Gustavo Munúa

Gustavo Munúa

Munúa in action for Levante in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Gustavo Adolfo Munúa Vera
Date of birth	(1978-01-27) 27 January 1978
Place of birth	Montevideo, Uruguay
Height
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Nacional (coach)
Youth career
1986–1997	Nacional
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2003	Nacional	102	(3)
2003–2009	Deportivo La Coruña	27	(0)
2009–2010	Málaga	38	(0)
2010–2013	Levante	86	(0)
2013–2014	Fiorentina	0	(0)
2014–2015	Nacional	41	(0)
Total		294	(3)
International career
1998–2004	Uruguay	21	(0)
Managerial career
2015–	Nacional
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Munúa and the second or maternal family name is Vera.

Gustavo Adolfo Munúa Vera (born 27 January 1978) is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and the current coach of Club Nacional de Football.

After starting out at Nacional he spent most of his professional career in Spain, mainly at Deportivo de La Coruña where he could never be a starter in six seasons. He also played in the country for Málaga and Levante, being first-choice and appearing in 151 La Liga games over the course of one full decade.

An Uruguayan international for six years, Munúa represented the country at the 2002 World Cup.

Club career

Nacional

Born in Montevideo, Munúa started his career at local Club Nacional de Football, where he won four Uruguyan league titles in a row. He held the record of being the first goalkeeper to score in Uruguayan football, when he netted from a free-kick in a league win against Central Español.

Munúa also scored some goals from penalties, both in the league and the Libertadores Cup.

Deportivo

Munúa left Nacional in 2003, joining La Liga side Deportivo de La Coruña on a six-year link, where he struggled to gain first-choice goalkeeper status: from 2003 to 2006 he was topped by Spanish international José Francisco Molina and, subsequently, faced stiff competition from Israel's Dudu Aouate.

In January 2008, after regaining first-choice from Aouate, both goalkeepers were involved in a post-training punching session that resulted in both being suspended for the match against Villarreal CF, as well as subsequent league games. In February, due to B-team keeper Fabri's inexperience, both players were reinstated in the squad, although the Israeli regained his lost spot.

After having started the following season, as Aouate, deemed surplus to requirements, Munúa eventually returned to back-up status, as Aouate was sold to RCD Mallorca and Fabri returned to the reserves. On 25 January 2009, to due the forced absence of new first-choice Daniel Aranzubia (sent off the previous week against FC Barcelona), he returned to first-team action for his only appearance of the campaign, a 0–1 loss at Real Madrid.

Málaga / Levante

Munúa facing a shot from Real Sociedad's Carlos Vela in 2012

On 28 June 2009, Munúa signed a one-year contract with Málaga CF. At his new club he was an instant first-choice, appearing in all the league games in his first year as the Andalusians barely avoided relegation (17th position).

After only one season, Munúa rejected a new contract offer and was released by the club, on 26 May 2010. On 6 August he signed with Levante UD, returned to the top level after two years, and he made his official debut on 28 August, in a 1–4 home defeat against Sevilla FC.

Munúa was a starter for the Valencian Community side throughout the vast majority of his spell. However, late into his third season, he, alongside Sergio Ballesteros and Juanlu, was accused by teammate José Barkero of lack of commitment during a 0–4 home loss against Deportivo, which led to several match-fixing allegations.

Later years

In January 2014, after a brief spell with ACF Fiorentina which consisted of two UEFA Europa League appearances, 36-year-old Munúa returned to his country and Nacional. After winning the 2015 national championship with the latter, as team captain, he was announced as Álvaro Gutiérrez's replacement as head coach.

International career

Munúa made his debut for Uruguay aged 20, in a friendly match against Chile on 24 May 1998. As a backup, he represented the nation at the 2001 Copa América and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Club statistics

As of 30 November 2013

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Uruguay			League		Cup		League Cup		South America		Total
1997	Nacional	Primera División	1	0	–	–	–	–	?	?	1	0
1998			11	0	–	–	–	–	?	?	11	0
1999			11	0	–	–	–	–	?	?	11	0
2000			0	0	–	–	–	–	?	?	0	0
2001			27	0	–	–	–	–	?	?	27	0
2002			33	1	–	–	–	–	?	?	33	1
2003			19	2	–	–	–	–	?	?	19	2
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Supercopa de España		Europe		Total
2003–04	Deportivo	La Liga	5	0	4	0	–	–	1	0	10	0
2004–05			17	0	2	0	–	–	2	0	20	0
2005–06			0	0	0	0	–	–	0	0	0	0
2006–07			0	0	6	0	–	–	–	–	6	0
2007–08			4	0	2	0	–	–	–	–	6	0
2008–09			1	0	0	0	–	–	0	0	1	0
2009–10	Málaga		38	0	0	0	–	–	–	–	38	0
2010–11	Levante		20	0	4	0	–	–	–	–	24	0
2011–12			37	0	2	0	–	–	–	–	39	0
2012–13			18	0	0	0	–	–	0	0	18	0
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Supercoppa Italiana		Europe		Total
2013–14	Fiorentina	Serie A	0	0	0	0	–	–	2	0	2	0
Total	Uruguay		102	3	–	–	–	–	?	?	102	3
	Spain		140	0	20	0	–	–	3	0	163	0
	Italy		0	0	0	0	–	–	2	0	2	0
Career total			242	3	20	0	–	–	5	0	267	3

Honours

Club

Nacional

• Uruguayan Primera División: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2014–15

Deportivo

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008

Country

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 1997

External links

• Gustavo Munúa profile at BDFutbol
• Gustavo Munúa at National-Football-Teams.com
• Gustavo Munúa – FIFA competition record
• Official website (Spanish)