Albert Riera (footballer, born 1983)

Albert Riera Vidal (born 28 December 1983), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League, as a midfielder.

Football career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Riera played in his youth with local teams, at the beginning in Aragon (CD Binéfar and Atlético Monzón), and later in Catalonia (CF Balaguer and FC Benavent).

Auckland City

Riera debuted with Auckland City on 21 February 2011, coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute of a match against AS Magenta in the 2010–11 OFC Champions League. Riera and Auckland City went on to win the Champions League, with Riera coming on as a substitute in two games (against Magenta and against Waitakere United)and starting in two (against Tefana and against Amicale). In the 2010–11 New Zealand Football Championship Riera played in a total of five games, as well as the four games in the OFC Champions League.

In the 2011–12 season Riera played in 24 matches with Auckland City. In New Zealand, Riera played in 14 matches in the New Zealand Football Championship, in which Auckland City won the premiership, and in the ASB Charity Cup match against Waitakere United. Riera also played in all 8 matches of the OFC Champions League, in which he won the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament, and played together with Auckland City in the FIFA Club World Cup, but were eliminated from the cup in the first round, after losing to Kashiwa Reysol.