# Alejandro Balde

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{{short description|Spanish footballer (born 2003)}}
{{family name hatnote|Balde|Martínez|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alejandro Balde
| image = Esapana-inglaterra-74 (48899354493).jpg
| caption = Balde playing for [Spain U17](/source/Spain_national_under-18_football_team) in 2019
| full_name = Alejandro Balde Martínez<ref name=Official>{{cite web |url=https://players.fcbarcelona.com/en/player/2829-balde-alejandro-balde-martinez |title=Alejandro Balde Martínez |publisher=FC Barcelona |access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|10|18|df=y}}<ref name=Official/>
| birth_place = [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), Spain
| height = 1.77 m<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/players/68906/alejandro-balde |title=Alejandro Balde |publisher=FC Barcelona |access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref>
| position = [Left-back](/source/Full-back_(association_football))
| currentclub = [Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona)
| clubnumber = 3
| youthyears1 = 2007–2009
| youthclubs1 = [Sant Gabriel](/source/CE_Sant_Gabriel)
| youthyears2 = 2009–2011
| youthclubs2 = [Espanyol](/source/RCD_Espanyol)
| youthyears3 = 2011–2021
| youthclubs3 = [Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona)
| years1 = 2020–2022
| clubs1 = [Barcelona B](/source/FC_Barcelona_Atl%C3%A8tic)
| caps1 = 29
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–
| clubs2 = [Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona)
| caps2 = 115
| goals2 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2019
| nationalteam1 = [Spain U16](/source/Spain_national_under-16_football_team)
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam2 = [Spain U17](/source/Spain_national_under-17_football_team)
| nationalcaps2 = 9
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2019
| nationalteam3 = [Spain U18](/source/Spain_national_under-18_football_team)
| nationalcaps3 = 3
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2021
| nationalteam4 = [Spain U19](/source/Spain_national_under-19_football_team)
| nationalcaps4 = 5
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears5 = 2022
| nationalteam5 = [Spain U21](/source/Spain_national_under-21_football_team)
| nationalcaps5 = 2
| nationalgoals5 = 0
| nationalyears6 = 2022–
| nationalteam6 = [Spain](/source/Spain_national_football_team)
| nationalcaps6 = 7
| nationalgoals6 = 0
| club-update = 23:05, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 12 October 2023
}}

'''Alejandro Balde Martínez''' (born 18 October 2003) is a Spanish professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who plays as a [left-back](/source/Full-back_(association_football)) for {{Spanish football updater|Barcelona}} club [Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona) and the [Spain national team](/source/Spain_national_football_team).

==Club career==
Born in [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), [Catalonia](/source/Catalonia), to a [Bissau-Guinean](/source/Guinea-Bissau) father and a [Dominican](/source/Dominican_Republic) mother,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/alejandro-balde-a-great-opportunity-for-the-la-masia-left-back-11895698 |title=Alejandro Balde: A great opportunity for the la Masia left back |website=sport.es |date=13 July 2021}}</ref> Balde joined [Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona) in 2011 at the age of eight after coming up through ranks at [Espanyol](/source/RCD_Espanyol).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rogé |first1=Albert |title=Profile: Electric Alejandro Balde has a lot to offer |url=https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/profile-electric-alejandro-balde-has-a-lot-to-offer-8201674 |website=sport |date=12 November 2020}}</ref> In July 2021, he signed a contract renewal with Barcelona until 2024 with a release clause of 500 million euros.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/alejandro-balde-barcelona-teenage-left-back-500m-release/1ij5oor255tup1i0ls6yty4h47|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813123056/https://www.goal.com/en/news/alejandro-balde-barcelona-teenage-left-back-500m-release/1ij5oor255tup1i0ls6yty4h47 |archive-date=13 August 2021 |title=Alejandro Balde: Barcelona's 'spectacular' teenage left-back with a €500m release clause |first1=Adrià |last1=Soldevila |date=11 August 2021 |website=Goal|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Balde impressed during pre-season in the summer 2021, and began the new campaign as [Jordi Alba](/source/Jordi_Alba)'s primary back-up at the [Camp Nou](/source/Camp_Nou).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/barca-tie-down-alejandro-balde-their-jordi-alba-backup-11933006 |title=Barca tie down Alejandro Balde, their Jordi Alba backup |website=sport.es |date=22 July 2021}}</ref> He sat on the bench for the opening match against [Real Sociedad](/source/Real_Sociedad)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fotmob.com/livescores/3629093/lineup/barcelona-vs-real-sociedad?show=ongoing |title=Barcelona vs Real Sociedad lineup in LaLiga |website=FotMob}}</ref> and the next game against [Athletic Bilbao](/source/Athletic_Bilbao).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fotmob.com/livescores/3629105/lineup/athletic-club-vs-barcelona |title=Athletic Club vs Barcelona lineup in LaLiga |website=FotMob}}</ref> On 14 September 2021, he played his first official match for Barcelona's first team replacing Alba in the 74th minute of a 3–0 loss to [Bayern Munich](/source/FC_Bayern_Munich) in the group stage of the [UEFA Champions League](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_UEFA_Champions_League).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fotmob.com/livescores/3714046/matchfacts/barcelona-vs-bayern-münchen |title=Champions League vs Barcelona |website=FotMob}}</ref>

