Roberto Soldado

Roberto Soldado Rillo (born May 27, 1985 in Valencia (city in Spain)) is a player with the Spain football (soccer) club Real Madrid, who plays as a striker.

Beginnings

Roberto joined Real Madrid at the age of 13 from Valencia. Since 2005-06 season, he played for Real Madrid's reserve side Real Madrid Castilla as well as the Real Madrid first team. He scored crucial goals for Real Madrid that season like the winning goal in the Champions League against Olympiakos, an equalizer against Osasuna, and also in the 4-0 Copa del Rey victory against Athletic Bilbao. In 2005-06 season with Real Madrid Castilla, Soldado scored 19 goals in Segunda División (2 of them were penalties), becoming joint second highest goal-scorer alongside José Juan Luque of Ciudad de Murcia, one goal behind Nigerian stiker Ikechuwku Uche of Recreativo de Huelva. With Real Madrid, Soldado scored two goals.

Osasuna

On July 24 2006, Soldado officially became the first member of Real Madrid to leave under new manager Fabio Capello and new president Ramón Calderón. Soldado left on a one season loan to Spanish La Liga club Osasuna. Set to score goals and return back to Real Madrid as a better footballer, Soldado stated: "The idea is to leave and have a good season with a La Liga team scoring goals, and to develop as a footballer". Osasuna had finished fourth in the Spanish League to earn themselves a place in the third qualifying round of the European Champions League, hence Soldado chose them over a number of other Spanish clubs competing for his presence. "The following year I want to return to the Real first team. I chose Osasuna because it gives me the chance to play in the Champions League", Soldado said to Real Madrid's website after his signing. He would finish 2006-07 with a total of 14 goals, making him the highest scorer of Osasuna, with 11 of those coming in La Liga.

Real Madrid return

After a year playing at CA Osasuna, he returned to Real Madrid, where on July 11th, 2007, he renewed his contract with the team until June 30th, 2012
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On July 21st, 2007, in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Soldado revealed that he would be wearing nº9 shirt on this new R.Madrid stint. "During the preseason i'll be number 9, the number I've always dreamed of. When I step onto the pitch at the Bernabéu i'll remember all the hard work it took to get here."

International career

Soldado was called up for the first time by Spain national football team for the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying against Latvia national football team and Liechtenstein national football team in June 2007, playing in both.