Jesús Seba

Jesús Seba Hernández (born 11 April 1974) is a Spanish former footballer who played mostly as a forward.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Seba and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.

Jesús Seba
Seba in 2009
Personal information
Full name Jesús Seba Hernández
Date of birth (1974-04-11) 11 April 1974[1]
Place of birth Zaragoza, Spain
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1989–1990 Miralbueno
1990–1991 Oliver
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1994 Zaragoza B 15 (4)
1992–1995 Zaragoza 18 (2)
1994–1995 → Villarreal (loan) 21 (1)
1995–1996 Wigan Athletic 21 (3)
1997–1998 Zaragoza B 47 (6)
1997 Zaragoza 1 (0)
1998–1999 Chaves 31 (10)
1999–2002 Belenenses 66 (10)
2002–2003 Orihuela 26 (2)
2003–2005 Palencia 58 (3)
2005–2009 Andorra CF 94 (22)
2009–2010 Oliver
International career
1992–1993 Spain U21 3 (1)
2002–2006 Aragon (non-affiliated) 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mostly associated to Real Zaragoza, he was also known as one of the 'Three Amigos', the collective name given to the first three Spanish footballers to play in the English Football League as he had signed with Wigan Athletic. He also played professionally in Portugal, with Chaves and Belenenses.

Club career

Zaragoza

Seba was born in Zaragoza, Aragon. He made his professional – and La Liga – debut at the age of 18 for local Real Zaragoza, in a 1–1 draw against Real Sociedad. He would garner praise for his early performances, ultimately leading to a call-up for the Spain under-21 team – notably scoring twice against Boldklubben Frem in the 1992–93 UEFA Cup (eventual 6–1 aggregate win).[2]

However, in March 1993, Seba suffered a serious ankle tear when attempting a turn in a Copa del Rey match. The injury would stunt his development and later prove a turning point in his career, as he would figure sparingly in top-flight football in the following seasons.[3]

After a loan in Segunda División with Villarreal CF,[3] Seba was released by Zaragoza and moved on a free transfer to England's Wigan Athletic, for the start of the 1995–96 campaign.[4]

Wigan Athletic

Seba came to Wigan as one of the 'Three Amigos', alongside Roberto Martínez – also his teammate at Zaragoza – and Isidro Díaz, drafted in by new chairman Dave Whelan in the summer of 1995;[5] the signings were a real coup for an English Third Division side, especially considering Football League teams rarely searched for talent abroad in the mid-90s and that Seba was also an under-21 international.[6] 'Jesus is a Wiganer' was an early joke at the club, and Spanish flags adorned Springfield Park on matchdays as Spanish fever gripped the town's football supporters.[7][8]

Seba scored his first goal with his first touch in a pre-season friendly, and played his first competitive game in the season opener against Gillingham. His first official goal arrived in his first match at home (also league), a 2–1 defeat of Scunthorpe United.[1]

Following a series of good results, aided by a string of impressive performances from Seba, Wigan were made early favourites for the championship. Mid-season, however, he found himself on the fringes of the first team, and with their league position only 'satisfactory', Graham Barrow was sacked following a 6–2 loss at Mansfield Town; caretaker manager Frank Lord reinstated the player to the first team, and oversaw a 4–0 win over Exeter City in which the latter scored twice.[9][10][11]

Seba was immediately dropped by new manager John Deehan, however, and would later see his appearances limited to mainly substitute roles as he struggled to find form in the latter half of the campaign. He made just two appearances, both from the bench, and played his final game for Wigan on 7 September 1996, 30 minutes against Scunthorpe.[7]

Seba then had trials at Burnley and Bristol Rovers, before being allowed to leave the club by Deehan in October 1996, having started 11 times. He found it most difficult to settle of the three Spaniards, and his struggle to grasp the English language was another contributory factor in his departure.[12]

