About Raúl Albiol
Raúl Albiol Tortajada (born 4 September 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central defender. He spent most of his career with Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal, winning five major titles between the first two teams and the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League with the third. He amassed La Liga totals of 394 matches and eight goals over 16 seasons, and also played several years in Serie A with Napoli. A Spain international since 2007, Albiol represented the country in two World Cups and as many European Championships, winning three tournaments including the 2010 World Cup. == Club career == === Valencia === Born in Vilamarxant, Valencian Community, Albiol started playing football with two modest clubs in his native region, moving to local giants Valencia before celebrating his 10th birthday. He made his first-team debut on 24 September 2003 in a UEFA Cup first-round tie against AIK at 18 years and 20 days, but spent the first year still registered with the reserves. In August 2004, whilst travelling to sign a deal to join Getafe on loan, Albiol was involved in a serious car accident, being put in intensive care. He managed to recover completely and, after reappearing in January, played an important role in the team surviving the relegation battle. He made his La Liga debut on 15 January 2005 in a 1–1 home draw with Atlético Madrid, and scored against another side from the capital, Real Madrid, in a 2–1 home win two months later. Albiol returned to the Mestalla Stadium the following season, and quickly established himself as first-choice due to his versatility.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.