David Belenguer

{{Infobox football biography

| name = David Belenguer

| image = Belenguer betis.jpg

| caption = Belenguer training with Betis in 2010

| fullname = David Belenguer Reverte

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|12|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Vilassar de Mar, Spain

| height = {{height|m=1.82|precision=0}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Real Madrid

| years1 = 1992–1993

| years2 = 1993–1995

| years3 = 1995–1996

| years4 = 1996–1997

| years5 = 1996–1997

| years6 = 1997–1998

| years7 = 1998–2000

| years8 = 2000–2003

| years9 = 2004–2010

| years10 = 2010–2011

| clubs1 = Real Madrid C

| clubs2 = Palamós

| clubs3 = Leganés

| clubs4 = Celta

| clubs5 = → Lleida (loan)

| clubs6 = Albacete

| clubs7 = Extremadura

| clubs8 = Betis

| clubs9 = Getafe

| clubs10 = Betis

| caps1 = 38

| caps2 = 32

| caps3 = 28

| caps4 = 0

| caps5 = 22

| caps6 = 38

| caps7 = 76

| caps8 = 65

| caps9 = 158

| caps10 = 20

| totalcaps = 477

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 4

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 4

| goals6 = 1

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 1

| goals9 = 2

| goals10 = 0

| totalgoals = 12

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

David Belenguer Reverte (born 17 December 1972) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender.

During his extensive professional career, he was mainly associated with Getafe – where he arrived already in his 30s – helping the club consolidate in La Liga. Both major levels of Spanish football combined, he appeared in 441 matches over 18 seasons.

Club career

Born in Vilassar de Mar, Barcelona, Catalonia, Belenguer grew in the ranks of Real Madrid and played in a host of second division clubs before finally settling at Real Betis in 2000–01, achieving La Liga promotion that season. He previously made his debut in the competition on 30 August 1998 with CF Extremadura, in a 0–0 home draw against Real Valladolid{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1998/08/31/pagina-27/397469/pdf.html|title=Se olvidan del gol|trans-title=They forget about goal|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Pedro|last=García Chamizo|language=Spanish|date=31 August 1998|accessdate=11 January 2018}}– the former would be relegated, with the player appearing in 36 games.

In January 2004, Belenguer joined Madrid's Getafe CF, also promoting from the second tier at the end of the campaign. He went on to become an essential member of a side that consolidated their top-flight status (he scored his first league goal on 18 September 2005 in a 4–3 away victory over Deportivo Alavés),{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2005/09/18/liga/1127065633.html|title=El Getafe de Schuster derrota al Alavés y es el nuevo líder|trans-title=Schuster's Getafe defeat Alavés and are the new leaders|newspaper=El Mundo|language=Spanish|date=19 September 2005|accessdate=9 July 2014}} while also contributing ten appearances and one goal{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/deportes/2007/10/04/actualidad/1191482527_850215.html|title=Belenguer y Abbondanzieri salvan al Getafe en un choque de infarto|trans-title=Belenguer and Abbondanzieri save Getafe in cardiac clash|newspaper=El País|language=Spanish|date=4 October 2007|accessdate=11 January 2018}} as the team reached the quarter-finals in the 2007–08 edition of the UEFA Cup.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2019/05/06/primera/1557177863_863865.html|title=Semejanzas y diferencias del Getafe de Bordalás y el 'Eurogeta'|trans-title=Similarities and differences between Bordalás' Getafe and 'Eurogeta'|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Christian|last=Redondo|language=Spanish|date=7 May 2019|accessdate=17 April 2020}}

Belenguer was sparingly used in his final two years, and left the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez at the end of 2009–10 after seeing out his contract. In his final season he played 13 matches, the last of which was a solid defensive performance at Atlético Madrid on 15 May 2010, as Getafe won 3–0 and clinched the sixth position at the expense of Villarreal CF, thus qualifying for the second time in the club's history for European competition.{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275884?cc=5739|title=Getafe secure Europa League spot|publisher=ESPN Soccernet|date=15 May 2010|accessdate=10 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024220033/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275884?cc=5739|archive-date=24 October 2012}}

In mid-July 2010, when retirement seemed like the most likely option, Belenguer returned to former side Betis after signing a one-year deal, five months short of his 38th birthday.{{cite web|url=http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/noticias/ultimahora.html?id=6748|title=Acuerdo con el central David Belenguer|trans-title=Agreement with centre-back David Belenguer|publisher=Real Betis|language=Spanish|date=19 July 2010|accessdate=30 July 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929053321/http://realbetisbalompie.es/noticias/ultimahora.html?id=6748|archivedate=29 September 2010}} Due to the many injuries that affected the back sector, he was able to appear in 20 league games as they returned to the top division after a two-year absence, as champions.{{cite news|url=https://www.marca.com/2011/06/09/futbol/equipos/betis/1307619491.html|title=David Belenguer: "Es el momento adecuado de irme"|trans-title=David Belenguer: "This is the right time for me to leave"|newspaper=Marca|language=Spanish|date=9 June 2011|accessdate=17 April 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://eldesmarque.com/sevilla/real-betis/72979-la-historia-de-los-doce|title=La historia de 'los doce'|trans-title=The story behind 'the twelve'|publisher=El Desmarque|first=Ángel|last=Aguado|language=Spanish|date=4 June 2015|accessdate=10 February 2021}}

Belenguer became president of Portuguese club C.D. Tondela on 15 November 2018.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/liga/sad-tondela/david-belenguer-e-o-novo-presidente-da-sad-do-tondela|title=David Belenguer é o novo presidente da SAD do Tondela|trans-title=David Belenguer is the new president of Tondela's PLSC|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|date=15 November 2018|accessdate=10 February 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/portugal/desporto/david-belenguer-a-cruzada-de-presidir-o-tondela/50000445-4374586|title=David Belenguer, a cruzada de presidir o Tondela|trans-title=David Belenguer, the crusade of presiding Tondela|publisher=EFE|first=Carlos|last=García|language=Portuguese|date=22 October 2020|accessdate=10 February 2021}}