Fernando Llorente

Fernando Llorente Torres (born 26 February 1985), nicknamed El Grandee (The Giant in Spanish), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao and the Spanish national team, as a striker.

Llorente started his career with Athletic Bilbao, swiftly working his way through the various youth ranks, and becoming one of the most important offensive players for the club in the following decade, since making his first team debuts in 2005.

A Spanish international since late 2008, he helped the national team win the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Though born in Pamplona, Navarre, Llorente grew up in the municipality of Rincón de Soto in La Rioja. He joined Athletic de Bilbao's youth system in 1996, at the age of 11, being eligible through his Navarrese roots. He spent several seasons in the various junior levels of the club, moving in 2003 to CD Baskonia of Tercera División, effectively an Athletic youth team, and also a feeder club since 1997.

Llorente scored 12 goals in 33 appearances for Baskonia, paving way for his promotion to Bilbao Athletic, Athletic's reserve team, then in Segunda División B.

After featuring in 16 games and scoring four goals for the Bilbao Athletic in the first half of season, Llorente was awarded with a contract extension until June 2008. On January 16, 2005, he made his first-team - and La......
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