Joaquín Sánchez

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Joaquín
Personal information
Full name	Joaquín Sánchez Rodríguez
Date of birth	July 21, 1981 (1981-07-21) (age 28)
Place of birth	El Puerto de Santa María, Spain
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Valencia
Number	17
Youth career
1994–1999	Betis
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1999–2006 2006–	Betis Valencia	216 (32) 092 (16)
National team2
2001 2002–	Spain U21 Spain	007 0(0) 051 0(4)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 April 2009. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 29 April 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

Joaquín Sánchez Rodríguez, (born 21 July 1981 in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF. He is a right winger well known for his flashy style of play, lightning quick pace, acceleration, excellent dribbling ability, and pinpoint crossing. His signature move is called "La Joaquininha."

[edit] Career

[edit] Real Betis

During the 1999-00 season, Joaquín played 26 games for Real Betis B, scoring two goals. He then played 38 games, scoring three goals, in the Real Betis first team in the Segunda División during the 2000-01 season. Betis were promoted the same season. He is affectionately known as 'big Wak' or 'skills to pay the bills.'

Joaquín made over 180 appearances in La Liga and scored 29 goals in his following five seasons with Real Betis. He also scored three goals in the Copa del Rey. He was a consistent assister of goals for Real Betis, assisting over 50 goals in five La Liga seasons. Joaquín played in two third round qualifying Champions League matches, as well as 6 group stages matches in 2005, including a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea and a 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Joaquín also made nine UEFA Cup appearances in his career, scoring one goal.

Joaquín won his first and only medal for Real Betis during the Copa del Rey final against CA Osasuna at the Vicente Calderón stadium, on 11 June 2005. Joaquín played the full 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of extra time as Betis won 2-1.

On 27 July 2006, following a discussion with Joaquín, Real Betis chairman José León stated that Joaquin had convinced him that he would stay at Real Betis for another year. "It has surprised me a lot,” he admitted. “I came to convince him and on the contrary, he has convinced me", stated José León.^[1] Then, during mid-August, Joaquín shocked Los Béticos by declaring in a press conference his intentions to leave Real Betis.

[edit] Valencia

Joaquín was meant to move to Valencia CF in early August 2006 for €15 million, along with a swap deal that included Regueiro. However, some difficulties in the payment appeared, along with Regueiro's insistence in staying at Valencia, which meant that the transfer was delayed. A bid of €25 million was later accepted. Joaquín was loaned to Albacete as punishment by Manuel Ruiz de Lopera due to Joaquín taking a certain percentage of the transfer fee. Manuel Ruiz de Lopera used a clause in Joaquín's contract whereby he could be loaned to any club if it was decided by Real Betis. Joaquín went to Albacete using his own transport and to prove that he went to the club he had himself photographed by operatives working nearby. The switch to Albacete was then canceled. Joaquín officially moved to Valencia in late August 2006 for €25 million, making him Valencia's most expensive signing. Having sorted out financial dealings with Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, signing a five year contract, with the choice of a further one year extension.

[edit] International Career

Joaquín made his debut for the Spanish national team on 13 February 2002 against Portugal in a 1-1 Friendly.

Brilliant form for Real Betis saw him get called up for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He was involved in a couple of debatable decisions during the quarter-final match against Korea Republic, including one incident where the linesman raised his flag for a goal kick as Joaquín was crossing a ball to Fernando Morientes who was denied an arguably legitimate golden goal. The argument was that the ball had crossed the line; however, replays showed that it did not. The game went to penalties where Joaquín was chosen to take Spain's fourth penalty which was blocked by Lee Woon-Jae.

He played again for Spain in two out of three (once as a starter) games through their premature exit at UEFA Euro 2004 and as the team's first choice right winger at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

During the early stages of Spain's campaign to qualify for Euro 2008, they lost 3-2 to Northern Ireland, after the match, Joaquín told Spanish radio, "Right now, the national team is a mess, chaos and Luis doesn't know how to handle it in these difficult moments. I know that what I'm saying is not going to help me get back into the national team, but it's what I feel." He later commented, "The only thing I wanted to say is that these are not clear times for the national squad after losing to Northern Ireland .... but it was not my intention to attack the team or Luis Aragonés".^[2] Since making the comments, Joaquín has failed to be called up again for the Spain team. Spain subsequently went on to record 35 consecutive matches without defeat, winning a record 15 consecutive times as well as lifting the Euro 2008 trophy.

