Javi Navarro (footballer, born 1974) explained

Javi Navarro
Fullname:Francisco Javier Vicente Navarro[1]
Birth Date:6 February 1974
Birth Place:Valencia, Spain
Height:1.82 m
Position:Centre-back
Youthclubs1:Valencia
Years1:1993–2000
Caps1:53
Goals1:0
Years2:1994–2001
Caps2:41
Goals2:0
Years3:1994–1995
Clubs3:Logroñés (loan)
Caps3:15
Goals3:0
Years4:2000–2001
Clubs4:Elche (loan)
Caps4:34
Goals4:0
Years5:2001–2009
Caps5:168
Goals5:3
Totalcaps:311
Totalgoals:3
Nationalyears1:1990
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1990
Nationalcaps2:7
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1990–1991
Nationalcaps3:9
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:1993
Nationalcaps4:3
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:1996
Nationalcaps5:2
Nationalgoals5:0
Nationalyears6:1996
Nationalcaps6:3
Nationalgoals6:0
Nationalyears7:2006–2007
Nationalcaps7:4
Nationalgoals7:0
Manageryears1:2010–2012
Managerclubs1:Sevilla (assistant)

Francisco Javier "Javi" Vicente Navarro (born 6 February 1974) is a Spanish retired professional footballer.

During his career, the central defender[2] represented mainly Valencia and Sevilla, achieving great success with the latter club – five major titles, including two UEFA Cups. Over 15 seasons, greatly hindered by injuries, he amassed La Liga totals of 224 matches and three goals.

Navarro played four times for Spain, making his debut in 2006.

Club career

Valencia

Navarro was born in Valencia. A product of hometown club Valencia CF's youth system, he made his first-team debut during the 1993–94 season – four La Liga appearances – and, after a loan stint with CD Logroñés also in the top flight, returned for 1995–96, playing 19 matches as the side finished runners-up.

Navarro suffered a serious knee injury in late 1996, being out of action almost three years[3] [4] and then loaned to neighbours Elche CF for 2000–01 upon his recovery.[5]

Sevilla

After that single campaign in the Segunda División, in July 2001 Navarro signed for Sevilla FC, where he proceeded to form a formidable centre-back partnership with Pablo Alfaro the next five years.[6] [7] He scored his first goal in the top flight on 15 June 2003, but in a 3–2 away loss against Málaga CF.[8] On 20 March 2005, he brutally impacted with his elbow on RCD Mallorca's Juan Arango, leaving the Venezuelan unconscious on the pitch.[9] [10]

After being one of Sevilla's most important players throughout the team's conquests from 2005 to 2007 (two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and one Copa del Rey), Navarro spent two years on the sidelines with another severe knee injury.[11] [12] He eventually retired from the game at the end of the 2008–09 season, aged 35.[13]

Navarro returned to Sevilla in late June 2010, being named manager Antonio Álvarez's assistant.[14]

International career

At the age of 32 years and nine months, Navarro earned his first cap for Spain in a friendly 0–1 loss against Romania on 15 November 2006 in Cádiz, becoming the third-oldest debutant for the national team after Ferenc Puskás (34) and Vicente Engonga (32 and 11 months).[15] [16]

Previously, he appeared with the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals.[17] [18]

Honours

Sevilla

2006–07[19]

2005–06, 2006–07[19]

2006[19]

Spain U21

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Francisco JAVIer Vicente NAVARRO. El Mundo. es. 27 July 2022.
  2. Web site: Navarro offers no quarter. UEFA. Lucy. Turner. 8 May 2006. 26 April 2010.
  3. News: Javi Navarro: 'Antes mi trabajo era parecido y no iba a la selección'. Javi Navarro: 'I worked in a similar fashion before and I did not go to the national team'. El Mundo. es. 10 November 2006. 19 December 2022.
  4. News: El día más feliz de Javi Navarro. Javi Navarro's happiest day. Levante-EMV. D.. Laguía. es. 14 November 2006. 27 July 2022.
  5. News: Llegan J. Navarro, Serban y Arregui. J. Navarro, Serban and Arregui arrive. Mundo Deportivo. J.C.. Romero. es. 15 July 2000. 27 July 2022.
  6. Web site: La fuerza del orgullo y el coraje. The strength of pride and courage. Orgullo de Nervión. es. 23 May 2013. 25 April 2014.
  7. Web site: Javi Navarro y Pablo Alfaro, la pareja defensiva del Sevilla. Javi Navarro and Pablo Alfaro, Sevilla's defensive duo. La Liga. es. 25 March 2014. 25 April 2014.
  8. News: El Sevilla se despide de la Copa de la UEFA tras perder en Málaga. Sevilla say goodbye to UEFA Cup after losing in Málaga. Diario Córdoba. es. 16 June 2003. 29 July 2022.
  9. News: Un codazo de Javi Navarro mandó a Arango a la UCI. An elbow by Javi Navarro sent Arango to ICU. Diario AS. Jordi. Jiménez. es. 21 March 2005. 27 July 2022.
  10. Web site: Navarro assault on Arango. YouTube. 17 October 2006.
  11. Web site: Knee blow leaves Navarro low. UEFA. 26 July 2007. 26 April 2010.
  12. Web site: Javi Navarro on road to recovery. UEFA. 14 December 2007. 26 April 2010.
  13. News: Javi Navarro se retira del fútbol. Javi Navarro retires from football. El Mundo. es. 19 May 2009. 25 April 2014.
  14. News: Javi Navarro vuelve al Sevilla como ayudante de Antonio Álvarez. Javi Navarro returns to Sevilla as Antonio Álvarez's assistant. Marca. Alejandro. Rodríguez. es. 21 June 2010. 25 April 2014.
  15. News: Marica da otro varapalo a la España de Luis. Marica strikes another blow to Luis' Spain. Marca. José Carlos. Jurado. es. 15 November 2006. 25 April 2014.
  16. News: Navarro, el tercer debutante más "viejo". Navarro, third "oldest" debutant. ABC. Luis. Garde. es. 15 November 2006. 25 April 2014.
  17. News: Óscar, otra vez vital. Óscar, crucial again. Mundo Deportivo. Cristina. Cubero. es. 23 July 1996. 27 July 2022.
  18. News: Décimos Juegos Olímpicos del fútbol español. Tenth Olympic Games of Spanish football. Marca. es. 22 June 2011. 27 July 2022.
  19. News: ¿Qué fue de Javi Navarro?. What happened to Javi Navarro?. Diario AS. Alberto. Pérez Sierra. es. 14 March 2017. 27 July 2022.
  20. Web site: Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996. Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996. Orgullo Bianconero. es. 18 June 2013. 13 November 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131113165559/http://www.orgullobianconero.vavel.com/2013/06/18/italia-ya-gano-un-europeo-a-espana-en-el-1996/. 13 November 2013.