Kiko (footballer, born 1972) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francisco Miguel Narváez Machón | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 April 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-forward | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pueblo Nuevo | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1990 | Cádiz | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Cádiz B | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Cádiz | 78 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2001 | Atlético Madrid | 225 | (48) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Extremadura | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 314 | (61) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Spain U19 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Spain U21 | 5 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Spain U23 | 12 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1998 | Spain | 26 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||
Francisco Miguel Narváez Machón (born 26 April 1972), known as Kiko, is a Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a centre-forward, which means he was a main attacker for his team. Kiko is best known for his time playing for Atlético Madrid.
He played in Spain's top football league, La Liga, for ten seasons. During his career, he played 271 games and scored 60 goals in La Liga. Kiko started his football journey with Cádiz CF. He was also part of the Spanish national team that won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Kiko also played for the main Spanish national team in major tournaments like the 1998 World Cup and Euro 1996.
Contents
Kiko's Football Journey
Kiko was born in Jerez de la Frontera, a city in Spain. He began his football career with his local team, Cádiz CF.
Starting at Cádiz
Kiko first played in La Liga on 14 April 1991. It was a home game against Athletic Bilbao, which Cádiz lost 2–3. Even though he played only a few more matches that season, he made a big impact. In one game, he came on as a substitute and helped his team win 2–1 against Real Zaragoza. He won a penalty and then scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute. This win helped Cádiz stay in the top league that year.
Success with Atlético Madrid
After playing two more seasons as a key player for Cádiz, Kiko moved to Atlético Madrid in 1993. He joined his teammate José María Quevedo there. At Atlético Madrid, Kiko became one of Spain's most important footballers in the 1990s.
Winning the Double
Kiko was a vital player when Atlético Madrid achieved a historic "double" in the 1995–96 season. This means they won both the Spanish league title and the Spanish Cup in the same year! Kiko scored 11 goals and provided many assists (passes that lead to goals) that season.
Later Career
In 2000, Atlético Madrid was relegated from La Liga to the Segunda División (the second division). Kiko decided to stay with the team for another season, even though they were no longer in the top league. He played 32 games but did not score any goals that year. He finished his playing career in 2002 with a short time at CF Extremadura, another team in the Segunda División.
Playing for Spain
Kiko played for the Spanish national team 26 times and scored four goals. When a player plays for their country, it's called being "capped."
Olympic Gold Medal
Before playing for the main national team, Kiko represented Spain at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. This was a huge moment for him and his team. In the final match against Poland, Kiko scored two goals, including the winning goal in the last minute! Spain won the game 3–2, earning a gold medal in football on their home soil.
Representing Spain's National Team
Kiko made his debut for the main Spanish national team on 16 December 1992. This was in a qualifying match for the 1994 FIFA World Cup against Latvia. He played the entire game.
He also played for Spain in the UEFA Euro 1996 tournament and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the 1998 World Cup, he scored a goal in a 6–1 win against Bulgaria. However, despite this big win, Spain was knocked out of the tournament in the group stage.
Kiko's Playing Style
Kiko was known for his excellent technical skills with the ball. He was especially good at playing with his back to the opponent's goal, holding the ball up for his teammates. Even though he was quite tall (almost 1.90 meters), he wasn't known for his heading ability. When Kiko scored a goal, he had a unique celebration: he would pretend to be an archer shooting an arrow!
Honours and Achievements
Kiko achieved several important titles during his career:
Atlético Madrid
- La Liga: 1995–96 (Spanish League Champions)
- Copa del Rey: 1995–96 (Spanish Cup Winners)
Spain U23
- Summer Olympic Games: 1992 (Gold Medal)
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship third place: 1994
See also
In Spanish: Kiko (futbolista) para niños
