Fidel Chaves

Fidel
Personal information
Full name Fidel Chaves de la Torre[1]
Date of birth (1989-10-27) 27 October 1989[1]
Place of birth La Dehesa de Ríotinto, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Recreativo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Recreativo B 56 (4)
2010–2012 Recreativo 57 (6)
2012–2015 Elche 75 (6)
2014–2015 → Córdoba (loan) 25 (1)
2015–2016 Córdoba 39 (11)
2016–2018 Almería 71 (12)
2018–2019 Las Palmas 26 (2)
2019–2024 Elche 145 (24)
2024–2025 Albacete 48 (4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 June 2025

Fidel Chaves de la Torre (born 27 October 1989), known simply as Fidel, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger.

Club career

Born in La Dehesa de Ríotinto, Province of Huelva, Fidel finished his development at local club Recreativo de Huelva, and made his senior debut with the B team in the 2008–09 season, in the Tercera División. He played his first game as a professional on 15 May 2010, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring his team's goal in a 1–1 Segunda División away draw against Córdoba CF.[2]

On 12 July 2012, Fidel terminated his contract with the Andalusians and joined Elche CF in the same league.[3] He was an ever-present player in his first year, and also scored four goals as the Valencians returned to La Liga after 24 years of absence.[4]

Fidel made his top-flight debut on 19 August 2013, playing 33 minutes in a 3–0 loss at Rayo Vallecano.[5] His first league goal came on 20 October, the winner in a 2–1 away victory over Real Betis.[6]

On 9 July 2014, Fidel joined fellow second-division side Córdoba in a loan deal.[7] After appearing regularly, he agreed to a permanent move in May 2015.[8]

On 19 July 2016, after scoring a career-best 11 goals during the campaign to earn a place in its All-Star team,[9] Fidel put pen to paper to a five-year contract at UD Almería.[10] On 18 June 2018, he signed a three-year deal with second-tier UD Las Palmas.[11]

Fidel rescinded his contract with the Canarians on 14 June 2019,[12] and returned to Elche just hours later.[13] The first goals of his second spell came on 3 November, when he scored a hat-trick – two from the penalty spot – in a 4–2 home defeat of CD Mirandés.[14]

On 1 February 2024, Fidel terminated his contract at the Estadio Martínez Valero,[15] and signed an 18-month deal with Albacete Balompié also from division two on the same day.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 22 May 2021[17][18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Recreativo 2009–10 Segunda División 6 2 0 0 — 6 2
2010–11 Segunda División 24 1 1 0 — 25 1
2011–12 Segunda División 27 3 1 0 — 28 3
Total 57 6 2 0 0 0 59 6
Elche 2012–13 Segunda División 40 4 1 0 — 41 4
2013–14 La Liga 35 2 1 0 — 36 2
Total 75 6 2 0 0 0 77 6
Córdoba (loan) 2014–15 La Liga 25 1 1 0 — 26 1
Córdoba 2015–16 Segunda División 39 11 1 0 2[a] 0 42 11
Almería 2016–17 Segunda División 40 8 0 0 — 40 8
2017–18 Segunda División 31 4 0 0 — 31 4
Total 71 12 0 0 0 0 71 12
Las Palmas 2018–19 Segunda División 26 2 0 0 — 26 2
Elche 2019–20 Segunda División 38 9 2 1 4[a] 0 44 10
2020–21 La Liga 30 6 0 0 — 30 6
Total 68 15 2 1 4 0 74 16
Career total 361 53 8 1 6 0 375 54
  1. ^ a b Appearances in La Liga play-offs

Honours

Elche

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Fidel" (in Spanish). As. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ Empate justo entre Córdoba y Recreativo que acerca la permanencia (Fair draw between Córdoba and Recreativo draws nearer to permanence); Marca, 15 May 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ El Elche ficha a Fidel por tres temporadas (Elche sign Fidel for three seasons); Vavel, 12 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ a b "El exrecreativista Fidel sale del Elche como una leyenda y firma por el Albacete" [Former Recreativo man Fidel leaves Elche as a legend and signs for Albacete] (in Spanish). Huelva 24. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  5. ^ Rayo up and running Archived 28 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 19 August 2013
  6. ^ Elche edge out Betis Archived 14 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 20 October 2013
  7. ^ Fidel, nueva incorporación del Córdoba CF (Fidel, new Córdoba CF addition) Archived 12 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Córdoba CF, 9 July 2014 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ Fidel anuncia que seguirá en el Córdoba en Segunda (Fidel announces he will remain at Córdoba in Segunda); Marca, 3 May 2015 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ "Este es el once ideal de esta temporada en Segunda" [This is this season's Segunda dream team] (in Spanish). Be Soccer. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  10. ^ El Almería ficha a Fidel, uno de los jugadores más cotizados del mercado (Almería sign Fidel, one of the most valued players on the market); UD Almería, 19 July 2016 (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Fidel, nuevo fichaje de la UD Las Palmas (Fidel, new signing of UD Las Palmas); UD Las Palmas, 18 June 2018 (in Spanish)
  12. ^ "Fidel se desvincula de la UD Las Palmas" [Fidel cuts ties with Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  13. ^ "OFICIAL | Fidel regresa al Elche C.F." [OFFICIAL | Fidel returns to Elche C.F.] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  14. ^ "El Elche de Pacheta acaba con la racha del Mirandés" [Pacheta's Elche end Mirandés' streak] (in Spanish). Diario de Burgos. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  15. ^ "OFICIAL | ¡Gracias, Fidel!" [OFFICIAL | Thank you, Fidel!] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Fidel acepta el desafío" [Fidel accepts the challenge] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  17. ^ Fidel Chaves at BDFutbol
  18. ^ Fidel Chaves at Soccerway
  19. ^ "Fidel: "No había mejor sitio para ir que el Elche CF"" [Fidel: "There was no better place to go than Elche CF"] (in Spanish). Golsmedia. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2024.