Cifu (footballer, born 1990)

Cifu
	Cifu with Girona in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Miguel Ángel Garrido Cifuentes
Date of birth	5 October 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Zújar, Spain
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Right-winger, right-back
Team information
Current team	Sabah
Number	9
Youth career
	Independiente de Elche
	Alicante
	Elche
Senior career*
Years	Team
2009–2011	Torrellano Illice
2011–2012	Orihuela
2012–2015	Elche Ilicitano
2014–2015	→ Girona (loan)
2015–2016	Elche
2016	→ Málaga (loan)
2016–2020	Málaga
2016–2017	→ Girona (loan)
2018	→ Albacete (loan)
2020–2021	Elche
2021–2022	Ibiza
2023	Kelantan
2023–	Sabah
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 December 2023

Miguel Ángel Garrido Cifuentes (born 5 October 1990), commonly known as Cifu, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-winger and also right-back for Malaysia Football League club Sabah.

Football career

Born in Zújar, Granada, Andalusia,^[1] Cifu graduated from Elche CF's youth setup, and made his senior debut for Torrellano Illice CF (the club's farm team) in Tercera División, in 2009. On 11 August 2011 he joined Orihuela CF in Segunda División B,^[2] appearing regularly for the side.

In July 2012 Cifu returned to Elche, being assigned to the reserves in the fourth level.^[3] He appeared in 38 matches during his first campaign, scoring once and achieving promotion.

On 17 July 2014 Cifu was loaned to Segunda División's Girona FC, in a season-long deal.^[4] On 24 August he made his debut in the competition, starting in a 1–0 home win against Racing de Santander.^[5]

Cifu scored his first professional goal on 9 May 2015, netting the last in a 4–2 away win against FC Barcelona B.^[6] After his loan expired, he was subsequently assigned to the Valencians' main squad.

On 26 January 2016, as his contract was due to expire in the summer, Cifu was loaned to La Liga side Málaga CF,^[7] with a three-year permanent deal being effective at the expiration of the loan.^[8] On 15 July, after making no appearances for the Andalusians, he returned to his previous club Girona again in a temporary deal.^[9]

On 30 January 2018, Cifu was loaned to Albacete Balompié still in the second division, for six months.^[10] Upon returning, he became a regular starter for the Albicelestes, now also in division two.

On 22 September 2020, Cifu terminated his contract with Málaga,^[11] and returned to his former side Elche, now in the top tier, on a two-year contract just hours later.^[12]

On 20 July 2021, Cifu left Elche and signed a one-year deal with second division newcomers UD Ibiza.^[13]

Personal life

Cifu is part of the Hipster subculture, distinguishing himself with a thick beard and tattoos.^[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 July 2023^[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Elche	2010–11	Segunda División	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2012–13	Segunda División	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2015–16	Segunda División	17	0	1	0	—		18	0
	Total		17	0	1	0	0	0	18	0
Orihuela(loan)	2011–12	Segunda División B	30	1	1	0	2^[b]	0	33	1
Girona (loan)	2014–15	Segunda División	40	1	0	0	1^[c]	0	41	1
Málaga (loan)	2015–16	La Liga	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
Málaga	2017–18	La Liga	2	0	2	0	—		4	0
	2018–19	Segunda División	24	2	0	0	1^[c]	0	25	2
	2019–20	Segunda División	34	2	1	0	—		35	2
	Total		60	4	3	0	1	0	64	4
Girona (loan)	2016–17	Segunda División	24	0	1	0	—		25	0
Albacete (loan)	2017–18	Segunda División	9	0	0	0	—		9	0
Elche	2020–21	La Liga	11	0	3	0	—		14	0
Ibiza	2021–22	Segunda División	28	1	0	0	—		28	1
Kelantan	2023	Malaysia Super League	13	4	2	0	—		15	4
Sabah	2023	Malaysia Super League	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Career total			233	11	11	0	4	0	248	11

^ Includes Copa del Rey, Malaysia FA Cup
^ Appearances in Segunda División promotion play-offs
^ ^a ^b Appearance in La Liga promotion play-offs

