Daniel Cadena

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cadena and the second or maternal family name is Sanchez.

Daniel Cadena Sanchez (born 9 February 1987) is a footballer who plays as a forward for Liga Primera de Nicaragua club UNAN Managua.

Daniel Cadena

Cadena with Nicaragua in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Daniel Cadena Sánchez
Date of birth	(1987-02-09) 9 February 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	UNAN Managua
Number	25
Youth career
2004–2006	Sanluqueño
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	Sanluqueño	0
2007–2008	Betis B	8
2008–2009	Betis C	10	(3)
2009	Xerez B	7	(5)
2010	Racing Portuense	15	(1)
2011	Rota
2011–2012	Atlético Antoniano
2012–2013	Algaida	24	(21)
2013–2016	Walter Ferretti	89	(44)
2016	Atletico Antoniano	2	(0)
2016	Atlántico
2016	KF	9	(0)
2017	Njarðvík	3	(0)
2017–2018	Real Estelí	13	(3)
2018–2019	Mérida	7	(1)
2019–2020	Arcos	3	(0)
2020–2021	Deportivo Ocotal	15	(4)
2021–2022	Juventus Managua	28	(9)
2022	Rayo Sanluqueño	4	(0)
2023–	UNAN Managua	13	(0)
International career‡
2014–2021	Nicaragua	33	(4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15 April 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21 February 2021

Born and raised in Spain to Spanish parents, Cadena has played in the Nicaraguan league and subsequently capped for the Nicaragua national team.

Club career

A much-travelled striker, Cadena has spent most of his playing career in Spain but he has also played club football in Nicaragua.

International career

Having arrived to Nicaragua in 2013 to play for Ferretti, Cadena became a naturalized citizen just a year later, in 2014. According La Prensa, he did not comply with the Nationality Law No. 149 at the moment of his naturalization.^[1] By debuting for Nicaragua that very 2014, he also failed with the FIFA eligibility rules.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Nicaragua's goal tally first.^[2]

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	27 December 2016	Nicaragua National Football Stadium, Managua, Nicaragua	Trinidad and Tobago	2–0	2–1	Friendly
2.	30 December 2016	Nicaragua National Football Stadium, Managua, Nicaragua	Trinidad and Tobago	1–0	1–3	Friendly
3.	20 January 2017	Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama	Belize	2–1	3–1	2017 Copa Centroamericana