Saúl Coco


Saúl Basilio Coco-Bassey Oubiña, better known as Saúl Coco, is a Spanish-born Equatoguinean professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Spanish Tercera División club UD Las Palmas C and the Equatorial Guinea national team.

Early life

Coco was born in Spain to Basilio Coco-Bassey Eyanga and a Spanish mother. His father is an Equatoguinean former footballer and current coach who played for Canarian club CDU Puerto del Carmen in the 1987–88 season, alongside with his brother Luis. Coco is also of Nigerian descent through his paternal grandfather.

Professional career

Coco signed to the RCD Espanyol academy in the summer of 2016, after a successful stint with the academy of his hometown team, CD Orientación Marítima, where he was trained by his own father.

International career

Due to his background, Coco is eligible to play internationally for Spain, Equatorial Guinea or Nigeria. He was called up to the senior Equatorial Guinea national football team on August 2017. He made his debut for Equatorial Guinea in a 2-1 friendly loss to Benin on 3 September 2017. The match was eliminated from FIFA records, as the referee and his assistants referees were from Equatorial Guinea. Coco became the first person from Lanzarote to get called up internationally in 67 years. He became cap-tied to Equatorial Guinea on 17 November 2018, when he appeared in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Senegal.