Alberto Abengózar, born in 1989, is an example of how life can take you from a town's youth academy to a train track and back to the playing field, this time as captain of his local team. His career began at the Gimnástica de Alcázar in San Juan, where as a child he stood out in the Third Division before his club was defunct in 2015. His talent took him to Getafe, where he played in the reserve team and trained with the first team, and then to Albacete, where at the age of 19 he made his debut in the Second Division and scored a goal in the historic Balaídos stadium against Celta. That goal, scored from the penalty spot, remained etched in his memory as one of the most beautiful moments of his career.
After Albacete, Abengózar continued his career in a series of Second B and Preferente teams, such as Villarrobledo, Almansa, La Roda, Teruel, Ontinyent and Olímpic de Xàtiva. During those years he experienced ups and downs: playoffs, promotions and the reality that professional football was not a lifelong career. At that moment he decided to prepare for an opposition and, after obtaining his position, he became a train driver for Renfe. Despite his new profession, football did not abandon him; He returned to the ball at Sporting de Alcázar in 2022, more than a decade after his first stage at Gimnástica.
Returning to Sporting has allowed him to experience the growth of the club from within. Now, as captain, he feels the responsibility to guide the younger players and transmit to them the discipline and sports education that he himself received. “I have the obligation to help the youngest players, to instill in them a little bit of the sports education that they should have,” he comments, highlighting the value of his experience for the team.
Abengózar's dream does not end in the Preferential. Sporting de Alcázar is aspiring to the First Division, and the coach hopes that his team will play games at the Manuel Delgado Meco stadium, the home of Málaga CF. For him, the idea that his people can play in Spain's top category is an achievement that goes beyond any contract or salary. “What you have to do is enjoy the process,” he concludes, remembering that his passion for football and trains continues to guide every step of his life.