David Prieto Gálvez (born 2 January 1983) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
Formed at Sevilla, he also represented Xerez in La Liga, making 51 total top-flight appearances. He played 163 Segunda División matches for seven clubs, as well as 252 games in Segunda División B at both ends of his career.
Club career
Sevilla
Born in Seville, Andalusia, Prieto was a product of Sevilla FC's youth system, and made his first-team debut on 6 February 2005, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 away win against Levante UD.[2] Appearing in four La Liga games that season and adding another four the following, he would alternate between the first and the second teams in the next years.[3]
After the death of Antonio Puerta in the fall of 2007, Sevilla wanted to retire the player's number 16 shirt.[5] Due to the Spanish League's strict rules on squad registration a retirement was impossible, and Puerta's shirt number was handed to Prieto, something he took great pride in.[6]
On 18 August 2009, after having made 13 appearances in 2008–09, Prieto was once again loaned to recently promoted Xerez in a season-long move, without any buying option at the end.[7] He contributed relatively as the club was immediately relegated, and moved in August 2010 to CD Tenerife – also dropped from the top flight – in the same situation.[8][9]
Later career
In July 2011, Prieto left Sevilla, signing for one year at neighbours Córdoba CF in division two.[10] He was sent off twice during the season, including a sixth-minute red card on 14 January in a 2–1 loss at Real Murcia CF for fouling Cristian García in the penalty box.[11]
At the end of his contract in Córdoba, Prieto returned to Xerez on a two-year deal with the option of a third in July 2012.[12] The following 14 April, he received his marching orders late on in a 2–1 away defeat to Elche CF and kicked a dugout, breaking it;[13]the campaign ended with relegation again.
In February 2014, Prieto joined CD Lugo on a free transfer to replace the late departure of Miguel Ángel Tena to Cádiz CF.[14] Seven months later, he dropped back to the third tier for the first time since his Sevilla reserve days, at Murcia.[15]
After playing 12 games to help the Madrid outskirts side gain their first ever promotion to the second division, 36-year-old Prieto was given a new one-year contract in July.[21] Three months later, he suffered a fractured jaw in a collision with the elbow of Sporting de Gijón's Nacho Méndez, sidelining him for at least a month.[22]
