Kuki Zalazar

Uruguayan-born Spanish footballer (born 1998)

Kuki Zalazar
Personal information
Full name José Luis Zalazar Martínez
Date of birth (1998-05-05) 5 May 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Córdoba
Number 9
Youth career
Albacete
2012–2015 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Málaga B 73 (22)
2017–2018 → Cartagena (loan) 25 (1)
2018–2021 Valladolid B 84 (20)
2018–2021 Valladolid 2 (0)
2021–2022 Ponferradina 28 (0)
2022–2023 Deportivo La Coruña 30 (2)
2023– Córdoba 24 (3)
International career
2014 Spain U16 4 (1)
2014–2015 Spain U17 17 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 April 2024

José Luis "Kuki" Zalazar Martínez (born 5 May 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Córdoba.[1]

Club career

Born in Montevideo, Kuki moved to Spain at early age and started his career with Albacete Balompié's youth setup. On 30 May 2012, aged only 14, he was signed by Málaga CF.[2]

Kuki made his senior debut with the reserves on 31 August 2014, starting in a 0–0 home draw against Atlético Mancha Real in the Tercera División.[3] The following March, he was linked to potential moves to Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.[4]

Kuki scored his first senior goal on 30 August 2015, in a 3–3 home draw against CD El Ejido 2012.[5] The following January, he was targeted by FC Barcelona.[6]

On 24 June 2017, Kuki scored a brace in a 4–2 home win against AD Unión Adarve, but his side narrowly missed out promotion in the play-offs.[7] On 8 August, he was loaned to Segunda División B side FC Cartagena, for one year.[8]

On 30 August 2018, Kuki moved to another reserve team, Real Valladolid B in the third division.[9] He made his first-team debut on 31 October, starting in a 2–1 away defeat of RCD Mallorca, in the season's Copa del Rey.[10]

Zalazar made his La Liga debut on 19 January 2021, coming on as a late substitute for Roque Mesa in a 2–2 home draw against Elche CF.[11] On 27 August, after the Valladolid's relegation, he moved to Segunda División side SD Ponferradina.[12]

On 31 August 2022, Zalazar terminated his contract with Ponfe,[13] and signed a two-year deal with Deportivo de La Coruña just hours later.[14]

Personal life

Kuki is the son of former Uruguay international footballer José Zalazar, a midfielder who notably represented Albacete.[15] His younger brother Rodrigo Zalazar is also a footballer, and currently plays for German club FC Schalke 04

References

  1. ^ Kuki Zalazar at Soccerway
  2. ^ "El club ficha al hijo del uruguayo José Luis Zalazar" [The club sign the son of Uruguayan José Luis Zalazar] (in Spanish). Marca. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  3. ^ "El filial logra su primer punto en la difícil Mancha Real (0–0)" [The reserves get their first point in the difficult Mancha Real (0–0)] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Liverpool considering transfer bid for Malaga wonderkid Jose Luis Zalazar". Metro. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. ^ "El Atlético Malagueño se deja igualar dos veces contra El Ejido 2012" [Atlético Malagueño let El Ejido 2012 level twice] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  6. ^ "El Barcelona sigue de cerca a Kuki Zalazar" [Barcelona follow Kuki Zalazar closely] (in Spanish). Sport. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Incomplete comeback for Malagueño against Adarve (4–2)". Málaga CF. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Kuki, hijo del uruguayo Zalazar, se va cedido al Cartagena" [Kuki, son of the Uruguayan Zalazar, goes out on loan to Cartagena] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  9. ^ "El Promesas se refuerza con Zalazar" [Promesas bolster with Zalazar] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Verde enciende la luz de Son Moix a base de zurdazos" [Verde lights up Son Moix through left-footed bangers] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Joaquín salva in extremis al Valladolid y oscurece la actuación de Josan" [Joaquín saves Valladolid in extremis and shadows Josan's performance] (in Spanish). Marca. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Kuki Zalazar se une a la SD Ponferradina" [Kuki Zalazar joins SD Ponferradina] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Acuerdo para la rescisión del contrato de Zalazar" [Agreement for the rescision of Zalazar's contract] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Kuki Zalazar, nuevo jugador del Dépor 22–23" [Kuki Zalazar, new player of Dépor 22–23] (in Spanish). Deportivo La Coruña. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Kuki Salazar, un diamante de color blanco y azul" [Kuki Salazar, a diamond coloured in blue and white] (in Spanish). Fútbol Carrasco. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2016.

External links

  • Kuki Zalazar at BDFutbol
  • Kuki Zalazar at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)