Keko_(footballer,_born_1991)

Keko (footballer, born 1991)

Keko (footballer, born 1991)

Spanish footballer, born in 1991

Not to be confused with Koke (footballer, born 1992).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gontán and the second or maternal family name is Gallardo.

Sergio Gontán Gallardo (born 27 December 1991), known as Keko, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger.

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Formed at Atlético Madrid, he made 112 La Liga appearances for that club, Valladolid, Eibar and Málaga. He also played in Serie A for Catania.

Club career

Atlético Madrid

Keko with Atlético Madrid B in 2009

Keko was born in Brunete, Community of Madrid. A product of local Atlético Madrid's youth ranks, he made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 12 September 2009, taking the field as a 63rd-minute substitute for Florent Sinama Pongolle in a 1–1 home draw against Racing de Santander, aged just 17. Speaking to Diario AS after the match, he said: "The truth is that I have always dreamed of playing in this stadium, despite the draw, it was a dream come true. I did not think about the protests outside the ground, and I only wanted to score. I hope to have more chances, but I have to be calm and see what the coach decides."[1]

Late in January 2010, Keko was loaned to Real Valladolid in the same league until the end of the season.[2] He made his debut for his new team against Valencia CF, appearing as a late replacement in an eventual 2–0 away loss on 6 February.[3]

Keko split the 2010–11 campaign with two Segunda División sides, FC Cartagena and Girona FC,[4] totalling 25 matches (nine starts, 952 minutes) as both managed to retain their league status.

Catania

On 19 July 2011, after he failed to renew his contract with Atlético Madrid, Keko completed a transfer to Calcio Catania in Italy, signing a three-year deal and being awarded the No. 15 jersey at the Sicilian club.[5] On 7 January 2012, however, along with teammate Fabio Sciacca, he joined Serie B's F.C. Grosseto S.S.D. on loan.[6]

Keko scored on his Serie A debut on 24 February 2013, starting and contributing to a 2–1 away win over Parma FC.[7] In May 2014, he was released; valued at €10 million by Catania, he remained unemployed for nearly four months and hired a personal trainer while contemplating leaving football.[8]

Albacete

On 28 August 2014, Keko signed a 1+1 contract with Albacete Balompié, recently promoted to the second tier.[9] He totalled more than 2,500 minutes of action during his only season, notably scoring a brace in a 3–2 victory at UE Llagostera on 21 May 2015 that confirmed the side's survival.[10]

Eibar

On 9 July 2015, Keko moved to SD Eibar in the top division after agreeing to a two-year contract.[11] He scored his first goal in the competition on 30 December, opening the 2–0 home win against Sporting de Gijón.[12]

Málaga

Keko (right) and Daniele Verde with Valladolid in 2018

On 21 June 2016, Keko joined Málaga CF on a four-year deal.[13] He appeared in 22 scoreless matches in his first season, helping his team to finish in 11th position.[14]

After suffering relegation, Keko agreed to a one-year loan back at former club Valladolid on 29 July 2018, now in the top flight.[15] On 31 January 2020, he terminated his contract with the Andalusians.[16]

Deportivo

On 31 January 2020, just hours after leaving Málaga, Keko signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Deportivo de La Coruña, still in division two.[17] After relegation, he extended it until 2024.[18]

Keko left the Estadio Riazor in August 2021.[19]

Sacramento Republic

On 11 January 2022, Keko joined Sacramento Republic FC of the USL Championship for the upcoming season.[20] He made his debut for the Californians on 12 March as a late substitute in a 3–1 home defeat of El Paso Locomotive FC, concluding the scoring.[21]

Keko played in the final of the U.S. Open Cup on 7 September, which his team lost 3–0 to Major League Soccer club Orlando City SC, as the third lower-league team to contest the fixture since MLS began in 1996.[22] He left at the end of the 2023 campaign.[23]

International career

Keko participated in the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship with Spain, helping his country to eventual victory in the tournament and scoring in the final, a 4–0 win over France.[24]

Career statistics

As of match played 14 March 2021[25][26]
More information Club, Season ...

Honours

Spain

References

  1. [1]
    "Atletico Madrid's Keko delighted with debut against Racing Santander". Goal. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  2. [2]
    "Keko se marcha cedido al Valladolid hasta final de temporada" [Keko goes on loan to Valladolid until end of the season]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 January 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  3. [3]
    "Villa strikes as Valencia triumph". ESPN Soccernet. 6 February 2010. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  4. [4]
    "Keko se va al Girona y el Pontevedra pide la cesión de Riau" [Keko goes to Girona and Pontevedra ask for Riau loan]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  5. [5]
    "Keko ficha por el Catania" [Keko signs for Catania]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 20 July 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Catania, ufficiale Keko e Sciacca a Grosseto" [Catania, official Keko and Sciacca to Grosseto] (in Italian). Calcio Mercato. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  7. [7]
    "Parma 1–2 Catania". ESPN FC. 24 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  8. [8]
    "Keko, lo spagnolo che valeva 10milioni. "Dopo Catania volevo lasciare il calcio"" [Keko, the Spaniard who was worth 10 million. "After Catania I wanted to leave football"] (in Italian). Mondo Catania. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  9. [9]
    Cebrián, Ángel (28 August 2014). "Keko Gontán llega al Albacete Balompié" [Keko Gontán arrives at Albacete Balompié] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  10. [10]
    "El Albacete sella la salvación a costa de la gran racha azulgrana" [Albacete seal salvation at the expense of great azulgrana run]. Marca (in Spanish). 21 May 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  11. [11]
    "El Eibar firma por dos temporadas al delantero Keko, procedente del Albacete" [Eibar sign forward Keko for two seasons, from Albacete] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 9 July 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. [12]
    Martínez, Jonathan (30 December 2015). "Keko y Bastón sonríen al fin de año" [Keko and Bastón smile at the end of the year]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  13. [13]
    "Málaga CF signs Sergio Gontán 'Keko'". Málaga CF. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  14. [14]
    "Hace un año... Keko firmó por el Málaga" [One year ago... Keko signed for Málaga] (in Spanish). Merchan en Directo. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  15. [15]
    "Keko will play on loan at Real Valladolid". Málaga CF. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  16. [16]
    "Keko Gontán leaves the club". Málaga CF. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  17. [17]
    "Keko, nuevo jugador del Deportivo 2019–2020" [Keko, new player of Deportivo 2019–2020] (in Spanish). Deportivo La Coruña. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  18. [18]
    "Keko Gontán se compromete con el Deportivo hasta 2024" [Keko Gontán commits to Deportivo until 2024]. La Opinión A Coruña (in Spanish). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  19. [19]
    "Keko Gontán no continuará en el Deportivo" [Keko Gontán will not continue at Deportivo] (in Spanish). Deportivo La Coruña. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  20. [20]
    "La Liga and Serie A veteran Keko joins Republic FC". Sacramento Republic FC. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  21. [21]
    Ochoa, Arian (12 March 2022). "El Paso Locomotive fall, 1–3, in season opener against Sacramento Republic". KVIA-TV. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  22. [22]
    "Orlando City crowned 2022 U.S. Open Cup champions". United States Soccer Federation. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  23. [23]
    Murray, Nicholas (28 November 2023). "Sacramento Republic FC announces initial roster moves". USL Championship. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  24. [24]
    Saffer, Paul (16 May 2008). "Stupendous Spain win U17 crown". UEFA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  25. [25]
    Keko at BDFutbol
  26. [26]
    Keko at Soccerway
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Keko Gontán.
  • Keko at BDFutbol
  • Keko at Futbolme (in Spanish)
  • Keko at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
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