Joaquin he retires from football with numbers that show his greatness and his impact on Spanish football over the decades. that of The port of Santa Maria, He arrived at Betis in 1997, still at a young age. Already in that category he was champion of the Copa del Rey and everyone who saw him predicted that he would soon reach the first team, something that happened on September 3, 2000, when the Beticos played in the Second Division.
He made his debut on behalf of Fernando Vázquez as a basic player, since then he has played 930 official matches with the shirts of the Betis, Valencia, Malaga and Fiorentina, in addition to being international with the Spanish team and the sub-21.
The Betic 17 has yet to become the footballer with the most games played in all of First Division history, something he can achieve before hanging up his boots. There are still nine league games to go and with his 615 appearances he is seven away from Andoni Zubizarreta’s goal.
In his more than 900 games as a professional, the winger scored 114 goals and provided 143 assists. Joaquín retires dressed in verdiblanco, the colors of his heart, but he has worn different shirts throughout his career.
His transfer to Valencia
With the 25 million paid for his transfer, he became the most expensive signing in Valencia’s history. In his first season as a chees he played 35 games and scored five goals. His second season at Mestalla was the best in numbers: 7 goals and 8 assists to which a Copa del Rey should be added.
In total, his time in Valencia resulted in 218 games played in five seasons, in which he scored 30 goals and recorded 38 assists.
Next station: La Rosaleda
He arrived in Malaga for four million euros. As a blue and white he played two seasons in which he put on the shirt seventy times, scored ten goals and gave ten assists.
Particularly notable at this stage was his participation, in the second year, in the Euro Málaga left at the gates of the semi-finals of the Champions League. Without a doubt one of the brightest pages in the history of the Malacitano club.
The jump to Italian football
12 June 2013after Málaga dismantled its ambitious project, his move to Fiorentina is announced for two million euros. He stayed there for two years in which he reached the semi-finals of the Europa League and played 71 official matches. 7 goals and 12 assists led to his signature with the jacket of the Italian club.
His return to Betis. A dream comes true
On August 31, 2015, his return to Betis was announced. During his presentation, 20,000 Betics gathered to welcome the prodigal son. In this second leg, apart from the symbol he is for the fans, his performance was particularly satisfying.
It is necessary to highlight the 2017-18 season in this sense. But he always added, even in this season when he counted less for Pellegrini.
He participated from the bench in winning the Copa del Rey in 2022, the second he achieved as a Verdiblanco after the one in 2005 and matching his record winning as a Valencian player.
Adding up Betic and his two legs, he has played 521 games in which he scored 65 times and made the decisive pass 83 times.
International with Spain
Joaquín Sánchez was 51 times international with the Spanish team. His debut took place on February 13, 2002. Since then, he has become a regular, coming to play at the World Championship in Korea and Japan, where he was a key figure for Camacho. His resume also includes Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
In 2008 he last counted for Luis Aragonés and from then on the national elastic was no longer wrapped. Something he complained about at the time and has done it on occasion. The truth is that the team’s new podium and change in style robbed him of being a key player in the golden era of our football.
With Joaquín retiring, we will have to see where the future of one of football’s most charismatic players on and off the pitch goes. But until it’s time to finally hang up his boots, the El Puerto player has some records to break.
Source: Goal