Alberto Gallego (footballer)

For other people named Alberto Gallego, see Alberto Gallego (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gallego and the second or maternal family name is Laencuentra.

Alberto Gallego Laencuentra (born 16 March 1974) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder, and a manager.

Alberto Gallego

Personal information
Full name	Alberto Gallego Laencuentra
Date of birth	(1974-03-16) 16 March 1974 (age 49)
Place of birth	Lleida, Spain
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Lleida
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Binéfar
	Alcobendas
0000–2009	Benabarre
Managerial career
2009–2012	Benabarre
2013–2014	EFAC Almacelles
2015–2016	Rayo Vallecano (youth)
2017–2018	New York Cosmos (assistant)
2018–2019	Pobla Mafumet
2020	Volos
2020–2021	Ibiza Islas Pitiusas
2021–2022	Recreativo
2022	Elche B
2022	Elche (interim)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gallego was also a singer, and played under the name of Lanco.

Career

Born in Lleida, Catalonia, Gallego represented CD Binéfar, Alcobendas CF and UD Benabarre as a player. After retiring with the latter in 2009, he was named manager, and helped the side to promote to the Regional Preferente in 2012.^[1]

In December 2012, Gallego resigned from his club to take over hometown side CE EFAC Almacelles,^[2] achieving promotion to Primera Catalana^[3] before leaving in 2014. In the 2015–16 season, he worked at Rayo Vallecano's staff while managing their Juvenil squad.

In 2016, Gallego moved abroad and joined Rayo OKC as their director of football. In February 2017, he moved to New York Cosmos^[4] and worked as an assistant manager before returning to Spain in June 2018, after being named in charge of Tercera División side CF Pobla de Mafumet.^[5]

On 5 January 2020, Gallego replaced compatriot Juan Ferrando at the helm of Super League Greece side Volos FC.^[6] He was sacked on 25 February, with the club seriously threatened with relegation, and was replaced by his assistant Stefanos Xirofotos.^[7]

On 24 July 2020, Gallego was appointed manager of CD Ibiza Islas Pitiusas in the fourth division.^[8] In June of the following year, after helping the side in their promotion to the new fourth tier, Segunda División RFEF, he left.^[9]

On 18 June 2021, Gallego was announced as manager of Recreativo de Huelva in Tercera División RFEF.^[10] He achieved promotion with the side after leading their group, but resigned on 13 April 2022, alleging "personal attacks".^[11]

On 22 June 2022, Gallego took over Elche CF's reserves also in the fifth division.^[12] On 5 October, he became the interim manager of the first team, after Francisco was sacked.^[13][14]

Gallego subsequently returned to his previous role after the appointment of Jorge Almirón, and left the reserves on a mutual agreement on 23 November 2022.^[15]

Musical career

While playing football at Lleida, Gallego also composed songs and had guitar lessons at his home. In 1994, he sang at the Benidorm International Song Festival under the name of Alberto 'Lanco', but later refused a musical career to pursue a football one. However, after fracturing his nose at Alcobendas, he would record two albums under the name of Lanco, until reaching the finals of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest.^[16]

Discography

Albums

• Mi Mente (1999, Vamm Records)^[17]
• Amanece Pop (2004, O'Clock Music)^[17]

References

1. "La UD Benabarre inicia la pretemporada pensando en su estreno en Preferente" [UD Benabarre starts the pre-season thinking about their debut in the Preferente] (in Spanish). Radio Huesca. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
2. "UD Benabarre – Posts". UD Benabarre (in Spanish). Facebook. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
3. "Alberto Gallego pone a sus pupilos a trabajar" [Alberto Gallego puts his kids to work] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
4. "Alberto Gallego, al Cosmos" [Alberto Gallego, to Cosmos] (in Catalan). Lleida.com. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
5. "Alberto Gallego, nuevo entrenador de la Pobla" [Alberto Gallego, new manager of Pobla] (in Spanish). Diari de Tarragona. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
6. "Alberto Gallego sustituye a Juan Ferrando al frente del Volos NFC" [Alberto Gallego replaces Juan Ferrando at the helm of Volos NFC] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
7. "Λύση συνεργασίας με Γκαγιέγκο – Αναλαμβάνει ο Ξηροφώτος" [Collaboration agreement between Gallego – Xirofotos ends] (in Greek). Volos FC. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
8. "El CD Ibiza ya tiene nuevo míster" [CD Ibiza already have a new manager] (in Spanish). Periódico de Ibiza. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
9. "Cristian Terán y Alberto Gallego no seguirán la próxima temporada en el CD Ibiza" [Cristian Terán and Alberto Gallego will not continue the following season at CD Ibiza] (in Spanish). Periódico de Ibiza. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
10. [Alberto Gallego, new manager of the Dean] (in Spanish). Recreativo de Huelva. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
11. "El técnico del Recre renuncia: "He recibido diariamente un asedio de ataques"" [Recre's manager resigns: "I have suffered personal attacks daily"] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
12. "FÚTBOL BASE | Alberto Gallego, nuevo entrenador del Ilicitano" [YOUTH FOOTBALL | Alberto Gallego, new manager of Ilicitano] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
13. "Alberto Gallego se hace cargo del banquillo del primer equipo del Elche" [Alberto Gallego takes over the first team of Elche] (in Spanish). Huelva 24. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
14. "Alberto Gallego y Nino apuntan al banquillo del Elche frente al Mallorca" [Alberto Gallego and Nino point to the bench of Elche against Mallorca] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
15. "OFICIAL | Alberto Gallego" [OFFICIAL | Alberto Gallego] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
16. "Alberto Gallego: de finalista para representar a España en Eurovisión a jugar una final de Primera con el Elche" [Alberto Gallego: from finalist to represent Spain at the Eurovision to playing a Primera final with Elche] (in Spanish). Marca. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
17. "Alberto Lanco". Discogs. Retrieved 11 October 2022.

External links

• Alberto Gallego manager profile at BDFutbol
• Alberto Gallego coach profile at Soccerway