Juan Diego Molina Martínez (born 5 November 1993), commonly known as Stoichkov, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Deportivo Alavés. Mainly an attacking midfielder, he can also play as a winger or a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Diego Molina Martínez | ||
| Date of birth | 5 November 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | San Roque, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Alavés | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| San Roque | |||
| 2011 | Goyu Ryu | ||
| 2011–2012 | Espanyol | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Cacereño B | 30 | (5) |
| 2012–2013 | Cacereño | 3 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | San Roque | 28 | (8) |
| 2014 | Europa | ||
| 2014–2016 | San Roque | 50 | (27) |
| 2016–2018 | Linense | 81 | (24) |
| 2018–2021 | Mallorca | 20 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | → Alcorcón (loan) | 40 | (16) |
| 2020–2021 | → Sabadell (loan) | 37 | (11) |
| 2021–2024 | Eibar | 121 | (46) |
| 2024– | Alavés | 0 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 June 2024 | |||
He made over 170 Segunda División appearances and scored over 60 goals for Mallorca, Alcorcón, Sabadell and Eibar, having played at lower levels until nearly aged 25.
Career
editEarly career
editBorn in San Roque, Cádiz, Andalusia, Stoichkov received his nickname after FC Barcelona's 1990s forward Hristo Stoichkov. His father, who met the Bulgarian international while working at a bar in Barcelona, wanted to legally name his son Stoichkov; this decision was vetoed by his mother.[1]
Stoichkov finished his formation with RCD Espanyol, also in the Catalan capital. On 20 July 2012, he joined Segunda División B side CP Cacereño,[2] but spent the vast majority of his spell with the reserves.
On 5 September 2013, Stoichkov signed for Tercera División side CD San Roque, club he already represented as a youth.[3] Ahead of the 2014–15 campaign, he moved abroad for the first time in his career and joined Gibraltarian side Europa FC, playing in the UEFA Europa League qualifying stages before rejoining San Roque in December 2014.[4]
On 28 January 2016, Stoichkov moved to Real Balompédica Linense in the third level.[5] He immediately became a starter for the side, and scored ten goals for them in the 2017–18 campaign.
Mallorca
editOn 6 July 2018, Stoichkov signed a four-year contract with RCD Mallorca, newly promoted to Segunda División.[6] He made his professional debut on 7 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Carlos Castro in a 1–0 home win against Cádiz CF.[7]
Stoichkov scored his first professional goal on 27 October 2018, netting the equaliser in a 2–2 home draw against UD Las Palmas. He contributed with three league goals during the campaign as his side achieved promotion to La Liga.
On 20 July 2019, Stoichkov joined AD Alcorcón in the second division on a one-year loan deal.[8] In his year with the team from the Community of Madrid, he finished joint fourth in the league's top scorers with 16 goals.[9]
On 5 October 2020, Stoichkov joined CE Sabadell FC on loan for the 2020–21 campaign.[10] He scored 11 goals, including both of a 2–2 home draw with neighbours Girona FC,[11] but the Catalans were relegated.[12]
Eibar
editOn 21 July 2021, Stoichkov moved to fellow second division side SD Eibar on a three-year deal.[13] He opened his account with two goals in a 3–2 win at Basque neighbours Real Sociedad B on 11 September,[14] adding a further brace to win at home to Sporting de Gijón by the same score eight days later.[15] He was October's Segunda División Player of the Month for three goals in five games.[16]
Stoichkov was sent off for the first time in his career on 6 March 2022, at the end of a 4–1 loss at FC Cartagena in which he opened the scoring. His suspension was overturned on appeal when the Royal Spanish Football Federation ruled that he did not deny his opponent a clear goalscoring chance.[17] He finished the campaign with 21 goals, behind joint top scorers Borja Bastón and Cristhian Stuani, while his team made the play-offs in third.[18]
On 19 December 2023, Stoichkov renewed with the Armeros until 2026.[19]
Alavés
editOn 17 July 2024, Stoichkov was announced at top tier side Deportivo Alavés on a three-year deal,[20] after the club paid his € 1 million release clause.[21]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 23 March 2024[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cacereño | 2012–13 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| San Roque | 2013–14 | Tercera División | 28 | 8 | — | — | — | 28 | 8 | |||
| 2014–15 | 26 | 11 | — | — | — | 26 | 11 | |||||
| Total | 54 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 19 | ||
| Europa | 2014–15 | Gibraltar Premier Division | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 2+ | 0+ | ||||
| San Roque | 2015–16 | Tercera División | 24 | 16 | — | — | — | 24 | 16 | |||
| Linense | 2015–16 | Segunda División B | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||
| 2016–17 | 30 | 9 | — | — | — | 30 | 9 | |||||
| 2017–18 | 36 | 10 | — | — | — | 36 | 10 | |||||
