Fernando Soriano · Biography

Fernando Soriano Marco was born on 24 September 1979 in the province of Zaragoza and came through the youth system at Real Zaragoza. A 1.88-metre midfielder, nicknamed “el Chori” in the dressing room, he played for Real Zaragoza, Recreativo de Huelva, UD Almería and CA Osasuna before retiring in 2016. On the same day he took over as Almería coach. He later moved into the sporting director role, first at UD Ibiza and, from June 2023, at RC Deportivo de La Coruña.

Real Zaragoza academy and youth internationals

Soriano rose through Real Zaragoza’s youth teams to the reserve side, Deportivo Aragón. He established himself there in the late 1990s and played well over a hundred league games before 2001. Alongside that, he represented Spain at youth level: with the under-16s in 1995 and 1996, the under-17s in 1997, the under-18s in 1998 and the under-20s in 1999.

Loan at Recreativo and return to La Romareda

In 2001-02 he was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva in the Spanish second division. He made 39 league appearances and scored four goals in a season that ended with the Andalusian club promoted to La Liga. Back in Zaragoza, he made his first-team debut in 2002-03, the season the club returned to the top flight. In 2003-04 he scored the winners against Racing de Santander and FC Barcelona and was part of the squad that won the 2004 Copa del Rey. A few months later he added the 2004 Supercopa de España. He played 81 league games for Real Zaragoza, scoring six goals, before leaving in 2005.

First spell at Almería and a season at Osasuna

In 2005 he joined UD Almería, then in the second division. In 2006-07 he was one of the key figures in the side that earned the club’s first promotion to La Liga, and the following season Almería finished eighth in their top-flight debut. Soriano spent five seasons at the club in that first spell, with 149 league appearances and 19 goals. In May 2010 he signed for CA Osasuna on a two-year deal with the option of a third. His debut for the Navarrese club came on the opening day of the 2010-11 La Liga season, a goalless home draw against Almería. He made 30 league appearances and scored twice in Pamplona, and he left Osasuna in July 2011.

Return to Almería

In July 2011 he went back to Almería on a three-year contract. His most prolific campaign came in 2012-13: 12 goals in 39 games for a team that won promotion to La Liga once more. He stayed on after the promotion and extended his playing days at the club until the spring of 2016, making 163 league appearances in this second spell. Across both spells he passed 300 league games for Almería. Over his whole career he played more than 600 league matches.

From the pitch to the dugout

On 17 May 2016 he terminated his playing contract and was named Almería coach in place of Néstor Gorosito, with four rounds of the 2015-16 season left. He won two and drew two, the team avoided relegation and the club extended his deal by a year. In 2016-17 he led Almería up to matchday 27. After a 3-2 home defeat to UCAM Murcia in February 2017 he was dismissed and replaced by Luis Miguel Ramis. Over that full season his record was six wins, seven draws and fourteen defeats.

Sporting director at Ibiza

In December 2018 he became sporting director of UD Ibiza, a club only a few years old at the time. He built the squad that, under coach Juan Carlos Carcedo, contested the 2021 Segunda División B play-offs. In Badajoz the side beat UCAM Murcia 1-0 to secure the first promotion in its history to the Spanish second division. Soriano also planned the 2021-22 campaign, Ibiza’s first at that level, and on 7 April 2022 he left the club after disagreements with president Amadeo Salvo.

Sporting director at Deportivo de La Coruña

On 16 June 2023 he was appointed sporting director of RC Deportivo de La Coruña, who were heading into a third season in Primera Federación. In 2023-24, with Imanol Idiakez as coach, Deportivo clinched their group title on 12 May 2024 with a 1-0 win over Barcelona Atlètic at Riazor and returned to the second division. That season they also won the Primera Federación champions’ final against CD Castellón. Two seasons later, with Antonio Hidalgo in charge, the team finished second in the 2025-26 second division. On 24 May 2026 they sealed promotion to La Liga with a 2-0 win over Real Valladolid at the José Zorrilla stadium.