José Barkero Explained

José Barkero
Fullname:José Javier Barkero Saludes
Birth Date:27 April 1979
Birth Place:Aretxabaleta, Spain
Height:1.80NaN0
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1985–1991
Youthclubs1:Aretxabaleta
Youthyears2:1991–1996
Youthclubs2:Real Sociedad
Years1:1996–1999
Caps1:96
Goals1:28
Years2:1998–2006
Caps2:62
Goals2:6
Years3:2000
Clubs3:Toulouse (loan)
Caps3:3
Goals3:0
Years4:2001–2002
Clubs4:Eibar (loan)
Caps4:41
Goals4:6
Years5:2004
Clubs5:Poli Ejido (loan)
Caps5:20
Goals5:0
Years6:2006–2008
Caps6:66
Goals6:13
Years7:2008–2011
Caps7:114
Goals7:33
Years8:2011–2013
Caps8:60
Goals8:12
Years9:2013–2014
Caps9:29
Goals9:3
Totalcaps:491
Totalgoals:101
Nationalyears1:1997–1998
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:1999
Nationalcaps2:7
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:1999–2000
Nationalcaps3:2
Nationalgoals3:0
Manageryears1:2016
Managerclubs1:Aretxabaleta

José Javier Barkero Saludes (born 27 April 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer. A left-footed attacking midfielder, he possessed a powerful long-range shot.

He amassed La Liga totals of 159 games and 30 goals over one decade, representing in the competition Real Sociedad, Numancia and Levante. He added 233 matches and 43 goals in the Segunda División in eight seasons, with five clubs including the second.

Club career

Born in Aretxabaleta, Gipuzkoa, Barkero came from the youth system of Real Sociedad, playing one game with the first team in 1998–99. Over eight seasons he appeared sporadically for the Basque club (17 La Liga matches maximum, in 2005–06), and served loans at SD Eibar, Polideportivo Ejido and France's Toulouse FC.

For the 2006–07 campaign, Barkero joined Albacete Balompié in the Segunda División, where he remained two seasons as an undisputed starter. He scored 11 goals in his second year.[1]

After CD Numancia achieved promotion to the top flight, Barkero moved to the team from Soria in July 2008. On 14 September he netted from a wonderful long-range strike in a 4–3 away defeat against Real Madrid,[2] and added four more goals in the first 12 games. He finished his first season as the side's top scorer at 12, but they were eventually relegated as second-bottom.[3]

Barkero scored 15 times for Numancia in the 2010–11 campaign, leading his team in that department in an eventual mid-table finish.[4] Aged 32, he returned to the top division for 2011–12, agreeing to a two-year contract at Levante UD.[5]

Barkero netted five league goals in his second season with the Valencians (seven overall). However, late into the campaign, he also accused teammates Sergio Ballesteros, Juanlu and Gustavo Munúa of lack of commitment during a 4–0 home loss to Deportivo de La Coruña, which led to several match fixing allegations.[6] [7]

In February 2015, after one year with Real Zaragoza in the second tier, 35-year-old Barkero decided to retire from football after not being able to find a new club.[8]

International career

Barkero scored twice to help Spain win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, including once in the 4–0 final rout of Japan.[9] [10]

Honours

Spain U20

1999[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Yordi, del Xerez, máximo goleador con 20 tantos. Yordi, of Xerez, top scorer with 20 goals. Diario Sur. Spanish. 15 June 2008. 14 October 2019.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20121025001857/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=252769&cc=5739 Real Madrid 4–3 Numancia
  3. News: Barkero, la zurda del Numancia. Barkero, Numancia's lefty. El País. Rodrigo. Carretero. Spanish. 17 April 2011. 28 June 2018.
  4. News: Breve enciclopedia numantina. Brief numantina encyclopedia. Desde Soria. Spanish. 29 May 2013. 14 October 2019.
  5. http://www.marca.com/2011/05/19/futbol/equipos/levante/1305836709.html El Levante ficha por dos temporadas a Barkero (Levante sign Barkero for two seasons)
  6. http://www.libertaddigital.com/deportes/liga/2013-05-01/incendio-en-el-vestuario-del-levante-por-las-acusaciones-de-amano-entre-jugadores-1276488996/ Incendio en el vestuario del Levante por las acusaciones de amaño entre jugadores (Fire in Levante locker room for match-fixing accusations between players)
  7. http://www.football-espana.net/30623/levante-thrown-doubt Levante thrown into doubt
  8. http://m.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2015/02/15/deportes/futbol/me-retiro-con-la-espina-de-no-haber-triunfado-en-la-real “Me retiro con la espina de no haber triunfado en la Real” ("I retire with not having made it with Real as a thorn in my side")
  9. News: España sigue soñando. Spain dream on. El País. Óscar. Sanz. Spanish. 19 April 1999. 30 July 2022.
  10. News: Así fue la final que cambió la historia del fútbol español hace dos décadas. That is how the final that changed history of Spanish football two decades ago went down. ABC. Madrid. Spanish. 24 April 2019. 30 July 2022.
  11. News: Qué fue de los campeones del mundo sub20. What happened to the under-20 world champions. Marca. Miguel Ángel. García. Spanish. 17 April 2009. 3 May 2017.