Xisco (footballer born 1986)

Not to be confused with Xisco Nadal.

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

Xisco

Personal information
Full name	Francisco Jiménez Tejada
Date of birth	26 June 1986 (1986-06-26)
Place of birth	Palma, Spain
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Deportivo La Coruña (loan from Newcastle United)
Number	9
Youth career
	Atlético Baleares
2003–2004	Deportivo La Coruña
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2006	Deportivo B	53	(39)
2004–2008	Deportivo La Coruña	44	(12)
2006–2007	→ Vecindario (loan)	27	(13)
2008–	Newcastle United	9	(1)
2009–2010	→ Racing Santander (loan)	23	(3)
2011	→ Deportivo La Coruña (loan)	9	(2)
2011–	→ Deportivo La Coruña (loan)	3	(1)
National team
2007–2009	Spain U21	11	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 September 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Francisco Jiménez Tejada (born 26 June 1986 in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands), commonly known as Xisco, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Deportivo de La Coruña on loan from Newcastle United, as a striker.

Club career

Deportivo La Coruña

A product of Deportivo de La Coruña youth ranks, Xisco made his La Liga debut on 26 April 2005, against Real Sociedad. His first (and second) goal arrived also that season, in a 2–2 draw with Real Zaragoza, on 15 May.

In 2007–08, after a season-long loan at second division's UD Vecindario, Xisco emerged as a top-flight striker, scoring five goals in two consecutive matches: a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win against Real Murcia on 30 March 2008, adding two away to Racing de Santander (same result) the following week.

Newcastle United

On 1 September 2008, Xisco signed for Newcastle United for a reported initial fee of £5.7 million, although the fee could eventually rise to £7 million subject to conditions. He made his debut for the club in the 2–1 home defeat by Hull City on 13 September, scoring in the game. However, he featured rarely during the season, being only seventh-choice, behind Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka, Peter Løvenkrands, Shola Ameobi and Andy Carroll.

After Newcastle were relegated, Xisco was signed on loan by Racing Santander on 31 August 2009, in a season-long move. Two weeks later he made his debut for the Cantabrians during a 1–1 draw at Atlético Madrid, having replaced Alexandre Geijo for the final twenty minutes. However he was replaced by Toni Moral before the final whistle, injured.

Xisco scored his first goal for Racing on 3 January 2010, the second in a 2–0 win over CD Tenerife. On 27 January, in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, he contributed to the club's 3–0 triumph at CA Osasuna (5–1 on aggregate).

Returning to Newcastle in July 2010, Xisco came off the bench on 22 August, in an impressive 6–0 home win against Aston Villa, setting up Carroll for his hat-trick in the 90th minute. After receiving a red card for an off-the-ball incident in a reserves game, he was suspended for three games, and failed to appear for the team in the following months finding himself behind Ameobi, Carroll, Lovenkrands and Nile Ranger.

On 30 January 2011, Xisco returned to former club Deportivo, on loan until the end of the season, being intermittenly used and also suffering team relegation. On 11 August, he returned to the club in the same predicament.

International career

Xisco made his Spanish under-21 debut in a friendly against England on 6 February 2007, in which he had a shot hit the foot of the post. He scored his first goal in the category by netting against Georgia, during the 2009 Under-21 Euro qualifiers, adding to his tally by netting against Russia with a subtle finish, also during the qualifiers.

In October 2008, Xisco added another, in a 4–3 extra time win against Switzerland, helping Spain qualify for the finals, where he did not score.

External links

• Deportivo official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Xisco career stats at Soccerbase
• Transfermarkt profile
• Deportivo archives
• Bio at BlogMallorquinista (Spanish)