Javi Fuego

Javier "Javi" Fuego Martínez (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈβjeɾ ˈxaβi ˈfweɣo maɾˈtineθ]; born 4 January 1984) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fuego and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Javi Fuego
Fuego as a Valencia player in 2015
Personal information
Full name Javier Fuego Martínez[1]
Date of birth (1984-01-04) 4 January 1984[1]
Place of birth Pola de Siero, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Romanón
1993–2002 Sporting Gijón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2003 Sporting Gijón B
2002–2007 Sporting Gijón 114 (4)
2007–2008 Levante 24 (1)
2008–2010 Recreativo 67 (6)
2010–2013 Rayo Vallecano 104 (1)
2013–2016 Valencia 88 (5)
2016–2018 Espanyol 48 (1)
2018–2019 Villarreal 16 (0)
2019–2021 Sporting Gijón 72 (0)
Total 533 (18)
International career
2002–2003 Spain U19 4 (0)
2003 Spain U20 1 (0)
2006 Spain U21 1 (0)
2005 Spain U23 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played 277 La Liga matches over ten seasons, scoring a total of nine goals for Levante, Recreativo, Rayo Vallecano, Valencia, Espanyol and Villarreal. He added 256 appearances in Segunda División, mainly in representation of Sporting de Gijón.

Club career

Early years and Recreativo

Fuego was born in Pola de Siero, Asturias.[2] He started playing professional football for Sporting de Gijón,[3] representing the local side in six Segunda División seasons and being first choice from 2004 to 2007.[4]

In the 2007–08 campaign, Fuego signed with La Liga strugglers Levante UD,[5] but was one of many players to leave the squad upon relegation[6] and serious financial problems.[7] In August 2008, he signed a three-year deal worth €140.000 with Andalusia's Recreativo de Huelva,[8] appearing regularly as a starter but being relegated from the top flight in his first year.[9]

Rayo Vallecano

For 2010–11, Fuego joined Rayo Vallecano, quickly establishing himself as first choice for the Madrid club and helping it to a second-place finish and subsequent top-division promotion.[10]

He rarely missed a match in his subsequent two-year spell in that tier, helping his team consecutively retain their status.[11][12][13]

Valencia

In January 2013, months before the season was over, it was announced that Fuego would not renew his expiring contract with Rayo, agreeing to a three-year deal with fellow league club Valencia CF as of 1 July.[14] He made his official debut on 17 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win against Málaga CF.[15]

Fuego scored the first brace of his professional career on 23 March 2014, netting both of his team's goals in a 2–1 victory over Villarreal CF also at the Mestalla Stadium.[16] On 1 April 2015, he renewed his link until 30 June 2017 with the option of a further season.[17]

Fuego played seven games in the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League in a group-stage exit,[18] the first being a 3–1 home defeat of AS Monaco FC in the play-off round where he came on as a second-half substitute for Paco Alcácer.[19]

Espanyol

On 13 August 2016, Fuego signed a three-year contract with RCD Espanyol.[20] He started in 29 of his 31 league appearances in his first season, scoring once[21] in an eventual eighth-place finish.

Villarreal

On 30 January 2018, aged 34, Fuego joined Villarreal on a two-and-a-half-year deal.[22] He featured rarely during his spell in the Valencian Community, due to injuries and a bacterial infection.[23][24]

Return to Sporting

Fuego returned to first club Sporting on 26 June 2019, after agreeing to a two-year contract.[25] He announced his retirement on 23 July 2021.[26]

Honours

Spain U23

References
  1. Javi Fuego at AS.com (in Spanish)
  2. Guaita, Fran (11 September 2015). "Sufrir en Mareo para disfrutar de El Molinón" [Suffer at Mareo to enjoy El Molinón] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. "Lediakhov no viajó a Leganés porque ha sido padre" [Lediakhov did not travel to Leganés because he became a father]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 May 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  4. Rosety, Manuel (2 August 2007). "El capitán experto" [The expert captain]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  5. Rosety, Manuel (4 August 2007). "Matabuena toma el relevo de Javi Fuego" [Matabuena takes over for Javi Fuego]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  6. "Se consuma el descenso del Levante" [Levante relegation confirmed]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 27 April 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  7. Rosety, Manuel (22 November 2015). "La salida de Javi Fuego" [Javi Fuego's departure]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  8. "El Recreativo ficha a Javi Fuego" [Recreativo sign Javi Fuego]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 August 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  9. "El Recreativo consumó el descenso" [Recreativo confirmed relegation]. ABC (in Spanish). 23 May 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  10. "El Rayo celebra su ascenso a Primera con una goleada" [Rayo celebrate promotion to Primera with rout]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 22 May 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  11. "Javi Fuego llega a los 100 partidos en Primera" [Javi Fuego makes it 100 games in Primera]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 November 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  12. Suárez, Isaac (22 November 2012). "Una ganga llamada Javi Fuego" [A steal called Javi Fuego]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  13. De Oro, Juan Carlos (30 May 2013). "Adiós a Don Javi Fuego" [Goodbye to Mr. Javi Fuego] (in Spanish). Rayo Herald. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  14. Izquierdo, César (10 January 2013). "Javi Fuego ficha por el Valencia CF" [Javi Fuego signs for Valencia CF]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  15. "Valencia edge victory". ESPN FC. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  16. "Valencia rediscover winning touch". ESPN FC. 23 March 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  17. Fuster, Pau (1 April 2015). "Javi Fuego firma su renovación" [Javi Fuego puts pen to paper on renewal]. Levante-EMV (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  18. Rodríguez, José Ramón (13 October 2020). "Javi Fuego: "La ilusión permanece intacta como el primer día"" [Javi Fuego: "I have exactly the same hunger now as day one"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  19. Pérez, Javier (19 August 2015). "El Valencia se asoma a la Champions tras derrotar al Mónaco" [Valencia near Champions after beating Monaco]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  20. "Javi Fuego es el séptimo" [Javi Fuego is the seventh one] (in Spanish). RCD Espanyol. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  21. Egea, Pablo (31 March 2017). "El alma de Reyes acaba con el Betis" [Reyes' heart finishes Betis]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  22. Martínez, Alberto; Mata, Javier (30 January 2018). "Oficial: Javi Fuego ya es futbolista del Villarreal" [Official: Javi Fuego is already a Villarreal player]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  23. "Javi Fuego está de vuelta siete meses después" [Javi Fuego returns seven months later] (in Spanish). Castellón Información. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  24. Mata, Javier (28 May 2019). "Javi Fuego valora su salida con el Sporting en el horizonte" [Javi Fuego weighs in on his departure with Sporting on the horizon]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  25. Barrio, Javier (26 June 2019). "El Sporting cierra el fichaje de Javi Fuego" [Sporting complete signing of Javi Fuego]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  26. Fernández, Borja (23 July 2021). "Javi Fuego cuelga las botas" [Javi Fuego hangs up boots]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  27. Garin, Erik. "Mediterranean Games 2005 (Spain)". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
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