Ricardo Pérez de Zabalza Goytre

Richi

Personal information
Full name	Ricardo Pérez de Zabalza Goytre
Date of birth	(1977-04-14) 14 April 1977
Place of birth	Madrid, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2001	Rayo Majadahonda	20	(16)
2001–2002	Atlético Madrid B	49	(17)
2002–2008	Murcia	215	(27)
2008–2010	Tenerife	58	(7)
2010–2012	Murcia	62	(3)
Total		404	(70)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Pérez de Zabalza and the second or maternal family name is Goytre.

Ricardo Pérez de Zabalza Goytre (born 14 April 1977), commonly known as Richi, is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder.

A late bloomer, he only began playing football well into his 20's, making his La Liga debuts at 26. He spent most of his ten-year professional career with Real Murcia (two spells), playing in 250 league games and scoring 29 goals both major levels of Spanish football combined.

Football career

After beginning his football career at already 23 with amateur CF Rayo Majadahonda, in his hometown of Madrid, Richi spent two further seasons with Atlético Madrid's B-team, having begun his career as a striker. In the 2002–03 campaign he joined Real Murcia, achieving promotion and making his La Liga debuts in his second year, his first appearance in the competition being in a 1–1 away draw against Celta de Vigo on 31 August 2003; an instrumental offensive element from his beginnings, he scored twice in 35 games as the club returned to the top flight again in 2007.

Richi moved to second division's CD Tenerife in August 2008. He netted six goals in 36 matches as the Canary Islands side returned to the top level, after seven years.

Richi was not as important in the following season, playing nearly 1,600 less minutes and only finding the net once, opening the scoresheet in a 4–1 home win against RCD Espanyol on 14 March 2010. In the summer, with Tenerife ultimately relegated, the 33-year-old returned to Murcia, also relegated but in division two.

External links

• Richi profile at BDFutbol
• Richi at Soccerway