Javi Moreno

Javi Moreno
Personal information
Full nameJavier Moreno Valera
Date of birth10 September 1974
Place of birthSilla, Spain
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionStriker
Youth career
Silla
1990–1994Barcelona
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1994–1996Barcelona C19(9)
1996Barcelona B10(5)
1996–1997Córdoba15(0)
1997Yeclano16(6)
1998–2001Alavés82(30)
1998–1999Numancia (loan)39(18)
2001–2002Milan16(2)
2002–2004Atlético Madrid29(5)
2004Bolton Wanderers (loan)8(0)
2004–2005Zaragoza18(4)
2005–2008Córdoba94(48)
2008–2009Ibiza14(2)
2009Lucena8(1)
Total368(130)
National team
1992–1993Spain U1816(10)
2001Spain5(1)
* 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 Moreno and the second or maternal family name is Valera.

Javier 'Javi' Moreno Valera (born 10 September 1974) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.

Best known for his Alavés stint,[1] he also had short spells in Italy and England, with little impact, amassing La Liga totals of 118 games and 38 goals.

Club career

Early years / Alavés

Born in Silla, Valencian Community, Moreno made his professional debuts with FC Barcelona's B-team. After stints with lowly Córdoba CF and Yeclano Club de Fútbol he first joined Deportivo Alavés in January 1998, with the Basque side operating in Segunda División.

After being instrumental in CD Numancia first ever La Liga promotion in 1999, Moreno returned to Alavés, shooting to prominence during his second spell after playing a pivotal role in their run to the 2001 UEFA Cup final. Along the way, defeated were the likes of Gaziantepspor, Lillestrøm SK, Rosenborg, Inter Milan, fellow league club Rayo Vallecano and 1. FC Kaiserslautern, before an eventual 4–5 extra time loss to Liverpool in the decisive match, with the player scoring two goals in three minutes[2] (he also finished the league season with 22 strikes, good enough for third).

Abroad

Moreno's performances and goals during the 2000–01 campaign convinced Serie A's A.C. Milan to buy him, amid attention from Europe's other elite clubs.[3] However, he struggled immensely in his sole season in Italy, returning to his country to join Atlético Madrid who had just returned to the top flight.[4]

With goals hard to come by, a January 2004 loan move to Bolton Wanderers ensued[5] but, after eight goalless appearances for The Trotters, including one in the season's Football League Cup final against Middlesbrough, Moreno found himself on the move again, this time to Real Zaragoza, where he appeared sparingly.

Return to Spain

Moreno refound his goalscoring form for old acquaintance Córdoba in July 2005, helping the club to promotion to the second division in 2007 while finishing the Segunda División B top scorer with 24 goals in 32 appearances. After three years he was released by the club, subsequently joining lowly SE Eivissa-Ibiza in the third level; as he did not play the amount of minutes he was expecting upon signing, he announced his retirement in December 2008.[6]

Roughly one year after, Moreno returned to active aged 35, joining another club in division three, Lucena CF, and retiring for good at the season's end.

International career

Moreno played five games for Spain in 2001, scoring once. His debut came on 28 February against England, in a friendly match played in Birmingham (0–3 loss).[7]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 2 June 2001 Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo, Spain  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 4–1 2002 World Cup qualification

Honours

Zaragoza

References

  1. Un delantero al gusto inglés (Forward made in England); El País, 27 February 2001 (Spanish)
  2. 16 May; UEFA.com
  3. Webster, Rupert. "Moreno reigning in Spain". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  4. "Presentación con ilusión" [Hungry presentation] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 16 July 2002. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  5. Moreno bound for Bolton; UEFA.com, 5 January 2004
  6. Javi Moreno anuncia su retirada (Javi Moreno announces retirement); Diario AS, 4 December 2008 (Spanish)
  7. Inglaterra golea (3–0) a España (England routs (3–0) Spain); El País, 1 March 2001 (Spanish)

External links