[edit] Personal Life

Joaquín grew up in a big family with eight brothers and sisters in total. As the third child, he had two elder brothers. Three of the eight children in this family are or have been engaged in football. Besides Joaquín, the elder Lucas played in Cadiz while another brother, Ricardo, has joined Real Betis youth team too.

It was Joaquín's uncle, who was called "El Chino", firmly believed in Joaquín's talent and afforded the daily round trip between Cádiz CF and Sevilla FC when Joaquin was in the Real Betis youth system. He died in 2002. Ever since then, Joaquín has dedicated every achievements to him and always remembered him as his forever mentor.

After the historical winning of Copa del Rey in season 2004-05, Joaquín married his sweetheart Susana on 8 July, with the trophy present as a distinguished witness of their love and with the whole Betis team attended the wedding ceremony. The cathedral was decorated with green and white, the traditional colours of Real Betis, and so was the trophy. Joaquín even said he would like to pick up a green suit to celebrate the most important moment of his life. With the transfer to Valencia CF in the summer of 2006, Joaquín became a father. His daughter Daniela was born on 22 September, but almost half a season later, in the away match against Gimnàstic de Tarragona on 25 February 2007 that Joaquín finally got the opportunity to dedicate his first goal in Valencia to his little girl.

[edit] Honours

Team	Award	Year(s)
Betis	Spanish Cup	2004-05
Valencia	Spanish Cup	2007-08

[edit] Club statistics

Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Cup	Apps	Goals	Continental	Apps	Goals
1999-00	Betis B		26	2		0	0		0	0
2000-01	Betis		38	3		?	?		0	0
2001-02	Betis		34	4		?	?		0	0
2002-03	Betis		37	9		?	?		?	?
2003-04	Betis		36	7		?	?		0	0
2004-05	Betis		38	5		?	?		?	?
2005-06	Betis		35	3		?	?		0	0
2006-07	Valencia		35	5		3	0		8	0
2007-08	Valencia		34	3		8	4		7	0
2008-09	Valencia		31	4		3	1		4	1
2009-10	Valencia		0	0		0	0		2	1
Total			255	14	Total	?	?	Total	?	?

[edit] International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	4 February 2003	Estadio Antonio Amailivia, León, Spain	Armenia	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
2.	6 September 2003	Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal	Portugal	0–2	0–3	Friendly
3.	9 February 2005	Estadio Mediterraneo, Almería, Spain	San Marino	1–0	5–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.	26 March 2005	Estadio El Helmántico, Salamanca, Spain	China PR	3–0	3–0	Friendly

[edit] References

1. ^ León dice que Joaquín se entregará al Betis - Marca.com
2. ^ Joaquin unsettles Spain with 'chaos' theory

[edit] External links

• Joaquín Sánchez FIFA competition record
• BDFutbol profile

Spain Squad v • d • e Spain squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Casillas • 2 Curro Torres • 3 Juanfran • 4 Helguera • 5 Puyol • 6 Hierro (c) • 7 Raúl • 8 Baraja • 9 Morientes • 10 Tristán • 11 de Pedro • 12 A. Luque • 13 Ricardo • 14 Albelda • 15 Romero • 16 Mendieta • 17 Valerón • 18 Sergio • 19 Xavi • 20 Nadal • 21 Luis Enrique • 22 Joaquín • 23 Contreras • Coach: Camacho v • d • e Spain squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Cañizares • 2 Capdevila • 3 Marchena • 4 Albelda • 5 Puyol • 6 Helguera • 7 Raúl (c) • 8 Baraja • 9 F. Torres • 10 Morientes • 11 A. Luque • 12 Gabri • 13 Aranzubia • 14 Vicente • 15 R. Bravo • 16 Xabi Alonso • 17 Etxeberria • 18 César Martín • 19 Joaquín • 20 Xavi • 21 Valerón • 22 Juanito • 23 Casillas • Coach: Iñaki Sáez v • d • e Spain squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Casillas • 2 Salgado • 3 Pernía • 4 Marchena • 5 Puyol • 6 Albelda • 7 Raúl (c) • 8 Xavi • 9 F. Torres • 10 Reyes • 11 Luis García • 12 A. López • 13 Iniesta • 14 Xabi Alonso • 15 S. Ramos • 16 Senna • 17 Joaquín • 18 Fàbregas • 19 Cañizares • 20 Juanito • 21 Villa • 22 Pablo • 23 Reina • Coach: Aragonés