Francisco Copado

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Copado and the second or maternal family name is Álvarez.

Francisco Copado

Personal information
Full name	Francisco Copado Álvarez
Date of birth	19 July 1974 (1974-07-19)
Place of birth	Kiel, West Germany
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Striker / Midfielder
Youth career
1980–1989	Eintracht Kiel
1989–1991	Holstein Kiel
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1991–1995	Hamburger SV	13	(0)
1996–1997	RCD Mallorca	48	(6)
1997–2000	Tennis Borussia Berlin	79	(18)
2000–2005	SpVgg Unterhaching	117	(60)
2005–2006	Eintracht Frankfurt	25	(6)
2006–2008	TSG 1899 Hoffenheim	66	(25)
2009	SpVgg Unterhaching	6	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Francisco Copado Álvarez (born 19 July 1974 in Kiel) is a retired Spanish-German footballer who played mainly as a striker.

Football career

The son of Spanish immigrants, Copado began his football career in Kiel, initially at Eintracht Kiel and later with Holstein Kiel, where he came through the youth ranks. For the 1992–93 season, he received a professional contract from Hamburger SV, whose scouts had been keeping a close eye on the young offensive player.

From 1993–95, Copado played in three Fußball-Bundesliga matches, the first on 20 November 1993, playing 20 minutes in a 0–3 loss at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. In 1995–96, he amassed a further ten, under Felix Magath, before leaving the club in the winter transfer window.

Copado would move to Spain, joining Segunda División team RCD Mallorca in January 1996. In his first full season he contributed two goals in 30 games (his first in a 1–0 win at Real Madrid Castilla), as Mallorca won promotion to La Liga.

However, Copado would never play in Spain's top level, as he left in July 1997, joining lower league Tennis Borussia Berlin. There, he played under Hermann Gerland, the manager mostly associated with the player's explosion. Copado ended the season with 12 goals as TeBe was unbeaten and became Regionalliga Nord champions. In the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga, he would only amass six goals from 1998–2000.

In 2000–01, SpVgg Unterhaching (then in the first division) bought Copado, at the express petition of club manager Lorenz-Günther Köstner. However, after a few games, the player failed to produce on the pitch (including training), while also gaining a reputation for excessive partying. Therefore, Copado was suspended for ten months due to disciplinary reasons. During this time, he was forced to train on his own, and only when Köstner was fired in 13 September 2001 (with the club previously having been relegated) did the situation clear. Rainer Adrion took over the ruins and Copado was forgiven, but Unterhaching dropped another level.

Under Wolfgang Frank, who made him club captain, Copado scored an incredible 58 league goals in three seasons (being instrumental in the side's return to the second level in 2003), operating as both forward and midfielder.

Following stellar performances, Copado, at 31, returned to the Bundesliga for the third time in his career, joining Eintracht Frankfurt on a three-year contract. He eventually broke into the first team after early difficulties, managing six goals during the season. In December 2005 he was even awarded the Player of the Month award. However, Copado only managed one goal in his 14 last appearances, losing the confidence of manager Friedhelm Funkel and subsequently being sold in the following transfer window (although he still appeared in the first match of 2006–07).

Copado joined TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in 30 August 2006, being a crucial offensive element in the club's rise from the third (Regionalliga Süd) to the first level in just two seasons (14 goals in his first season, 10 in the second). He appeared sparingly during the season's first half, managing to score a penalty in Hoffenheim's 3–0 home win over Arminia Bielefeld, on 29 November 2008. On 16 December, he was released from contract, returning to former side Unterhaching and retiring on 31 March 2009, having played his last game the previous day.

Personal

• Copado is the brother-in-law of Hasan Salihamidžić, to whom his sister is married.
• During his playing days at Mallorca, he was often referred to as Paco.
• Copado is married to Eva Schrobenhauser, daughter of former side Unterhaching's owner Anton Schrobenhauser.

External links

• Francisco Copado at fussballdaten.de (German)
• BDFutbol profile