Albert Riera (footballer, born 1983)
Albert Riera Vidal | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 28, 1983 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Occupation(s) | Football player, football coach |
| Years active | 2000s–2025 (player and coach) |
| Known for | Defensive midfielder for Auckland City and Wellington Phoenix; football manager |
Albert Riera Vidal (born 28 December 1983) is a retired Spanish professional football player and coach. The majority of his playing tenure took place in New Zealand, where he predominantly operated as a defensive midfielder for Auckland City in the New Zealand Football Championship and Wellington Phoenix competing in the A-League.
Playing career
Originating from Barcelona, Catalonia, Riera launched his football journey with regional clubs located in Aragon such as CD Binéfar and Atlético Monzón, before transferring to teams based in Catalonia, including CF Balaguer, FC Benavent, and CFJ Mollerussa.
Auckland City
Riera made his first appearance for Auckland City on 21 February 2011, coming off the bench during the 2010–11 OFC Champions League match against AS Magenta. He played a role in Auckland City's triumph in the Champions League, featuring as a substitute in two fixtures and starting in another two. Throughout the 2010–11 New Zealand Football Championship, he participated in five matches alongside four appearances in the OFC Champions League.
In the 2011–12 campaign, Riera took part in 24 fixtures for Auckland City, including 14 league games domestically where the club secured the premiership title, as well as the ASB Charity Cup clash against Waitakere United. He was present in every one of the eight OFC Champions League matches that season, earning the Golden Ball award as the competition’s standout player. Auckland City also competed at the FIFA Club World Cup but were eliminated at the opening stage by Kashiwa Reysol.
During the 2012–13 season, Riera featured in 26 games, comprising 16 domestic league contests where Auckland City finished as runners-up, plus participation in the ASB Charity Cup versus Waitakere United. He netted his inaugural domestic league goal against Canterbury United. Additionally, he played all eight OFC Champions League matches, contributing to Auckland City’s fifth title and their third consecutive victory. The club returned to the FIFA Club World Cup but exited after a first-round defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Wellington Phoenix
On 7 October 2013, following a pre-season friendly with Auckland City, Riera signed with Wellington Phoenix of the A-League. He made his debut as a substitute in the opening fixture of the 2013–14 season against Brisbane Roar, entering play at the 55th minute. Midway through that season, he secured a one-year contract extension. Riera was honored as Wellington Phoenix’s player of the year for that campaign.
He declared his retirement from Wellington Phoenix on 21 May 2016.
Return to Auckland City
Riera reversed his retirement decision by rejoining Auckland City ahead of the 2016–17 New Zealand Football Championship season.
Coaching career
After concluding his time at Auckland City at the close of the 2020–21 season, Riera accepted an assistant managerial role at West Coast Rangers, a newly formed team competing in the Northern League, partnering with former teammate Ángel Berlanga. On 4 May 2021, following an unsatisfactory start to the 2021 Northern League season, head coach Chris Acott resigned and Riera was promoted to manager. Despite his leadership, West Coast Rangers faced relegation to NRFL Division 1.
On 1 December 2021, Riera was appointed manager of Auckland City for participation in the 2022 Northern League. He remained at the helm until resigning on 21 January 2025.
Subsequently, on 1 June 2025, Riera was announced as head coach of Vanuatu's club Galaxy.
Personal life
Riera was granted New Zealand citizenship in October 2018.
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nationality | Start | End | Performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % | ||||
| West Coast Rangers | New Zealand | May 2021 | November 2021 | |||||
| Auckland City | New Zealand | November 2021 | 21 January 2025 | |||||
| Overall | ||||||||
Player
Auckland City
- Premiers of the New Zealand Football Championship: 2011–12
- ASB Charity Cup winner: 2011
- Champion of the OFC Champions League during the 2010–11 OFC Champions League, 2011–12 OFC Champions League, and 2012–13 OFC Champions League seasons
- Selected for the 2014 A-League All Stars Game
Individual
- Awarded the OFC Golden Ball for the 2011–12 season
Manager
Auckland City
- Winner of the OFC Champions League in 2022, 2023, and 2024
- Champion of the New Zealand National League in 2022 and 2024
- Secured the Chatham Cup title in 2022
- Victorious in the Northern League during 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons