Fútbol Club Cartagena, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Cartagena, in the Region of Murcia, Spain. Founded in 1995 it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio Cartagonova, with a capacity of 15,105 spectators.[2]

Cartagena
Cartagena crest
Full nameFútbol Club Cartagena, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)Efesé
Aladrokes
Albinegros
Boquerones
Cartagos
La Cebra (The Zebras)
Founded25 July 1995; 28 years ago (25 July 1995)
as Cartagonova Fútbol Club
GroundEstadio Cartagonova
Capacity15,105[1]
PresidentPaco Belmonte
Head coachAbelardo Fernández
LeagueSegunda División
2023–24Segunda División, 14th of 22
WebsiteClub website
Current season

The club is considered to be a continuation of Cartagena CF, founded in 1919.

History

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Cartagena was founded on 25 July 1995, in the place of Club Deportivo Balsicas, due to serious economic problems of the first team of the city, Cartagena FC, the first president Florentino Manzano was the founder. In the first eight years it was known as Cartagonova Fútbol Club, and first played in the third division in the 1998–99 season.

The club then changed its name to Fútbol Club Cartagena and Luis Oliver took over as president, starting his tenure with the club immerse in economic problems and close to relegation. Being saved from folding by local entrepreneur Francisco Gómez after the 2002–03 campaign, it consolidated itself in the third level and achieved another promotion, now to division two, in 2009.[3]

Historic side Cartagena FC, which was founded much earlier, acted as reserve team between 2003 and 2009, eventually re-gaining its independence. In 2009–10's second division season Efesé nearly achieved another promotion, finishing eventually in fifth position; all promotion hopes were dashed in the 41st and penultimate matchday, with a 0–1 away loss against Recreativo de Huelva.[4]

Cartagena was relegated from the second tier at the end of 2011–12.[5] In May 2015, a late goal from Carlos Martínez saved the club from a further drop by winning a play-off on the away goals rule against Las Palmas Atlético.[6] Three years later, the team fell at the final promotion hurdle to Extremadura UD by a single goal.[7]

On 19 July 2020, Cartagena was promoted to Segunda Division after an 8-year absence.

Season to season

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Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1995–96 5 Reg. Pref. 2nd
1996–97 4 1st
1997–98 4 1st
1998–99 3 2ª B 2nd Second round
1999–2000 3 2ª B 8th Preliminary
2000–01 3 2ª B 13th
2001–02 3 2ª B 12th
2002–03 3 2ª B 11th
2003–04 3 2ª B 15th
2004–05 3 2ª B 13th
2005–06 3 2ª B 1st
2006–07 3 2ª B 5th Second round
2007–08 3 2ª B 8th Second round
2008–09 3 2ª B 1st
2009–10 2 5th Third round
2010–11 2 13th Second round
2011–12 2 20th Second round
2012–13 3 2ª B 2nd First round
2013–14 3 2ª B 2nd Round of 32
2014–15 3 2ª B 16th First round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2015–16 3 2ª B 7th
2016–17 3 2ª B 4th Second round
2017–18 3 2ª B 1st Round of 32
2018–19 3 2ª B 2nd Second round
2019–20 3 2ª B 1st Second round
2020–21 2 16th First round
2021–22 2 9th Round of 32
2022–23 2 9th Round of 32
2023–24 2 14th Round of 32
2024–25 2

Players

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Current squad

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As of 8 July 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF   ESP Pedro Alcalá (captain)
5 DF   ESP Gonzalo Verdú
6 MF   ESP Andy Rodríguez
8 MF   ESP Luis Muñoz
9 FW   ESP Alfredo Ortuño (vice-captain)
11 FW   ESP Juan Carlos Real
12 FW   COL Juanjo Narváez
16 DF   ESP Iván Calero
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF   ARG Damián Musto
20 DF   ESP Jairo Izquierdo
27 GK   ESP José Saldaña
DF   ESP Martín Aguirregabiria
DF   ESP José Ríos Reina
DF   MNE Nikola Šipčić (on loan from Tenerife)
FW   ESP Cedric Teguia

Reserve team

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
34 DF   ESP Fromsa
36 MF   CIV Djakaría Barro
38 DF   ESP David Guerrero
No. Pos. Nation Player
39 DF   ESP Diego de Pedro
45 GK   ESP Nono Gómez
48 GK   ESP Jhafets Reyes

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Current technical staff

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Position Staff
Manager   Julián Calero
Assistant manager   Antonio Carmona
Fitness coach   Roberto Ovejero
  Fran Xavier
  Paco Imbernón
Goalkeeper coach   Rafa Rubio
Scouting   Ricardo Redondo
Delegate   Simón Ruiz
  Paco Egea
Kit man   Pedro Arango
  Vicente Martínez
Doctor   Javier Egio
Physiotherapist   Raúl García
  Andrea Alesanco
Podiatrist   Rogelio Diz
Nutritionist   Lorena Luján

Last updated: November 2021
Source: FC Cartagena (in Spanish)

Reserve team

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FC Cartagena B is FC Cartagena's reserve team since 2015. It was founded in that year and plays in Tercera División.

In the past, other sides such as Cartagena Promesas, FC Cartagena-La Unión, Cartagena FC and CD Algar were the club's B-team.

Stadium

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Cartagena holds home matches at Estadio Cartagonova. Inaugurated on 7 February 1988, it has a capacity of 14,532 spectators, measuring 105 x 68 meters; it underwent renovation in January 2000.

The ground's biggest attendance was recorded 30 June 1999 in a second division promotion playoff match against Córdoba CF, with 20,000 spectators in the stands. On 26 January of the following year, the first Spain national team game ever hosted in the Region of Murcia took place, a friendly with Poland.

Kit evolution

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1995–1998
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1998–2001
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2001–2002
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2002–2003
 
 
 
 
 
 
2003–2007
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2007–2008
 
 
 
 
 
 
2008–2009
 
 
 
 
 
 
2009–2010
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2010–2011
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2011–2012

Famous players

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Note: this list includes players that have played at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

Famous coaches

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References

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  1. ^ "Estadio Cartagonova – Cartagena – The Stadium Guide". Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Estadio Cartagonova – Cartagena – The Stadium Guide". Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Cartagena vuelve a Segunda 22 años después" [Cartagena returns to Segunda 22 years later] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  4. ^ "El Cartagena deja en Huelva sus opciones de ascenso" [Cartagena leaves promotion options in Huelva] (in Spanish). Marca. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  5. ^ "El Córdoba condena al Cartagena al descenso" [Córdoba sentence Cartagena to relegation]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 22 May 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Las Palmas Atlético muere en la orilla" [Las Palmas Atlético come so close] (in Spanish). La Segunda B. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  7. ^ Sánchez, Diego (24 June 2018). "Otro amargo final" [Another bitter ending]. La Opinión de Murcía (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2019.
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