Miki Roqué

Miguel "Miki" Roqué Farrero (8 July 1988 – 24 June 2012) was a Spanish professional footballer. Mainly a central defender, he could also appear as a defensive midfielder.

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

Miki Roqué
Roqué training with Betis in 2010
Personal information
Full name Miguel Roqué Farrero
Date of birth (1988-07-08)8 July 1988[1]
Place of birth Tremp, Spain[1]
Date of death 24 June 2012(2012-06-24) (aged 23)
Place of death Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Algar
2004–2005 Lleida
2005–2007 Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2009 Liverpool 0 (0)
2007 → Oldham Athletic (loan) 4 (0)
2007–2008 → Xerez (loan) 1 (0)
2008–2009 → Cartagena (loan) 30 (3)
2009–2010 Betis B 31 (1)
2010–2012 Betis 12 (2)
Total 78 (6)
International career
2006–2007 Spain U19 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He signed with Liverpool before his 18th birthday, going on to be loaned to several teams in England and Spain for the duration of his contract. In 2009 he joined Betis, playing in Segunda División with the club.

Roqué died in June 2012 at the age of 23, due to cancer.[2]

Club career

Early years and Liverpool

Roqué was born in Tremp, Lleida, Catalonia. At only 17 he was signed from local side UE Lleida by Liverpool, managed by countryman Rafael Benítez.[3] He came on as a substitute in both legs of the 2006 FA Youth Cup Final against Manchester City, heading the last goal of a 3–0 win at Anfield in the first leg;[4] he made his first-team debut in the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League against Galatasaray SK on 5 December 2006 – also coming from the bench, replacing another Spaniard, Xabi Alonso – in the 3–2 away loss.[5]

On 21 March 2007, Roqué went on an emergency loan to Football League One club Oldham Athletic.[6][7] Ten days later, he played his first match in a domestic league, filling in for goalscorer Gary McDonald for the final minute of a 1–0 win over Yeovil Town at Boundary Park.[8] He made three further appearances over the season, ending with his first start on 21 April, a 2–1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra.[9]

Roqué returned to Spain on 3 August 2007, signing for Xerez CD of Segunda División again on a temporary basis.[10] He made his debut for them on 5 September, as they defeated Racing de Ferrol 3–1 at home in the second round of the Copa del Rey; despite also playing in the triumph at Albacete Balompié in the next round, and both legs of the defeat to Recreativo de Huelva in the round of 32, he only featured once in the league – a 3–1 away loss to CD Tenerife on 18 November.[11]

In the following campaign, Roqué was much more used by FC Cartagena,[12] helping the Murcian club to promote from Segunda División B.[13]

Betis

On 16 June 2009, Liverpool released Roqué after a four-year stay, and he returned to Spain with Real Betis' reserves the following month.[14] He was sent off three times in his first season.[15][16][17]

Roqué started appearing with the main squad in 2010–11, making his debut on 9 October after replacing Rovérsio late into the first half of a 2–2 draw at UD Las Palmas.[18] He totalled 12 games (ten starts) and two goals,[19][20] as the Andalusians returned to La Liga after a two-year absence.[21]

Health and death

A person never dies completely when they are remembered by those who knew them. And every 26th minute at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, we feel that Miki is together with us

— Betis president Miguel Guillén in 2013.[22]

On 5 March 2011, after undergoing a routine check-up due to back problems, Roqué was diagnosed with pelvic cancer,[23] undergoing surgery to excise a malignant tumor the following day. Betis' supporters raised funds for his treatment,[24] while Carles Puyol, of the same province, financed €30,000 for specialist private treatment.[25]

On 24 June 2012, after just over a year of illness, Roqué lost his battle against cancer and died, two weeks before his 24th birthday.[26][2] His death prompted a series of tributes on Twitter, including from several international players competing in UEFA Euro 2012,[27] and on 1 July, after the final of the continental competition, Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina (his former Liverpool teammate) wore a Betis shirt featuring Roqué's name during the players' victory lap of the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv;[28] also, Cesc Fàbregas wore a shirt with the names of Roqué, Dani Jarque, Manuel Preciado and Antonio Puerta.[29]

Roqué became known as "The Eternal 26" to Betis fans, in reference to his kit number during his spell at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, and they chanted his name in the 26th minute of each half of a match.[30] In 2013, a monolith dedicated to him was unveiled in his hometown, with a plaque endowed with the crests of the clubs that he represented.[22]

