Javier Navarro

Javi Navarro

Personal information
Full name	Francisco Javier Vicente Navarro
Date of birth	6 February 1974 (1974-02-06)
Place of birth	Valencia, Spain
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
	Valencia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1992–1993	Valencia B	18	(0)
1993–2000	Valencia	41	(0)
1994–1995	→ Logroñés (loan)	15	(0)
2000–2001	Elche	33	(0)
2001–2009	Sevilla	168	(3)
Total		275	(3)
National team
1990	Spain U16	5	(0)
1990	Spain U17	7	(0)
1990–1991	Spain U18	9	(0)
1993	Spain U20	3	(0)
1996	Spain U21	2	(0)
1996	Spain U23	3	(0)
2006–2007	Spain	4	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

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

Francisco Javier "Javi" Vicente Navarro (born 6 February 1974 in Valencia) is a retired Spanish footballer.

During his professional career, the tough central defender represented, as major sides, Valencia CF and Sevilla FC, achieving great team success with the latter - five major titles, including two UEFA Cups.

Club career

A product of hometown Valencia CF's youth system, Navarro made his first team debuts during the 1993–94 season (four La Liga matches) and, after a loan stint with CD Logroñés, also in the top flight, returned in 1995–96, playing in 19 contests as Valencia finished runner-up. He would then suffer a serious knee injury the following year, being out of action for almost three years, and being loaned to neighbours Elche CF in 2000–01 upon his recovery.

After that single season in the second division, Navarro signed in July 2001 with Sevilla FC, where he proceeded to form a dreaded centre-back partnership with Pablo Alfaro for the next five years. On 20 March 2005, he brutally impacted with his elbow on RCD Mallorca's Juan Arango, leaving the Venezuelan unconscious on the pitch.

After being one of Sevilla's most important players throughout the team's conquests in 2005–07 (two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and one Spanish Cup), Navarro was sidelined for two years with another severe knee injury, eventually retiring from the game at the end of 2008–09, aged 35.

In late June 2010, Navarro returned to Sevilla, being named manager Antonio Álvarez's assistant.

International career

Navarro made his international debut for the Spanish team in a friendly 0–1 loss against Romania on 15 November 2006 in Cádiz, aged 32, becoming the second-oldest debutant for Spain after former Real Madrid star Ferenc Puskás (34).

Previously, he appeared with the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals.

Honours

Club

Valencia

• Spanish Cup: 1998–99
• Spanish Supercup: 1999
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998

Sevilla

• UEFA Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
• UEFA Super Cup: 2006
• Spanish Cup: 2006–07
• Spanish Supercup: 2007

National team

Spain U-21

• UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship: Runner-up 1996

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Javier Navarro – FIFA competition record