Alberto Blanco

Luis Alberto Blanco Saavedra (born 8 January 1978) is a Panamanian football coach and a former midfielder. He is an assistant coach with Independiente.

Club career Nicknamed Satú, he started his career at hometown club San Francisco, then moved to Europe to play in the UEFA Champions League with Moldovan champions Sheriff Tiraspol where he played alongside compatriots Ubaldo Guardia and Roberto Brown. He then had a short stint at Russian outfit Alania Vladikavkaz before moving to the Middle East where he played for UAE side Al Ain and Al-Nasr in Saudi Arabia.

After spells at Plaza Amador and San Francisco, he moved abroad again when signing for Colombians Atlético Junior in February 2008. In 2009, he joined compatriot Alberto Zapata at Israeli team Maccabi Netanya, but left them in summer 2009.

On his return to Panama, he again played for San Francisco and Chorillo and joined Tauro in January 2011. He retired at second division side Atlético Nacional in 2013.

International career Blanco made his debut for Panama in an October 1999 friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago and has earned a total of 60 caps, scoring 3 goals. He represented his country in 18 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and was a member of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup team, who finished second in the tournament and he also played at the 2007 and 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cups.

His final international was a July 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Nicaragua.

International goals Scores and results list Panama's goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 20 June 2004 George Odlum Stadium, Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia 3–0 3–0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 2 13 February 2007 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador 1–0 1–0 2007 UNCAF Nations Cup 3 22 August 2007 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama 1–1 2–1 Friendly match

Honours

Club Divizia Naţională (4): 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 Moldavian Cup (1): 2001-02 UAE President Cup (1): 2005-06 Liga Panameña de Fútbol (1): 2007 (C)

International Panama

CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2005