During his illness, Roqué worked with writer Juan Manuel López: to have a book on himself published was one of his two wishes, the other being to return to football. La Luz de Miki Roqué (The Light of Miki Roqué) was released in March 2015, featuring contributions from his family and Betis staff.[31]

Honours

Betis

See also

References
  1. "Miki Roque". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on 7 November 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  2. "Fallece Miki Roqué" [Miki Roqué dies]. Marca (in Spanish). 24 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  3. "Youngsters seal Liverpool switch". BBC Sport. 16 August 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  4. Fifield, Dominic (14 April 2006). "Threlfall sets Liverpool on way to youth glory". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  5. McNulty, Phil (5 December 2006). "Galatasaray 3–2 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  6. "Oldham capture Liverpool teenager". BBC Sport. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  7. Vose, Stu (March 2007). "Sheridan hails treble capture". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  8. "Oldham 1–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  9. Morse, Peter (20 March 2015). "MEMORY LANE: Nicky Maynard inspires Crewe Alex triumph over Oldham Athletic". Crewe Chronicle. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  10. "El central del Liverpool, Miki Roque, nuevo jugador del Xerez" [Liverpool stopper, Miki Roqué, new Xerez player] (in Spanish). Más Jerez. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  11. "Ricardo abandera la reacción de un Tenerife que deja herido al Xerez" [Ricardo spearheads a Tenerife reaction that leaves Xerez wounded]. El Diario (in Spanish). 18 November 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  12. "Spanish defender goes on loan". Liverpool F.C. 11 August 2008. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  13. Fernández, Maite (4 March 2017). "Homenaje a Roqué en el quinto aniversario de su muerte" [Roqué is honoured in fifth anniversary of his death]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  14. "El Betis "B" ficha al español Miki Roqué (21 años) del Liverpool CF [sic]" [Betis B sign Spaniard Miki Roqué (21 years) from Liverpool FC] (in Spanish). Join Futbol. 22 July 2009. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  15. Liaño, Jorge (23 September 2009). "El filial se impone al Ceuta" [The reserves impose themselves on Ceuta] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  16. "Los filiales de Sevilla y Betis caen derrotados" [The reserves of Sevilla and Betis are defeated] (in Spanish). Sevilla Actualidad. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  17. Ramírez, Álvaro (24 January 2010). "Valioso punto del Betis B en Écija" [Valuable point from Betis B in Écija] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  18. "Las Palmas 2 Betis 2". Diario AS (in Spanish). 9 October 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  19. "Miki Roqué y Dorado se convierten en delanteros y firman la remontada del Betis" [Miki Roqué and Dorado turn forwards and sign Betis comeback]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 16 October 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  20. "El Betis se reafirma como líder sólido" [Betis stake a claim as undisputed leaders]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 15 January 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  21. González, Mateo (1 November 2020). "El último partido de Miki Roqué" [Miki Roqué's last match]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  22. Cejudo, José María (7 May 2013). "Miki Roqué homenajeado en su pueblo" [Miki Roqué honoured in his hometown] (in Spanish). Beticismo. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  23. Torrecillas, Mercedes (5 March 2011). "Le detectan un tumor maligno a Miki Roqué" [Miki Roqué diagnosed with malignant tumor]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  24. "2.800 euros para Miki Roqué" [2,800 euros for Miki Roqué]. Marca (in Spanish). 29 September 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  25. "Carles Puyol costeó el tratamiento de Miki Roqué" [Carles Puyol paid for Miki Roqué's treatment]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 25 June 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  26. Buxton, Richard (24 June 2012). "Former Liverpool FC defender Miki Roque dies at the age of 23". Click Liverpool. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  27. "Soccer-Betis defender Roque dies of cancer". Reuters. 24 June 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  28. "Spain dedicate success to loved ones and lost ones". ESPN. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  29. "Ramos se acordó de Puerta; Cesc, de Jarque, Preciado y Miki Roqué" [Ramos remembered Puerta; Cesc, Jarque, Preciado and Miki Roqué] (in Spanish). Sport You. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  30. "Tres años del adiós de Miki Roqué, el eterno 26" [Three years since the goodbye to Miki Roqué, the eternal 26]. ABC (in Spanish). 24 June 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  31. "El Betis, en la presentación del libro 'La Luz de Miki Roqué': "Fue un ejemplo de vida"" [Betis, in presentation of the book 'La Luz de Miki Roqué': "He was an example in life"]. ABC (in Spanish). 12 March 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
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