Miguel Gallardo (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Miguel Gallardo

| image = Miguel-gallardo.jpg

| caption =

| image_size = 175

| fullname = Miguel Gallardo Aparicio

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|10|24}}

| birth_place = Torreón, Mexico

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2000–2002

| youthclubs1 = Tigres

| years1 = 2003–2007

| clubs1 = Austin Lightning

| caps1 = 64

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2008

| clubs2 = Austin Aztex U23

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2009–2010

| clubs3 = Austin Aztex

| caps3 = 43

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2011–2014

| clubs4 = Orlando City

| caps4 = 81

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2015–2016

| clubs5 = Jacksonville Armada

| caps5 = 15

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2017–2018

| clubs6 = Florida Tropics SC (indoor)

| caps6 = 3

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 24 January 2019

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Miguel Gallardo Aparicio (born October 24, 1984) is a Mexican former professional footballer who is currently a television analyst for Orlando City SC.

Career

=Youth and amateur=

Gallardo grew up in Round Rock, Texas, and attended Westwood High School. He played club soccer for the Longhorn Soccer Club and Austin Capitals Soccer Club. Instead of attending college, Gallardo returned to his native Mexico to train with the youth academy at Tigres of the Primera División de México.

Finding opportunities in Mexico limited, Gallardo returned to the United States in 2002, subsequently playing in the USL Premier Development League for Austin Lightning. He made 64 starts in his five years with Lightning,{{cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2003/roster/22297.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2008-10-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109015820/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2003/roster/22297.html |archivedate=2009-01-09 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2004/roster/22297.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011154221/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2004/roster/22297.html |archivedate=2012-10-11 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2005/roster/22297.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2012-03-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011154307/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2005/roster/22297.html |archivedate=2012-10-11 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2006/roster/22297.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011154314/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2006/roster/22297.html |archivedate=2012-10-11 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2007/roster/22297.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924215149/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2007/roster/22297.html |archivedate=2010-09-24 }} before moving on to the Aztex junior team, Austin Aztex U23 in 2008,{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/roster/8969453.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2013-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404123917/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/roster/8969453.html |archivedate=2013-04-04 }} where he was named PDL Goalkeeper of the Year.[http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/268545.html Top PDL honors announced] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505183753/http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/268545.html |date=2011-05-05 }}

=Professional=

Gallardo was the first player signed by the USL First Division expansion franchise Austin Aztex. He made his professional debut on April 18, 2009, in Austin's USL1 season opener against Minnesota Thunder.[http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/321933.html Aztex earn draw in debut, tie Minnesota] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221091557/http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/321933.html |date=2009-12-21 }} Prior to the 2011 season, new owners purchased the club, moved it to Orlando, Florida, renamed it Orlando City and joined the USL Pro league for 2011.

Orlando City signed Gallardo to a multi-year contract on 1 September 2011.{{cite web |url=http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/558401.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2011-09-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524043646/http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/558401.html |archivedate=2012-05-24 }} He was released upon the conclusion of the 2014 season, a casualty of the club's transition to Major League Soccer.{{cite web |url= http://baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/sports/article.html/content/news/articles/bhsn/2014/9/16/_13_orlando_city_pla.html |title= 13 Orlando City players released as part of Major League Soccer transition |last= Radcliffe |first= Jeff |date= 16 September 2014 |website= |publisher= Bright House Sports Network |accessdate= 22 December 2014}}

Gallardo signed with NASL expansion club Jacksonville Armada on 21 October 2014, becoming the first player on the team's roster.{{cite tweet|user=JaxArmadaFC|author=Jax Armada FC|number=524645334979342336|date=21 October 2014|title=We’re proud to announce, the first player signed to the #ArmadaFC is Goalkeeper, Miguel Gallardo!}}

Miguel Gallardo was released from the Jacksonville Armada on 14 December 2016.

On February 17, 2017, Gallardo resigned with Orlando City SC of the MLS as a member of the broadcasting team.

Gallardo returned to playing professionally on July 28, 2017, by signing with Florida Tropics SC of the Major Arena Soccer League.{{cite web |url= http://www.fltropics.com/news/tropics-announce-signings-of-former-usl-nasl-stand |title= Tropics Announce Signings of Former USL, NASL Standouts for Upcoming Arena Season |date= 27 July 2017 |website= |publisher= Florida Tropics SC |accessdate= 28 July 2017}}