ISLW

Bio

Cristian Hidalgo González, known simply as Cristian, came up through the ranks of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy as a versatile attacking midfielder and a winger, along with Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi, who would also be his teammate in the Barcelona “C” and “B” teams. However, with first-team opportunities not forthcoming at Barcelona, Cristian made his senior debut with Deportivo La Coruña after moving there in 2006. His first two senior goals were memorable ones, with the first coming against Barcelona’s arch-rivals Real Madrid and his second, over a year later, against Barcelona themselves at the Camp Nou. Cristian moved to second-division club Hercules in 2009, and, in his first season there, helped the club earn promotion back to La Liga, after 13 years in the second division.