| Total | 81 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 24 | ||
| Mallorca | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2020–21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 19 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 3 | ||
| Alcorcón (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 40 | 16 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 16 | ||
| Sabadell (loan) | 2020–21 | Segunda División | 37 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 38 | 12 | ||
| Eibar | 2021–22 | Segunda División | 40 | 21 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 21 | ||
| 2022–23 | 42 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 13 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 29 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 9 | ||||
| Career total | 369+ | 132+ | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 379+ | 133+ | ||
- ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs
References
edit- ^ Mateo, Roberto (31 October 2018). "El Stoichkov gaditano... en el nombre del padre" [The Stoichkov of Cádiz... in the name of the father]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Matías Saad y 'Stoichkov' se unen al Cacereño de Cobos" [Matías Saad and 'Stoichkov' join Cobos' Cacereño]. El Periódico de Extremadura (in Spanish). 20 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Dos incorporaciones con acento de la casa" [Two signings with a home accent] (in Spanish). CD San Roque. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "El delantero del San Roque, Stoichkov, pichichi con 10 goles, es la amenaza del San Fernando CD, que es el equipo menos goleado del grupo décimo" [San Roque's forward, Stoichkov, top goalscorer with 10 goals, is the threat of San Fernando CD, who is the team with the least goals conceded in group ten] (in Spanish). Deporte de La Isla. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
- ^ "La Balona se hace con el rojillo Stoichkov" [Balona get the rojillo Stoichkov] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "RCD Mallorca signs Juan Diego Molina 'Stoichkov'". RCD Mallorca. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Álex López da una nueva victoria al Mallorca en un intenso partido" [Álex López gives a new victory to Mallorca in an intense match]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "Stoichkov nuevo jugador alfarero para la temporada 2019/2020" [Stoichkov new alfarero player for the 2019/2020 season] (in Spanish). AD Alcorcón. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ "Stuani, máximo goleador de Segunda con 29 tantos" [Stuani, top scorer in Segunda with 29 goals]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 21 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Stoichkov joins CE Sabadell on loan". RCD Mallorca. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Los dos goles de Stoichkov no bastan al Sabadell para ganar en casa" [Stoichkov's two goals not enough for Sabadell to win at home]. Sport (in Spanish). 31 March 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Chcáretegui, Miguel; Valero, S. (19 June 2021). "Stoichkov apunta al Eibar" [Stoichkov points to Eibar]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Stoichkov, nuevo jugador armero" [Stoichkov, new armero player] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ "Vídeo: Un doblete de Stoichkov marca la victoria del Eibar ante la Real B" [Video: A Stoichkov brace marks Eibar's victory against Real B]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 11 September 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "El sanroqueño Stoichkov, tras otro doblete, a la cabeza de los goleadores de Segunda" [San Roque-born Stoichkov, after another brace, leads the Segunda goalscorers] (in Spanish). Andalucía Información. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "Stoichkov recoge su premio al mejor jugador del mes en la Liga Smartbank" [Stoichkov takes his award for best player of the month in the Liga Smartbank]. Europa Sur (in Spanish). 15 November 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Competición anula la roja a Stoichkov, que estará ante el Amore" [Competition overturns red card for Stoichkov, who will feature against Amore]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 10 March 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "El uruguayo Stuani y Borja Bastón comparten el título de máximo goleador" [Uruguayan Stuani and Borja Bastón share the top scorer title]. ABC Color (in Spanish). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Stoichkov renueva con el Eibar y será jugador armero hasta 2026" [Stoichkov renews with Eibar and will be an armero player until 2026] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "Stoichkov reforzará el ataque albiazul" [Stoichkov will bolster the white-and-blue attack] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "El Alavés paga la cláusula de Stoichkov y el gaditano deja un millón en las arcas armeras" [Alavés pay Stoichkov's release clause and the gaditano leaves one million on the armeros' vault] (in Spanish). Marca. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ Stoichkov at Soccerway