José García Calvo

José García Calvo
Personal information
Full name José Antonio García Calvo
Date of birth 1 April 1975 (1975-04-01) (age 36)
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Centre back
Youth career
Viajes Nogal-Berlín
1993–1994 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1997 Real Madrid B 38 (0)
1996–1997 Real Madrid 16 (0)
1997–2001 Valladolid 128 (4)
2001–2006 Atlético Madrid 106 (4)
2006–2009 Valladolid 67 (4)
Total 355 (12)
National team
1996–1998 Spain U21 9 (0)
2002 Spain 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

José Antonio García Calvo (born 1 April 1975 in Madrid) is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central defender.

During his professional career, he represented both Madrid sides, Real and Atlético (but was mainly associated with Valladolid), appearing in 355 La Liga games over the course of 15 seasons (12 goals).

Contents

Club career

A product of Real Madrid's youth system, García Calvo appeared in six matches for the first team appearances as it won the league championship in 1996–97, eventually totalling only 16 during his spell.[1] His first match with the first team came on March 2, 1996, in a 5–0 success against UD Salamanca (Fernando Sanz, another centre-back from the youth ranks, also played his first top flight match that day). Subsequently, he signed with Real Valladolid where he was a first team regular for four years, scoring his first professional goal in his first season.

Calvo then added five years in another side from the capital, Atlético de Madrid, being instrumental in the colchoneros' 2001–02 promotion from the second division, with 35 matches played (and 11 bookings).

Unable to settle at Atlético in his final two years, García Calvo returned to Valladolid in 2006, helping the side return to the top flight after a three-year absence. He was an undisputed starter throughout the subsequent campaign, scoring in a 2–2 home draw against Deportivo de La Coruña, on 2 September 2007, as the Castile-La Mancha outfit finally finished retained its status.

Following recurrent foot problems that ailed him throughout 2008–09, Calvo announced his retirement from the game, at 34.[2] Immediately afterwards, he was appointed his last club's director of football.

International career

García Calvo earned three caps for the Spain national football team, the first coming on August 21, 2002 against Hungary (1–1), during a Ferenc Puskás testimonial match.

Previously, he was picked for the under-21 side that won the 1998 European Championship.

Honours

Real Madrid
Spain U21

References

  1. ^ Spanish Cumpleanos: Javier Irureta; Goal.com, 1 April 2010
  2. ^ García Calvo cuelga las botas (García Calvo hangs boots); Valladolid's official website, 13 July 2009 (Spanish)

External links