Àngel Rangel Zaragoza (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈaɲʒəl rəɲˈʒɛl]; born 28 November 1982) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right-back, currently manager of Pontardawe Town's under-12 team.

Àngel Rangel
Rangel playing for Swansea in 2011
Personal information
Full name Àngel Rangel Zaragoza[1]
Date of birth (1982-11-28) 28 November 1982 (age 41)[2]
Place of birth Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
Pontardawe Town (youth)
Youth career
1991–1998 Rapitenca
1998–2001 Gimnàstic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Tortosa
2003–2004 Reus
2004–2005 Girona 24 (0)
2005–2006 Sant Andreu 33 (5)
2006–2007 Terrassa 34 (2)
2007–2018 Swansea City 328 (9)
2018–2020 Queens Park Rangers 41 (2)
Total 460 (18)
Managerial career
2022– Pontardawe Town (youth)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After playing lower league football in his native country for six years, he went on to spend most of his professional career with Swansea City, winning promotion to the Premier League in 2011 and appearing in 374 competitive matches.[4]

Rangel signed for Queens Park Rangers in 2018, and retired from playing two years later.

Club career

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Swansea City

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Born in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Catalonia, Rangel represented CD Tortosa, CF Reus Deportiu, Girona FC, UE Sant Andreu and Terrassa FC in his homeland, never in higher than the Segunda División B.[5] In summer 2007, he signed for Swansea City in the English League One on a one-year performance-related deal, for an undisclosed fee; countryman Roberto Martínez was the team's manager.[6]

Rangel played a massive role in his first season as the Swans returned to the Championship after a 24-year absence, as league champions. He scored his first goal for them on 27 November 2007, netting eight minutes from time in a 1–0 home win against Hartlepool United.[7] Two weeks later, again at the Liberty Stadium, he netted in a 3–0 victory over Southend United.[8] In April 2008, he was one of five team players to make the PFA League One Team of the Year alongside Ferrie Bodde, Garry Monk, Andy Robinson and the league's top scorer Jason Scotland.[9]

On 5 September 2008, Rangel signed a new contract until June 2010.[10] He continued to feature prominently in the following years and, in mid-February 2010, agreed to an extension until June 2011.[11]

The 2010–11 campaign was a successful one for both Swansea and Rangel, as the former were promoted to the Premier League for the first time in their history following a 4–2 defeat of Reading in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium.[12] In spite of missing several weeks early on with a thigh muscle tear,[13] he contributed to the feat with two goals from 41 appearances, scoring at Doncaster Rovers in a 1–1 draw[14] and at home to Millwall which also ended in a 1–1 draw.[15] In late June 2011, he put pen to paper to a new three-year deal.[16]

 
Rangel defending against Kieran Gibbs of Arsenal in September 2011

In November 2011, Rangel was voted best defender in the Premier League.[17] He played 34 matches during the season, helping the team retain their league status.

Rangel scored his first goal in the English top flight on 25 August 2012, in a 3–0 home win over West Ham United.[18] On 8 March 2013, he signed a new contract with Swansea, keeping him at the club until 2016.[19]

On 19 April 2015, one month after again extending his link, now until 2017,[20] Rangel was selected in The Football Manager Team of the Decade at the Football League Awards.[21] On 14 November 2017, he was named new captain after Leon Britton stepped down to become a player-assistant manager.[22]

Rangel was released at the end of the 2017–18 campaign.[23]

Queens Park Rangers

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Rangel spent time in the 2018 off-season training with Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC during their tour of Valencia.[24] On 15 August, he joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a one-year contract.[25]

On 14 August 2020, Rangel left Loftus Road, remaining there to be assisted through his rehabilitation from an Achilles tendon injury.[26] The following 20 April, however, the 38-year-old announced his retirement.[27]

In April 2022, Rangel was appointed manager of Pontardawe Town's under-12 team.[28][29]

International career

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Rangel was believed to qualify to represent Wales on residency grounds,[30][31] but was ruled ineligible in July 2012 as he had not had five years of continuous education in the country.[32]

Personal life

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On 18 January 2013, Rangel drove around Swansea with his wife Nikki to distribute food to the homeless. He told CNN: "We went for something to eat in a local sandwich chain and overheard the manager saying they had to throw out food as they were about to close for the night. My wife, Nikki, who is a very caring and charitable person, asked if we could have them for the homeless rather than see them thrown in the bin. They agreed and we drove around Swansea for over an hour, but couldn't find any homeless people as it was so cold out on the streets with all the snow. We decided to tweet a plea and we were guided to a local charity shelter who looked after the homeless." He was so pleased with the reaction to his gesture he confirmed that he would be helping out again.[33]

On 5 April 2013, Rangel announced plans to hold charity auctions with his wife and teammates Chico Flores, Ben Davies, Jonathan de Guzmán, Pablo Hernández, Michu and Itay Shechter, to raise money for the Severn Hospice in Telford, Maggie's Cancer Centre in Swansea and The Christian Lewis Trust Kids Cancer Charity; among the top prizes on offer at one of the auctions were Rangel's personal box for the game against Manchester City, and a visit to a Formula One garage during qualifying of the German Grand Prix. He was inspired to do this by Nikki, who has had three family members diagnosed with cancer.[34]