References

^ ^a ^b Cifu, el «hipster» del Elche (Cifu, Elche's "hipster"); Diario Información, 12 October 2015 (in Spanish)
^ El Orihuela cierra el fichaje del extremo Miguel Ángel Garrido (Orihuela completes the signing of winger Miguel Ángel Garrido); Diario Información, 11 August 2011 (in Spanish)
^ Miguel Ángel afirma que es nuevo jugador del Ilicitano (Miguel Ángel states that he is a player of Ilicitano) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Elche Diario, 13 July 2012 (in Spanish)
^ El Girona obtiene la cesión de Miguel Ángel Garrido (Girona gets the loan of Miguel Ángel Garrido); El Mundo Deportivo, 17 July 2014 (in Spanish)
^ Un gol de Felipe Sanchón le basta al Girona (A goal from Felipe Sanchón is enough for Girona); Marca, 25 August 2014 (in Spanish)
^ El Girona mantiene el pulso por Primera (Girona keeps the momentum for Primera); Marca, 9 May 2015 (in Spanish)
^ Cifu pasa el examen médico y jugará cedido en el Málaga procedente del Elche (Cifu passes medical and will play on loan at Málaga from Elche); El Mundo Deportivo, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)
^ El Málaga ficha a Cifu, lateral derecho del Elche, hasta 2019 (Málaga signs Cifu, Elche's right back, until 2019); Diario AS, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)
^ Cifu, alta velocitat al carril dret (Cifu, high speed to the right flank); Girona FC, 15 July 2016 (in Catalan)
^ Cifu is loaned out to Albacete Balompié; Málaga CF, 30 January 2018
^ "Cifuentes deja de pertenecer al Málaga CF" [Cifuentes leaves Málaga CF] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
^ "Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sexto fichaje del Elche CF" [Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sixth signing of Elche CF] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
^ "Cifu nuevo jugador del Ibiza" [Cifu new player of Ibiza] (in Spanish). UD Ibiza. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ Cifu at BDFutbol

External links

Cifu at BDFutbol
Cifu at Futbolme (in Spanish)
Cifu at Soccerway

[15] Includes Copa del Rey, Malaysia FA Cup

[16] Appearances in Segunda División promotion play-offs

[PRO-17] Appearance in La Liga promotion play-offs

[hipster-1] Cifu, el «hipster» del Elche (Cifu, Elche's "hipster"); Diario Información, 12 October 2015 (in Spanish)

[2] El Orihuela cierra el fichaje del extremo Miguel Ángel Garrido (Orihuela completes the signing of winger Miguel Ángel Garrido); Diario Información, 11 August 2011 (in Spanish)

[3] Miguel Ángel afirma que es nuevo jugador del Ilicitano (Miguel Ángel states that he is a player of Ilicitano) Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Elche Diario, 13 July 2012 (in Spanish)

[4] El Girona obtiene la cesión de Miguel Ángel Garrido (Girona gets the loan of Miguel Ángel Garrido); El Mundo Deportivo, 17 July 2014 (in Spanish)

[5] Un gol de Felipe Sanchón le basta al Girona (A goal from Felipe Sanchón is enough for Girona); Marca, 25 August 2014 (in Spanish)

[6] El Girona mantiene el pulso por Primera (Girona keeps the momentum for Primera); Marca, 9 May 2015 (in Spanish)

[7] Cifu pasa el examen médico y jugará cedido en el Málaga procedente del Elche (Cifu passes medical and will play on loan at Málaga from Elche); El Mundo Deportivo, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)

[8] El Málaga ficha a Cifu, lateral derecho del Elche, hasta 2019 (Málaga signs Cifu, Elche's right back, until 2019); Diario AS, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)

[9] Cifu, alta velocitat al carril dret (Cifu, high speed to the right flank); Girona FC, 15 July 2016 (in Catalan)

[10] Cifu is loaned out to Albacete Balompié; Málaga CF, 30 January 2018

[11] "Cifuentes deja de pertenecer al Málaga CF" [Cifuentes leaves Málaga CF] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.

[12] "Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sexto fichaje del Elche CF" [Miguel Ángel Cifuentes, sixth signing of Elche CF] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.

[13] "Cifu nuevo jugador del Ibiza" [Cifu new player of Ibiza] (in Spanish). UD Ibiza. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.

[14] Cifu at BDFutbol

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