Full name Ivan Zarandona Esono 1998–1999 Extremadura Weight 82 kg 1997–1998 Valladolid Height 1.86 m | Role Footballer Place of birth Valladolid, Spain Name Ivan Zarandona | |
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Date of birth (1980-08-30) 30 August 1980 (age 35) Current team Equatorial Guinea national football team (Midfielder) | ||
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Iván Zarandona Esono (born 30 August 1980) is an Equatoguinean footballer who plays for Atlético Astorga CF. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also operate as a central defender.
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Club career
Born in Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain, Zarandona played the vast majority of his career in the lower leagues of that country, having a second division stint with Real Valladolid in the 2004–05 season where he played in less than half of the games.
Rarely settling with a club, he also represented CF Extremadura, CD Ferriolense, RCD Mallorca B, Real Betis B, Caravaca CF, Rayo Vallecano, Zamora CF, Real Murcia Imperial, UD Los Palacios, UD Pájara Playas de Jandía, CD Leganés, Real Jaén, CD Lugo, SD Noja and Burgos CF. In the third level, he appeared in more than 300 official matches for several teams.
International career
Zarandona played for the Spanish under-18 team but, in June 2003, FIFA allowed the player to change his nationality. This rule originally applied only for under-21 players not yet capped for the senior sides, but FIFA also allowed overage ones to apply, until December 2004.
Zarandona started representing his "new nation", Equatorial Guinea, in October 2003, in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification first round tie loss against Togo.
Personal life
Zarandona's father is Basque, and his mother was from Equatorial Guinea. His older brother, Benjamín, successfully represented Valladolid, Real Betis and the Spanish under-21s, before switching too to Equatorial Guinea at senior level.
Club statistics
As of 17 April 2015