Javier Baraja

Javier Baraja

Personal information
Full name	Javier Baraja Vegas
Date of birth	24 August 1980 (1980-08-24)
Place of birth	Valladolid, Spain
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Valladolid
Number	8
Youth career
	Valladolid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2002	Valladolid B
2001–2002	Valladolid	2	(0)
2002–2004	Getafe	27	(0)
2004–2005	Málaga B	35	(1)
2005–	Valladolid	161	(3)
National team
1997	Spain U16	7	(0)
1998	Spain U17	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

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

Javier Baraja Vegas (born 24 August 1980) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Valladolid in the Spanish second division, as a defender.

Club career

Born in Valladolid, Castile and León, and a product of hometown Real Valladolid's youth system as older brother Rubén, Baraja's first match in La Liga was on 26 August 2001 at Deportivo de La Coruña, in a 0–4 loss.

After stints in the second division, appearing scarcely with Getafe CF in two years (playing 13 times in his second year, as the Madrid side first achieved top level promotion) and playing one season with Málaga CF's reserves, he returned to Valladolid in 2005–06, playing 28 matches as the club returned to the top division in the following campaign.

Relatively used during the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons, Baraja scored his first goal for Valladolid on 13 September 2008, a penalty in a 2–1 home win against Atlético Madrid.

Honours

Spain U16

• UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship: 1997

Personal

Baraja's older brother, Rubén, was also a footballer. The midfielder played mainly for Valencia CF, and collected nearly 50 caps for Spain.

External links

• Real Valladolid profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Transfermarkt profile