Spain return and Portugal

Seba returned to his country and Zaragoza in the 1997 January transfer window, but spent almost two years appearing for the reserve team,[3] only playing for the main squad during the 1–3 home loss to SD Compostela in the final day of the season.[13] He then had a four-year spell in Portugal, playing for G.D. Chaves and C.F. Os Belenenses,[3][14][15][16] where a heart condition whilst with the latter put his career on hold.[2]

Seba eventually recovered, but spent his later years in Segunda División B (Orihuela CF, CF Palencia) or lower; during his four-year stint at amateur Andorra CF, he served as captain and was a highly popular figure.[17][18]

After considering retirement at the end of 2008–09, Seba decided to return to CD Oliver. Upon joining, he expressed his desire to finish his career at the club at which he began more than 20 years earlier.[19]

International career

As well as playing three matches for the Spanish under-21s, Seba appeared twice for the Aragon autonomous side, against Castile and León in 2002 and Chile on 28 December 2006. The latter, a 1–0 victory, was their first fixture against a FIFA-accredited international team.[20]

Personal life

Seba was married with two daughters, and his former teammates Martínez and Xavi Aguado ranked amongst his closest friends.[19]

References
  1. Hayes, Dean, ed. (2004). The Who's Who of Wigan Athletic. Breedon Books. p. 122. ISBN 0-356-17911-7.
  2. Hernández García, Alfonso (20 November 2005). "Un jugador de otra galaxia" [A player from another galaxy]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  3. Miguélez, José (12 October 1998). "Seba, el gitano, ha regresado" [Seba, the gypsy, has returned]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  4. Hunter, Andy (4 June 2009). "Wigan close in on deal to make Roberto Martínez their new manager". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. "Wigan finally land boss Martinez". BBC Sport. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  6. Slot, Owen (6 August 1995). "Los Tres Amigos de Wigan". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  7. "The Three Amigos". Ultimate Wigan Athletic. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  8. "Josip Skoko: Long road to the top". The Independent. 30 December 2006. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  9. Yotac, Bernard (10 August 2011). "Them and us – John Deehan (Latics and Norwich City)". The Pie at Night. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  10. "A history of football in Wigan". Wigan Athletic. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  11. "Wigan Athletic 1995–96 schedule". Wigan Athletic Fanbase. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  12. Losilla Eixarch, J. F. (2 August 2010). "La leyenda de los 'Three amigos'" [The legend of the 'Three amigos']. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  13. Naudín, Pablo (23 June 1997). "El Zaragoza despidió a su vieja guardia" [Zaragoza bade farewell to their old guard]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  14. Vaza, Marco (3 August 2010). "Internacionais e desconhecidos, é este o retrato dos jogadores espanhóis na Liga portuguesa" [Internationals and unknown, meet the Spanish players in the Portuguese League]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  15. Paralta Gomes, Lídia (10 July 2018). "Roberto Martínez, o discípulo de Confúcio: a história do espanhol forjado em Inglaterra que pode levar a Bélgica ao título mundial" [Roberto Martínez, Confucius' disciple: the story of the Spaniard forged in England who may lead Belgium to the world title]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  16. "A Armada Espanhola do Chaves" [Chaves' Spanish Armada] (in Portuguese). Comunidade Azul-Grená. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  17. Martín, Ignacio (24 December 2012). "Jesús Seba: "Nunca pude retirar a mi padre, se jubiló siendo albañil"" [Jesús Seba: "I was never able to retire my father, he did so as a bricklayer"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  18. López, Jesús (19 March 2019). "La agonía del Andorra" [The agony of Andorra]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  19. Lahoz, R. (29 July 2009). "Jesús Seba: veinte años no es nada" [Jesús Seba: twenty years is nothing] (in Spanish). CD Oliver. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  20. "Aragón no rubrica la fiesta hasta el final (1–0)" [Aragon do not make party official until the end (1–0)]. Sport (in Spanish). 28 December 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
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