Luis Cuartero

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Luis Cuartero

| image =

| fullname = Luis Carlos Cuartero Laforga

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|8|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Zaragoza, Spain

| height = {{height|m=1.80}}

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Zaragoza

| years1 = 1992–1995 | clubs1 = Zaragoza B | caps1 = 77 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1993–2009 | clubs2 = Zaragoza | caps2 = 190 | goals2 = 0

| totalcaps = 267 | totalgoals = 1

| nationalyears1 = 1991–1992 | nationalteam1 = Spain U16 | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1992 | nationalteam2 = Spain U17 | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1993–1994 | nationalteam3 = Spain U18 | nationalcaps3 = 22 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 1995 | nationalteam4 = Spain U19 | nationalcaps4 = 2 | nationalgoals4 = 0

| nationalyears5 = 1995 | nationalteam5 = Spain U20 | nationalcaps5 = 6 | nationalgoals5 = 0

| nationalyears6 = 1996–1998 | nationalteam6 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps6 = 6 | nationalgoals6 = 0

| nationalyears7 = 1997 | nationalteam7 = Spain U23 | nationalcaps7 = 4 | nationalgoals7 = 0

}}

Luis Carlos Cuartero Laforga (born 17 August 1975) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right-back or a central defender.

His professional career, hindered by several serious injuries, was devoted to a single club, Real Zaragoza.{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2006/11/15/futbol/1163545309.html|title=De la Liga de las estrellas a la Liga de las lesiones|trans-title=From star League to injury League|newspaper=El Mundo|first=Raúl|last=Piña|language=es|date=15 November 2006|access-date=2 December 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/el_club_las_rodillas_rotas.html|title=El club de las rodillas rotas|trans-title=Shattered knees society|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|first=Chema|last=Rodríguez Bravo|language=es|date=29 July 2010|access-date=2 December 2011}}

Club career

Cuartero was born in Zaragoza, Aragon. He made his senior debut with his hometown club Real Zaragoza on 20 June 1993 in a 2–2 away draw against Atlético Madrid, aged 17,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/06/21/pagina-32/1481241/pdf.html#|title=El Atlético vuelve a ser el ‘pupas’ ante el Zaragoza|trans-title=Atlético are 'pupas' again against Zaragoza|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Carlos|last=Carbajosa|language=es|date=21 June 1993|access-date=6 July 2018}} and went on to appear in 178 La Liga games, plus the 2002–03 season in the Segunda División.

From 2006 to 2009, however, Cuartero would total three league appearances, severely hindered by knee injuries.{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=469305.html|title=Zaragoza reel from Cuartero blow|publisher=UEFA|date=18 October 2006|access-date=8 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408214823/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=469305.html|archive-date=8 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/deportes/2008/10/08/gravedad-confirmada-47887433.html|title=Gravedad confirmada|trans-title=Seriousness confirmed|newspaper=El Periódico de Aragón|language=es|date=8 October 2008|access-date=7 April 2025}} Never more than a utility player, his best league output came in the 2003–04 campaign, when he featured in 24 matches for a final 12th place; he added seven appearances in a victorious run in the Copa del Rey,{{cite web|url=https://adnzaragocista.com/real-zaragoza-2003-04/|title=Real Zaragoza 2003–04|publisher=ADN Zaragocista|language=es|access-date=7 April 2025}} including 120 minutes of the 3–2 win against Real Madrid in the final.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/futbol/real-zaragoza/2014/03/17/la-ultima-gran-gesta-486156.html|title=La última gran gesta|trans-title=The last great exploit|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|first=J. L.|last=Gaona|language=es|date=17 March 2014|access-date=7 April 2025}}

Cuartero retired aged 33 at the end of 2008–09, with the team again in the second tier.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2009/04/20/futbol/equipos/zaragoza/1240239499.html|title=Cuartero pone fin a toda una vida en el Zaragoza|trans-title=Cuartero ends a lifetime in Zaragoza|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=20 April 2009|access-date=8 April 2014}} He remained connected to Zaragoza until October 2022, mainly as general manager.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/futbol/real-zaragoza/2022/10/24/cuartero-deja-el-real-zaragoza-1607982.html|title=Cuartero deja el Real Zaragoza|trans-title=Cuartero leaves Real Zaragoza|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|language=es|date=24 October 2022|access-date=7 April 2025}}

Honours

Zaragoza

Copa del Rey: 2000–01,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/2001/07/01/066.html|title=Zaragoza, no hay quinta Copa mala|trans-title=Zaragoza, no such thing as a bad fifth Cup|newspaper=ABC|first=Enrique|last=Ortego|language=es|date=1 July 2001|access-date=7 July 2014}} 2003–04{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/019b-0f8454c38ca2-809140c6b66b-1000--galletti-gives-zaragoza-glory/|title=Galletti gives Zaragoza glory|publisher=UEFA|first=Andy|last=Hall|date=17 March 2004|access-date=12 May 2023}}
Supercopa de España: 2004{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2004/08/23/futbol/1093263907.html|title=El Zaragoza noquea al Valencia y gana la Supercopa|trans-title=Zaragoza knock Valencia out and win the Supercup|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|date=24 August 2004|access-date=7 April 2025}}

Spain U21

UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 1998{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1998/06/01/pagina-14/398538/pdf.html|title=Príncipes|trans-title=Princes|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=1 June 1998|access-date=12 May 2023}}