José Mari (footballer, born 1987)

José María Martín Bejarano-Serrano (born 6 December 1987), commonly known as José Mari, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for and captains La Liga club Cádiz.

For Spanish footballers with the same name, see José Mari.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Martín and the second or maternal family name is Bejarano-Serrano.
José Mari
Personal information
Full name José María Martín Bejarano-Serrano[1]
Date of birth (1987-12-06) 6 December 1987[1]
Place of birth Rota, Spain[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cádiz
Number 6
Youth career
Roteña
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Roteña 21 (3)
2007–2009 Sanluqueño 56 (0)
2009–2010 Murcia B 28 (0)
2010–2012 Jaén 67 (2)
2012–2014 Zaragoza 38 (0)
2014 Colorado Rapids 20 (4)
2015–2016 Levante 26 (0)
2016– Cádiz 158 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:57, 21 September 2023 (UTC)

He spent most of his career in the lower leagues of his country, competing in La Liga with Zaragoza, Levante and Cádiz, and also played a season with the Colorado Rapids in the United States.

Club career

Early years and Zaragoza

Born in Rota, Andalusia, José Mari played amateur football until the age of nearly 22, representing UD Roteña and Atlético Sanluqueño CF. In the summer of 2009 he joined Real Murcia Imperial of Segunda División B, being relegated in his only season.

Subsequently, José Mari stayed in that level, spending two years at Real Jaén.[2] In the 2012 summer he moved straight to La Liga, signing for two years with Real Zaragoza and initially being assigned to the reserves after the preseason was over;[3] however, he managed to convince first-team coach Manolo Jiménez and, in August, was definitely promoted.[4]

José Mari made his professional – and top flight – debut on 20 August 2012, playing the second half in a 1–0 home loss against Real Valladolid.[5] He finished the campaign with 27 appearances in all competitions, scoring once in the Copa del Rey,[6] but the Aragonese were eventually relegated.

On 6 February 2014, it was announced that José Mari and Zaragoza had agreed to mutually terminate his contract.[7] He netted his first league goal for the club in his last appearance, a 2–1 home victory over Córdoba CF on 8 December of the previous year.[8]

Colorado Rapids

On 11 February 2014, José Mari joined the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, for a preseason trial.[9] The team announced early in the following month that he had been signed to the active roster, and would be eligible to play pending receipt of his U.S. P-1 work visa and an international transfer certificate.[10] He made his debut for the club as the season opened on 15 March, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against the New York Red Bulls.[11] A week later, in his first match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, he was sent off for a second yellow card in the last minute of a 2–0 defeat of the Portland Timbers.[12]

José Mari scored his first goals for the Rapids on 5 April 2014, as they came from behind to beat the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–1 away.[13] He netted a further two times in his first and only MLS season, in which he was affected by injuries and his team did not qualify for the playoffs.[14]

Levante

José Mari returned to Spain on 17 January 2015, after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal with top-tier Levante UD.[15] He made his debut on 7 February, coming on as a substitute for David Barral for the last two minutes of a 4–1 home win over Real Sociedad after the latter had scored a hat-trick.[16]

José Mari left the Granotes in May 2016 as his contract was due to expire, and the side also suffered relegation.

Cádiz

On 16 August 2016, José Mari signed a two-year deal with Cádiz CF.[17] In October 2019, aged nearly 32, he agreed to an extension until 2020.[18]

José Mari appeared in his 100th competitive match on 6 March 2020, against CD Lugo.[19] He played a further 28 games during the season (one goal),[20] as the team returned to the top division after a 14-year absence.[21]

Career statistics
As of match played 4 June 2023[22][23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Roteña 2006–07 Primera Andaluza 213——213
Sanluqueño 2007–08 Tercera División 220——220
2008–09 Tercera División 344——344
Total 56400—564
Murcia B 2009–10 Segunda División B 280——280
Real Jaén 2010–11 Segunda División B 34010—350
2011–12 Segunda División B 3322020352
Total 6723020702
Zaragoza 2012–13 La Liga 24031—271
2013–14 Segunda División 14000—140
Total 38031—411
Colorado Rapids 2014 Major League Soccer 20410—234
Levante 2014–15 La Liga 14000—140
2015–16 La Liga 12020—140
Total 26020—280
Cádiz 2016–17 Segunda División 32010—330
2017–18 Segunda División 10010—110
2018–19 Segunda División 34110—351
2019–20 Segunda División 29100—291
2020–21 Segunda División 22110—231
2021–22 La Liga 11000—110
2022–23 La Liga 18010—190
Total 156350201633
Career total 412161412042817

References
  1. "José María Martín-Bejarano Serrano" (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  2. "José Mari: "Lo que soy como jugador se lo debo al Real Jaén"" [José Mari: "What i am as a player i owe it to Real Jaén"]. Ideal (in Spanish). 7 July 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  3. "José Mari (Real Jaén) ficha por el Real Zaragoza" [José Mari (Real Jaén) signs for Real Zaragoza]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 July 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  4. "José Mari, nuevo jugador del primer equipo" [José Mari, new first-team player] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  5. "Newboys Valladolid stun Zaragoza". ESPN FC. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  6. "Un gol de José Mari le da el pase al Zaragoza pese a perder" [José Mari goal sends Zaragoza through in spite of loss]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 29 November 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  7. "Acuerdo para la desvinculación de José Mari del Real Zaragoza" [Agreement for José Mari release from Real Zaragoza] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  8. "2–1: José Mari da el triunfo al Zaragoza en el minuto 90" [2–1: José Mari gives win to Zaragoza in the 90th minute]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 8 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  9. Lindholm, David (11 February 2014). "Spanish midfielder José Mari to join Rapids in Vegas". Colorado Rapids. Archived from the original on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  10. "Spanish midfielder José Mari makes Rapids move permanent". Colorado Rapids. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  11. "Recap: Red Bulls held to a 1–1 tie against Colorado in home opener". New York Red Bulls. 15 March 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  12. "Sanchez and Brown lift Rapids over Timbers at home". Colorado Rapids. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  13. "Rapids beat Whitecaps 2–1 on Jose Mari's 2 goals". CBS. 5 April 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  14. Boniface, Daniel (19 January 2015). "Colorado Rapids add Sam Cronin, say goodbye to Jose Mari". The Denver Post. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  15. "José Mari ficha por el Levante hasta 2016" [José Mari signs for Levante until 2016]. Marca (in Spanish). 17 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  16. Egea, Pablo (7 February 2015). "Barral devuelve la alegría al Levante" [Barral makes Levante smile again]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  17. "José Mari refuerza al Cádiz" [José Mari bolsters Cádiz] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  18. Mejías, Jesús (15 October 2019). "José Mari renueva hasta 2022" [José Mari renews until 2022] (in Spanish). Andalucía Información. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  19. Anillo, Beatriz (8 March 2020). "José Mari, un capitán centenario" [José Mari, a centenary captain]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  20. "El Cádiz recupera el liderato en Soria con un jugador menos" [Cádiz reclaim first place in Soria with one player less]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 June 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  21. Corrigan, Dermot (13 July 2020). "Cadiz, the club and city where the rules are different, finally return to La Liga". The Athletic. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  22. José Mari at Soccerway
  23. José Mari at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
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