PABLO Zabaleta is a former professional footballer from Argentina.
He has had an impressive career that has included playing for two top Premier League clubs.
Who is former Man City defender Pablo Zabaleta?
Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod was born on January 16, 1985, and is an Argentinian former professional footballer.
He was born in Buenos Aries to Jorge Zableta and Laura Girod.
He is of Spanish descent and has a tattoo of his mother’s name on his chest.
Zabaleta was able to work on both sides of the pitch as a full-back and was known for his tenacious style of play.
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However, he mainly played as a right back.
He most famously played for Manchester City for nine years – captaining the club in 2013.
Zabaleta signed for City in 2008 and made 230 appearances across all competitions.
During his time there he scored nine times, won the Premier League title in 2012 and 2013, was an FA Cup winner in 2011, FA Community Shield in 2012, and twice won the League Cup in 2014 and 2016.
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He left the club in 2017 after signing for fellow Prem side West Ham United.
He hung up his boots in October 2020 at the age of 35.
In June 2018, Zabaleta joined the BBC’s Match Of The Day 2018 World Cup team.
He returned to Match Of The Day in 2022 for the World Cup in Qatar.
He has also covered La Liga for ESPN.
Since January 2023, he has served as the assistant manager of Albania’s national football team, under head coach Sylvinho.
During his career, Zabaleta was also an international star with his home nation Argentina.
Zabaleta made his senior debut in 2005 and took part in the 2008 Summer Olympics where the team received a gold medal.
He wasn’t selected by head coach Diego Maradona for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but was part of the 2014 squad in Rio, Brazil.
He played in the final against Germany, as his team lost 1-0.
At the 2015 Copa America in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the cross which allowed Sergio Agüero to score the only goal in the game allowing them to defeat Uruguay.
Zabaleta married journalist Christel Castaño in 2013 and the couple have two children – Asier and Julen.
What other clubs did Pablo Zabaleta play for?
Zabaleta began his career at San Lorenzo – Argentine Primera Division – where he stayed from 2002-2005.
In 2005, he moved to Barcelona when he joined Espanyol.
He made 79 appearances for the Spanish side, winning the Copa Del Rey and reaching the Uefa Cup final.
He then played for Man City from 2008-2017, before joining West Ham on a free transfer.
He made 73 for the London club but failed to net any goals.
Zabaleta announced his retirement from professional football after 18 years in 2020.
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What is Pablo Zabaleta’s net worth?
Zabaleta’s estimated net worth is $18million (£14m).
This will have been earned through his football and TV careers.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
