| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Francisco García García | ||
| Date of birth | 15 July 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Rafelbuñol, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Levante | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Levante | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994–1997 | Levante | 48 | (1) |
| 1997–1999 | Valencia | 41 | (0) |
| 1999–2004 | Celta | 126 | (6) |
| 2004–2006 | Beşiktaş | 13 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | → Ajax (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Zaragoza | 62 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | AEK Athens | 26 | (0) |
| 2010– | Levante | 51 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1998 | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2000–2003 | Spain | 11 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Juan Francisco García García, aka Juanfran (born 15 July 1976 in Rafelbuñol, Valencia), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Levante UD as a left defender.
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Juanfran started his professional career at Levante UD, where he attracted the attention of Valencian Community giants Valencia CF, signing after three seasons for €1 million. On August 31, 1997, he played his first La Liga match, in a 2–1 loss at RCD Mallorca, and went on make 50 overall appearances for the Che.
Juanfran joined Celta de Vigo prior to 1999–2000 for €4 millions, where he was an undisputed starter in a Galicia team that appeared in the UEFA Cup and the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League (Juanfran netted in a 1–1 tie at Club Brugge, as Celta proggressed to the knockout round). However, in 2003–04, Celta would also be relegated to Segunda División.
After leaving Celta in 2004, Juanfran joined Turkish giants Beşiktaş JK,[1] but soon fell out of favour with team management (the coach who brought him to Istanbul, compatriot Vicente del Bosque, was dismissed midway through the season) and would spend the following season on loan to Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam.[2]
In 2006–07, Juanfran returned to Spain, joining Real Zaragoza for €1.5 million,[3] where he was a key defensive element as the Aragonese team achieved a UEFA Cup spot. The following season, Juanfran struggled individually and collectively, and Zaragoza returned to the second level after a five-year stint.
On 30 July 2008, Juanfran agreed to sign a two-year deal with AEK Athens FC, earning approximately €1 million per season.[4] He was used regularly during his spell in Greece but, in late January 2010, was loaned to his first professional club, Levante, until the end of the second division season; a mere weeks later, he bought out his contract with AEK, and signed permanently until June 2012, contributing massively to the club's top flight return after a two-year absence (19 matches in five months).
34-year old Juanfran was the most used player in his position in the 2010–11 season (23 games), as Levante eventually retained its division status.
Juanfran had 11 caps for Spain, making his international debut in a friendly against Italy, on March 29, 2000, after impressive displays at Celta. Subsequently, he was included in the nation's 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, and appeared in three matches out of five.
Juanfran's last match was an UEFA Euro 2004 qualifier against Northern Ireland in 2003, playing the whole 90 minutes of a 0–0 away draw.
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