From the start of the 2022–23 season, Balde was given a more prominent role by coach [Xavi](/source/Xavi_(footballer%2C_born_1980)), starting in more league matches than Jordi Alba and receiving more minutes in important matches.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/xavi-on-balde-an-18-year-old-playing-at-this-level-never-ceases-to-amaze-75566303 |title=Xavi on Balde: An 18-year-old playing at this level never ceases to amaze|website=sport.es |date=17 September 2022}}</ref> On 14 May 2023, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–2 away win over [Espanyol](/source/RCD_Espanyol), where his team secured the league title.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2023/may/14/espanyol-v-barcelona-la-liga-live?page=with%3Ablock-6461303e8f08c4e696f29461 |title=Espanyol 2-4 Barcelona: Barça win La Liga – as it happened |publisher=The Guardian |date=14 May 2023 }}</ref>

On 20 September 2023, it was announced that Balde would sign a new contract at the club until 2028, with the buyout clause set at €1 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/futbol/primer-equipo/noticias/3691879/balde-cule-hasta-2028 |title=Balde, culé hasta 2028 |publisher=FC Barcelona |language=es |date=20 September 2023 }}</ref> On 24 January 2024, he suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg, having to undergo surgery after leaving the pitch in tears against [Athletic Bilbao](/source/Athletic_Bilbao) in the [Copa del Rey](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_Copa_del_Rey) quarterfinals, which Barcelona lost 4–2, and ending up missing the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/3871012/alejandro-balde-undergoes-successful-surgery-on-the-tendon-in-his-right-hamstring |title=Alejandro Balde undergoes successful surgery on the tendon in his right hamstring |publisher=FC Barcelona |date=30 January 2024 }}</ref>

On 12 January 2025, Balde scored his first [El Clásico](/source/El_Cl%C3%A1sico) goal in the [2025 Supercopa de España final](/source/2025_Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a_final), scoring Barcelona's fourth goal in an eventual 5–2 victory.

==International career==
Balde is of Dominican and Bissau-Guinean descent through his mother and father respectively and was eligible to play for [Guinea-Bissau](/source/Guinea-Bissau_national_football_team), [Dominican Republic](/source/Dominican_Republic_national_football_team) or [Spain](/source/Spain_national_football_team), but pledged allegiance to ''La Roja''. He received a surprise call-up to the [Spain national team](/source/Spain_national_football_team) two days before the start of the [2022 FIFA World Cup](/source/2022_FIFA_World_Cup), as [Valencia](/source/Valencia_C.F.) left-back [José Gayà](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Gay%C3%A0) had injured his ankle in the training camp.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marsden |first1=Sam |last2=Llorens |first2=Moises |title=World Cup 2022: Barcelona youngster Alejandro Balde replaces injured Jose Gaya in Spain squad |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/fifa-world-cup/story/4805677/alejandro-balde-replaces-jose-gaya-in-spain-world-cup-squad |access-date=18 November 2022 |publisher=[ESPN](/source/ESPN) |date=18 November 2022}}</ref> On 23 November 2022, he made his first international appearance in a 7–0 win against [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica_national_football_team), substituting for [Jordi Alba](/source/Jordi_Alba) in the 64th minute.

