Carlos García (footballer, born 1984)


Carlos García Badías is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender, and is the assistant manager of Chinese club Chongqing Dangdai Lifan.
He spent most of his professional career with Almería, playing 208 competitive matches for the club and appearing in three La Liga seasons. Additionally, he had a four-year spell with Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israel Premier League.

Club career

Espanyol / Almería

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, García was a product of local RCD Espanyol's youth ranks. He would only appear for the first team on three occasions, during the 2003–04 season, also serving a loan stint with Polideportivo Ejido in the second division in the following campaign.
García stayed in Andalusia in 2005, being sold by Espanyol to second level side UD Almería. He would become an instant first-choice, being instrumental in their first-ever La Liga promotion in the 2006–07 campaign.
Deemed surplus to requirements by manager Hugo Sánchez, García was loaned to neighbours Real Betis for 2009–10's division two season. After not being able to help the Verdiblancos return to the top flight he rejoined Almería, being first-choice under new manager Juan Manuel Lillo and both his successors José Luis Oltra and Roberto Olabe, scoring once in 33 games as the club was eventually relegated after a four-year stay.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

In the summer of 2012, García moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing a three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in the Israeli Premier League. In his first season he was teamed-up in the center of defense with Eitan Tibi, with the pair performing solidly as the club won the national championship after a ten-year drought.
Aged 29, García made his debut in European competition in the 2013–14 campaign, featuring in both the UEFA Champions League qualification matches and the UEFA Europa League group stage. In the domestic front he was part of the defence that set a new league record for minutes without conceding a goal, surpassing Hapoel Haifa FC's 585 from 1999.

Honours

Club

Maccabi Tel Aviv
Spain U16
Spain U23
Spain U20