Pulga (footballer)


Victor Herrero Forcada, known as Pulga, is a Spanish retired professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder, and the assistant manager of Indian Super League club Jamshedpur FC.

Club career

Spain

Born in Almassora, Province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Pulga graduated from CD Castellón's youth setup, and made his senior debut with the reserves in 2004, in the regional leagues. He played his first match as a professional on 28 August 2005, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute in a 0–1 away loss against UE Lleida for the Segunda División championship.
Pulga scored his first professional goal on 11 September, netting his team's in a 1–2 defeat at Xerez CD. He appeared in seven games with the main squad during the season as they narrowly avoided relegation, and signed for hometown's CE Almassora in the summer of 2007.
In July 2007, Pulga joined Logroñés CF of Segunda División B. He subsequently resumed his career mainly in the third level, representing Villarreal CF B, CD Toledo, UD Alzira, UB Conquense and CD Burriana.

Greece

Pulga moved abroad for the first time in his career in August 2012, signing for Football League Greece club Iraklis Psachna FC. In July of the following year, after featuring sparingly, he joined fellow league side Kallithea FC.

Kerala Blasters

In August 2014, Pulga was announced in the international draft of the inaugural season of the Indian Super League. He was drafted by Kerala Blasters FC late in that month, his first appearance in top flight football occurring on 21 October as he started in a 1–2 away loss to Chennaiyin FC. He totalled six appearances over the season, including the loss to Atlético de Kolkata in the final.
Pulga remained in Kochi for the league's second year, playing nine games as his team finished rock bottom. On 29 November 2015, in their penultimate match, he scored his only goal in the second minute against FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, albeit in a 1–5 defeat.

Post-retirement

In February 2018, Pulga was named president of amateurs CD Almazora in his hometown. He returned to the Indian top flight on 26 July 2019, joining his compatriot Antonio Iriondo's staff at Jamshedpur FC.