Francisco Villarroya facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francisco Javier Pérez Villarroya | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 1966 | ||
| Place of birth | Zaragoza, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Zaragoza | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984–1988 | Deportivo Aragón | 75 | (1) |
| 1984–1990 | Zaragoza | 100 | (6) |
| 1990–1994 | Real Madrid | 83 | (1) |
| 1994–1996 | Deportivo La Coruña | 42 | (0) |
| 1996–1998 | Sporting Gijón | 51 | (2) |
| 1998–1999 | Badajoz | 19 | (1) |
| Total | 370 | (11) | |
| International career | |||
| 1989–1992 | Spain | 14 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Francisco Javier Pérez Villarroya, born on August 6, 1966, is a former Spanish football player. He mostly played as a left midfielder. This means he played on the left side of the field, helping both attack and defense. He had a long career playing for several top Spanish clubs. He also represented his country, Spain, in international matches.
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Playing for Clubs in Spain
Francisco Villarroya was born in Zaragoza, Spain. He started his professional football career with his hometown team, Real Zaragoza. His first game in La Liga, Spain's top football league, was in the 1984–85 season. For his first three years, he mainly played for the reserve team, Deportivo Aragón.
Time at Real Zaragoza
Villarroya became a key player for Real Zaragoza. He helped his team finish in the top ten of La Liga for two years in a row. In the 1988–89 season, they finished fifth. This success meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup, a big European competition. During this time, he hardly missed any games.
Moving to Real Madrid
In the summer of 1990, Villarroya joined one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. He played for them for four years. Sometimes, he played as a left-back, which is a defensive position on the left side. He was the first-choice player in this position before the famous Brazilian player Roberto Carlos joined the team.
Later Career and Retirement
After his time at Real Madrid, Villarroya moved to Deportivo de La Coruña. There, he helped his new team win another Copa del Rey trophy. He then played for Sporting de Gijón in the top league. His team was relegated to a lower league after his second season there. Villarroya finished his career at age 32. He played one year with CD Badajoz in the Segunda División, which is Spain's second division. Overall, he played 276 matches in the top league and scored nine goals over 14 seasons.
Playing for Spain
Francisco Villarroya also played for the Spanish national team. He earned 14 caps, which means he played in 14 international matches. His international career lasted for two and a half years.
World Cup Experience
He was part of the Spanish squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup held in Italy. He played in all of Spain's games during the tournament. Spain reached the round-of-16 before being knocked out. His first game for Spain was on September 20, 1989. It was a 1–0 friendly win against Poland in A Coruña. He played the entire 90 minutes in that match.
Family Connections
Francisco Villarroya's nephew, Ángel Lafita, also became a professional footballer. Ángel Lafita was also a midfielder, just like his uncle. He spent most of his career playing for Real Zaragoza and Deportivo de La Coruña, the same clubs his uncle played for.
Trophies and Achievements
Francisco Villarroya won several important trophies during his career.
With Real Madrid
- Copa del Rey: 1992–93 (a major Spanish cup competition)
- Supercopa de España: 1990 (a Spanish super cup)
With Deportivo de La Coruña
- Copa del Rey: 1994–95
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Javier Pérez Villarroya para niños