Career statistics

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[35][36]

Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Girona 2004–05 Segunda División B 24 0 1 0 25 0
Sant Andreu 2005–06 Segunda División B 33 5 0 0 33 5
Terrassa 2006–07 Segunda División B 34 2 1 0 35 2
Swansea City 2007–08 League One 43 2 5 0 4[a] 0 52 2
2008–09 Championship 40 1 6 0 46 1
2009–10 Championship 38 0 2 0 40 0
2010–11 Championship 38 2 2 0 3[b] 0 43 2
2011–12 Premier League 34 0 1 1 35 1
2012–13 Premier League 33 3 4 0 37 3
2013–14 Premier League 30 0 0 0 9[c] 0 39 0
2014–15 Premier League 27 0 2 0 0 0 29 0
2015–16 Premier League 23 0 2 0 0 0 25 0
2016–17 Premier League 18 1 3 0 0 0 21 1
2017–18 Premier League 4 0 3 0 7 0
Total 328 9 30 1 16 0 374 10
Queen's Park Rangers 2018–19 Championship 20 2 0 0 20 2
2019–20 Championship 21 0 0 0 21 0
Total 41 2 0 0 0 0 41 2
Career total 460 18 32 1 16 0 508 19
  1. ^ Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in Football League play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

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Swansea City

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Angel Rangel". ESPN FC. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Angel Rangel". Swansea City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Former Swansea footballer Angel Rangel visits Harri Tudur School". Western Telegraph. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  5. ^ Padilla, Toni (16 August 2011). "El rapitenc Àngel Rangel fa realitat el somni de debutar a la Premier League" [Ràpita-born Àngel Rangel fulfills dream of making Premier League debut]. Ara (in Catalan). Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Swans make second Spanish swoop". BBC Sport. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  7. ^ "Swansea 1–0 Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  8. ^ "Swansea 3–0 Southend". BBC Sport. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  9. ^ "Swans players dominate PFA team". BBC Sport. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  10. ^ "Rangel signs fresh Swansea deal". BBC Sport. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  11. ^ "Angel Rangel extends Swansea contract until 2011". BBC Sport. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  12. ^ Fletcher, Paul (30 May 2011). "Reading 2–4 Swansea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Angel Rangel facing up to six weeks out injured". BBC Sport. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  14. ^ "Doncaster 1–1 Swansea". BBC Sport. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  15. ^ "Swansea 1–1 Millwall". BBC Sport. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Angel Rangel signs three-year extension deal at Swansea". BBC Sport. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  17. ^ "Àngel Rangel, mejor defensa de la Premier" [Àngel Rangel, best Premier defender]. Diari de Tarragona (in Spanish). 14 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  18. ^ "Swans FLY high with win over under-par Hammers". Wales Online. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  19. ^ "Defender Angel Rangel extends Swansea City contract until 2016". BBC Sport. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  20. ^ "Angel Rangel signs contract extension". BBC Sport. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  21. ^ "Winners announced for The Football League Awards 2015". English Football League. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  22. ^ "Rangel made new Swansea captain". Sky Sports. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  23. ^ Shread, Joe (10 May 2018). "Angel Rangel to leave Swansea when deal expires at end of season". Sky Sports. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  24. ^ "Former Swansea captain Angel Rangel trains with Bengaluru FC in Spain". The New Indian Express. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  25. ^ Scriven, David (15 August 2018). "Rangel is a Ranger as defender joins QPR". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  26. ^ Webb, Matt (14 August 2020). "Angel Rangel leaves QPR". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Angel Rangel: Former Swansea City and Queens Park Rangers defender retires, aged 38". BBC Sport. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  28. ^ Vincent, Gareth (27 April 2023). "From Premier League to Pontardawe Under-12s". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  29. ^ @pontyacademyfc (20 May 2022). "HEAD COACH APPOINTNENT | We are delighted to announce that former @SwansOfficial @premierleague star Àngel Rangel has agreed to be our U12 Head Coach next season. Trial information to follow in next few days. ⚽️⚽️" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Swansea's Angel Rangel would consider representing Wales". BBC Sport. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  31. ^ "Wales sensitive to Aaron Ramsey 'issues' over Ryan Shawcross call". BBC Sport. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  32. ^ "Swansea City defender Angel Rangel ineligible for Wales". BBC Sport. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  33. ^ "Swansea's Angel Rangel helps homeless in the city". BBC Sport. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  34. ^ Gaskell, Simon (5 April 2013). "After giving food to the homeless, Angel the angel raises money for cancer charities". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  35. ^ "Rangel: Ángel Rangel Zaragoza". BDFutbol. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  36. ^ "Àngel Rangel". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  37. ^ "Capital One Cup: Swansea sweep past Bradford to claim first major trophy". Sky Sports. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  38. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2008). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2008–2009. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 45, 376–377. ISBN 978-0-7553-1820-9.
  39. ^ "Ronaldo named player of the year". BBC Sport. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  40. ^ "The Football League announces its Team of the Decade". English Football League. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
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