| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francisco Javier González Pérez | ||
| Date of birth | July 14, 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Santa Uxía, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Carreira CF | |||
| 1987–1988 | Fabril | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–2005 | Deportivo La Coruña | 549 | (57) |
| National team | |||
| 1993–2000 | Spain | 16 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Francisco Javier González Pérez (born 14 July 1969 in Carreira, Santa Uxía de Ribeira, Galicia), aka Fran, is a retired Spanish professional footballer.
He spent his entire career with Deportivo de La Coruña, as a left midfielder with skill and field vision, helping it win the first La Liga title in the club's history.
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Fran, one of the most notable players in Deportivo de La Coruña's history, arrived at the club's first team in 1988, and made his La Liga debut on August 31, 1991, in a 2–1 loss at Valencia CF. Quickly established, he only missed eight league matches in his first five seasons combined, also netting on 24 occasions, while already being club captain.
In 1995–96, Real Madrid almost signed him, but Fran regretted leaving Deportivo and returned quickly. In 1999–2000, as Depor conquered its first top level league, injuries limited him to only 22 games, adding a goal in a 2–0 home success against Valencia, on March 12, 2000.
Fran retired from football at the end of the 2004–05 season, after 17 years at Deportivo, 14 in the first division, at the same time as Brazilian Mauro Silva, with both playing their last match on May 22, 2005, a 0–3 home loss against RCD Mallorca. He amassed more than 600 overall appearances for the Galician club.
In 2008, Fran returned to Deportivo, joining its indoor football team, alongside club greats Donato, Djalminha, Noureddine Naybet and Jacques Songo'o.[1]
Fran made his full Spanish national team debut on 27 January 1993, in a friendly 1–1 draw against Mexico, in Las Palmas.
In total he earned 16 caps, participating at UEFA Euro 2000, where he played his last international, in a 4–3 group stage win over Yugoslavia.
Fran's older brother, José Ramón (born May 20, 1968), was also a footballer (and a midfielder). Another Depor youth graduate, he amassed 75 first division matches with seven goals with the club (1991–95, 1998–99), also representing neighbours SD Compostela in the top level (84 games and six goals).[2]
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