwolle

| caps3 = 50

| goals3 = 2

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U15

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 =

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U17

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalyears3 = 2021–2022

| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland U19

| nationalcaps3 = 7

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2023–2024

| nationalteam4 = Republic of Ireland U21

| nationalcaps4 = 12

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| club-update = 21 January 2025

| nationalteam-update = 19:12, 15 October 2024 (UTC)

}}

Anselmo García MacNulty (born 19 February 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for {{Dutch football updater|PECZwolle}} club PEC Zwolle. Born in Spain, he is a youth international for the Republic of Ireland.

Club career

He came through at his hometown club Real Betis before moving to VfL Wolfsburg in 2019. He joined NAC Breda on loan in July 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://punditarena.com/football/andrew-dempsey/anselmo-garcia-macnulty-ireland-u21-loan-bundesliga/|title=Promising Ireland prospect joins Dutch side on loan from Bundesliga giants|first=Andrew|last=Dempsey|date=19 July 2022}} He made his debut in the Eerste Divisie on 5 August 2022, in a 1–0 win against Helmond Sport.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2022/08/05/netherlands/eerste-divisie/nac-bv/stichting-helmond-sport/3798125/|title=NAC Breda vs. Helmond Sport - 5 August 2022 - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com}}

On 26 July 2023, he signed for Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle on a one-year contract with the option for a second year.{{cite web|url=https://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/en/newsdetails/news-detail/detail/news/off-to-the-eredivisie|title=Off to the Eredivisie|website=VfL Wolfsburg}}{{Cite web|url=https://peczwolle.nl/nieuws/anselmo-garcia-macnulty-tekent-bij-pec-zwolle|title=Anselmo García MacNulty tekent bij PEC Zwolle|date=26 July 2023|website=PEC Zwolle}}

International career

Garcia chose to represent Ireland from U15 level, and this continued through to his playing at U19 level for Ireland and then call ups to the Irish U21 squad. He has not, however, ruled out playing for the country of his birth at a later date.{{Cite web|url=https://punditarena.com/football/andrewdempsey/anselmo-garcia-macnulty-ireland-bundesliga-journey/|title=Anselmo Garcia MacNulty: Ireland's Bundesliga star reveals his Irish journey|first=Andrew|last=Dempsey|date=22 March 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/anselmo-garcia-mcnulty-happy-to-continue-international-career-with-ireland-40902252.html|title=Anselmo Garcia McNulty 'happy' to continue international career with Ireland|website=independent}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.balls.ie/amp/football/anselmo-garcia-macnulty-ireland-spain-486284|title=Anselmo Garcia MacNulty Has Not 'Shut Door' On Switching Allegiance|first=P. J.|last=Browne|website=Balls.ie}}

He made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U21 team starting on 26 March 2023 in a 2–1 win against Iceland U21.{{Cite web|website=RTE|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0326/1366448-kenny-gives-10-man-ireland-under-21s-win-over-iceland|title= Kenny gives 10-man Ireland Under-21s win over Iceland|first=Dylan|last=O'Connell|date=March 26, 2023|accessdate=March 27, 2023}}

Personal life

Born and raised in Seville, Spain but qualifies for Ireland through his mother Maeve who is from County Clare. His father Anselmo Senior is Spanish. He would visit Ireland every summer with his family. His uncle Terry and aunt Una live in Belfast and travel down to watch his matches with Ireland U21s.{{cite web|url=https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/u-21-defender-anselmo-garcia-macnulty-flourishing-after-move-to-netherlands/a935747465.html|website=Independent.ie|accessdate=16 November 2023|title= U-21 defender Anselmo Garcia MacNulty flourishing after move to Netherlands|first=Sean|last=O'Connor|date=16 November 2023}}