Playing position Role Footballer Name Jacinto Ela | 1995–1996 Hospitalet 1992–1995 Sector Sant Feliu Height 1.75 m | |
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Full name Pedro Jacinto Ela Eyene Date of birth (1982-05-02) 2 May 1982 (age 33) Place of birth Anisoc, Equatorial Guinea | ||
Pedro Jacinto Elá Eyene (born 2 May 1982), known as Elá, is an Equatoguinean retired footballer who played as a right winger.
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Club career
Born in Añisoc, Elá moved to Barcelona at the age of ten with his parents. He played most of his youth football with RCD Espanyol (five years), being selected to Spain's youth teams whilst with the club and also helping the reserves promote to Segunda División B in 2000; the following year, he won the Copa del Rey Juvenil with the juniors.
On 24 July 1999, Elá made his official debut with Espanyol's first team, appearing in a UEFA Intertoto Cup game against Montpellier HSC in France, as a 70th-minute substitute (1–2 loss). It was his only official appearance for the Catalan club.
In the 2001 summer, Elá signed for Southampton in England, penning a three-year contract after turning down Coventry City. During his spell he never appeared officially with the Premier League side, being limited to reserve team football; additionally, in the 2001–02 season, he suffered a serious knee injury.
In the 2002 off-season, Elá was loaned to Hércules CF in the Spanish third level, under former Sporting de Gijón and CD Tenerife player Felipe Miñambres. In March 2003, in a friendly match with Elche CF, he suffered another severe injury to his knee, after a hard tackle by Raúl Pérez; upon his return to the Saints, he continued to appear exclusively for the second team.
In the 2005 summer, Elá signed for Dundee in the Scottish Football League First Division. His output consisted of two league games, plus two appearances in the Challenge Cup and one in the League Cup, going scoreless in the process; he left the club in late November.
From 2005 until his retirement in 2010 at the age of only 28, Elá played exclusively in amateur football, the sole exception being eight third level games for UDA Gramenet in the 2006–07 campaign.
Post-retirement / Personal life
After retiring Elá returned to Barcelona and started his own clothing line, Malabona (a combination of "Malabo" and "Barcelona"), working alongside his wife Esther in the design of T-shirts and all kinds of fashion clothes, which were then sold via the internet.
His younger brother, Ruslan, was also a footballer. A defender, he represented the Equatoguinean national team.