== Style of play ==
Balde is known for his pace, dribbling, and attacking contributions.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Alejandro Balde with Spain and Barcelona - scout report |url=https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/alejandro-balde-with-spain-and-barcelona-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102110517/https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/alejandro-balde-with-spain-and-barcelona-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics |archive-date=2 January 2023 |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=Total Football Analysis Magazine |language=en-GB |url-status=live }}</ref> His speed is also a great asset for him when he carries the ball through opposition lines. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Kulig |first=Jacek |date=6 June 2020 |title=Alejandro Balde |url=https://footballtalentscout.net/home/alejandro-balde/ |access-date=22 January 2025 |website=Football Talent Scout |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{{updated|match played 17 May 2026}}<ref>{{Soccerway|alejandro-balde-martinez/632541}}</ref>
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|[Copa del Rey](/source/Copa_del_Rey)
!colspan="2"|[Europe](/source/UEFA)
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[Barcelona Atlètic](/source/FC_Barcelona_Atl%C3%A8tic)
|[2020–21](/source/2020%E2%80%9321_Segunda_Divisi%C3%B3n_B)
|[Segunda División B](/source/Segunda_Divisi%C3%B3n_RFEF)
|15||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|Appearance in [Segunda División B play-offs](/source/Segunda_Divisi%C3%B3n_B_play-offs)}}||0||16||0
|-
|[2021–22](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_Primera_Divisi%C3%B3n_RFEF)
|[Primera División RFEF](/source/Primera_Divisi%C3%B3n_RFEF)
|14||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0||14||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!29!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!30!!0
|-
|rowspan="6"|[Barcelona](/source/FC_Barcelona)
|[2021–22](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_FC_Barcelona_season)
|[La Liga](/source/La_Liga)
|5||0||0||0||2{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in [UEFA Champions League](/source/UEFA_Champions_League)}}||0||0||0||7||0
|-
|[2022–23](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_FC_Barcelona_season)
|La Liga
|33||1||4||0||6{{efn|Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in [UEFA Europa League](/source/UEFA_Europa_League)}}||0||1{{efn|name=SDE|Appearance(s) in [Supercopa de España](/source/Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a)}}||0||44||1
|-
|[2023–24](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_FC_Barcelona_season)
|La Liga
|18||0||2||1||6{{efn|name=UCL}}||0||2{{efn|name=SDE}}||0||28||1
|-
|[2024–25](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_FC_Barcelona_season)
|La Liga
|32||0||3||0||10{{efn|name=UCL}}||0||2{{efn|name=SDE}}||1||47||1
|-
|[2025–26](/source/2025%E2%80%9326_FC_Barcelona_season)
|La Liga
|27||0||4||0||8{{efn|name=UCL}}||0||2{{efn|name=SDE}}||0||41||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!115||1||13||1||32||0||7||1||167||3
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!144!!1!!13!!1!!32!!0!!8!!1!!197!!3
|}
{{notelist}}

===International===
{{updated|match played 12 October 2023}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=32229|title=Alejandro Balde|website=EU-Football.info|access-date=27 November 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="2"|[Spain](/source/Spain_national_football_team)
|2022||4||0
|-
|2023||3||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!7!!0
|}

==Honours==
'''Barcelona'''
*[La Liga](/source/La_Liga): [2022–23](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_La_Liga),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3344756/fc-barcelona-liga-champions-202223 |title=FC Barcelona, Liga champions 2022/23! |website=FC Barcelona |date=14 May 2023}}</ref> [2024–25](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_La_Liga),<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2025 |title=Barcelona Win La Liga, Complete 2024-25 Domestic Treble |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/barcelona-win-la-liga-complete-2024-25-domestic-treble |access-date=16 May 2025|website=SI |language=en-US}}</ref> [2025–26](/source/2025%E2%80%9326_La_Liga)<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2026 |title=Barcelona Clinch 29th La Liga Title in Dominant El Clasico |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/barcelona-clinch-29th-la-liga-title-el-clasico |access-date=10 May 2026|website=SI |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[Copa del Rey](/source/Copa_del_Rey): [2024–25](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_Copa_del_Rey)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lowe |first=Sid |date=26 April 2025 |title=Barcelona win thrilling Copa del Rey and drive Madrid to red card fury |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/27/barcelona-real-madrid-copa-del-rey-match-report |access-date=16 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
*[Supercopa de España](/source/Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a): [2023](/source/2023_Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a),<ref name=":3">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/64284870 |title=Spanish Super Cup: Barcelona beat Real Madrid. |website=BBC Sport |date=15 January 2023 |access-date=15 January 2023 |archive-date=25 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125094004/https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/64284870 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [2025](/source/2025_Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a),<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 January 2025 |title=FC Barcelona win the Super Cup in a final for the history books (2-5) |url=https://rfef.es/en/noticias/match-report-fc-barcelona-win-the-super-cup-in-a-final-for-the-history-books-2-5 |access-date=13 January 2025 |website= |publisher=[Real Federación Española de Fútbol](/source/Real_Federaci%C3%B3n_Espa%C3%B1ola_de_F%C3%BAtbol) |language=en}}</ref> [2026](/source/2026_Supercopa_de_Espa%C3%B1a)<ref>{{cite web |first= |last= |title=Barcelona vs Real Madrid Highlights, El Clasico Supercopa Final: Barcelona Beat Real Madrid 3-2 In Thriller, Clinch 1st Trophy Of Season| url=https://sports.ndtv.com/football/barcelona-vs-real-madrid-live-updates-supercopa-de-espana-final-live-score-super-cup-live-streaming-mbappe-vinicius-raphinha-lamine-yamal-10688288| access-date=12 January 2026|website=NDTV}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
*[La Liga](/source/La_Liga) Team of the Season: [2022–23](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_La_Liga)<ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.laliga.com/noticias/los-premios-team-of-the-season-de-ea-sportstm-y-laliga-revelan-a-los-mejores-15-jugadores-de-la-temporada |title=Los Premios 'Team Of The Season' de EA SPORTSTM y LaLiga revelan a los mejores 15 jugadores de la temporada |trans-title=The EA SPORTSTM and LaLiga 'Team Of The Season' Awards reveal the best 15 players of the season |date=19 May 2023|access-date=21 May 2023|publisher=La Liga}}</ref>
*[IFFHS Men's World Youth (U20) Team](/source/International_Federation_of_Football_History_%26_Statistics): 2023<ref>{{cite web|date=5 January 2024|title=IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) WORLD TEAM 2023|url=https://iffhs.com/posts/3301|access-date=5 January 2024|website=IFFHS}}</ref>
*[IFFHS](/source/IFFHS) Men's Youth (U20) UEFA Team: 2023<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) UEFA TEAM 2023 |url=https://iffhs.com/posts/3387|date=5 February 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/players/68906/alejandro-balde Profile] at the FC Barcelona website
* [https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/jugadores/alejandro-balde Profile] at the Royal Spanish Football Federation website {{in lang|es}}
* {{UEFA player}}

{{FC Barcelona squad}}
{{Spain squad 2022 FIFA World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balde, Alejandro}}
Category:2003 births
Category:Living people
Category:Footballers from Barcelona
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Spain men's youth international footballers
Category:Spain men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Spain men's international footballers
Category:Spanish people of Bissau-Guinean descent
Category:Spanish people of Dominican Republic descent
Category:Sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent
Category:Men's association football full-backs
Category:La Liga players
Category:Primera Federación players
Category:Segunda División B players
Category:FC Barcelona Atlètic players
Category:FC Barcelona players
Category:2022 FIFA World Cup players
Category:21st-century Spanish sportsmen
Category:Sportspeople of Bissau-Guinean descent

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alejandro Balde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Balde) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Balde?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.