Joaquín retires from football with numbers that reflect his greatness and the lasting impact he had on Spanish football across decades. A native of El Puerto de Santa María, he joined Betis in 1997, still at a young age. Even then he stood out in that youth category, winning the Copa del Rey and prompting experts to predict a rapid ascent to the first team, a prediction that materialized on September 3, 2000, when the Beticos were competing in the Second Division.
He made his debut under Fernando Vázquez as a basic player. Since then he has accumulated 930 official appearances for Betis, Valencia, Malaga, and Fiorentina, while also earning caps with the Spanish national team and the under-21 squad.
The Beti 17 has yet to become the all-time leader for appearances in the Spanish top flight, though he could achieve that milestone before hanging up his boots. With nine league games left, his 615 appearances put him just seven behind Andoni Zubizarreta’s record.
Over more than 900 professional matches, the winger has scored 114 goals and supplied 143 assists. Joaquín retires wearing verdiblanco, the color of his heart, though his career has seen him represent several clubs with distinction.
Transfer to Valencia
Valencia spent 25 million euros to sign him, making him the club’s most expensive acquisition to that date. In his first season at Mestalla he appeared in 35 matches and found the back of the net five times. The following season proved his most productive in numbers, with seven goals and eight assists, in addition to a Copa del Rey triumph.
Overall, his tenure in Valencia spanned five seasons and 218 appearances, during which he scored 30 goals and delivered 38 assists.
Next stop: Málaga
He moved to Málaga for four million euros. Wearing blue and white, he featured in two seasons, clocking seventy appearances, with ten goals and ten assists. A standout moment from this period was his involvement in the second season that helped Málaga reach the near-semi-finals of the Champions League. It remains one of the brightest chapters in the club’s history.
The leap to Italian football
On 12 June 2013, following Málaga’s restructuring, his move to Fiorentina was announced for two million euros. He stayed in Florence for two years, helping the team reach the Europa League semi-finals and playing in 71 official matches. Seven goals and 12 assists underscored his contribution to the Italian club.
Return to Betis. A dream realized
On August 31, 2015, his return to Betis was confirmed. A crowd of 20,000 Betis supporters welcomed the prodigal son upon his reappearance. In this second stint, beyond his symbolic status for the fans, his on-field performance was notably satisfying.
The 2017-18 season stands out, yet he continued to contribute even when his minutes were reduced under coach Manuel Pellegrini. He featured from the bench in Betis’s Copa del Rey triumph in 2022, a second title with Verdiblanco after the 2005 victory with Valencia, echoing a personal record of success across clubs.
Combining his time with Betis and his two stints elsewhere, he has appeared 521 times for the club, scoring 65 goals and delivering 83 decisive passes.
International with Spain
Joaquín Sánchez earned 51 caps for the Spanish national team. He made his debut on February 13, 2002, and quickly established himself as a regular, contributing to Spain’s runs at major tournaments, including the World Cup in Korea and Japan where he was a key figure for Camacho. His credentials also include Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
By 2008 he was still a regular for Luis Aragonés, but later generations and changes in style limited his role in what many consider a golden era for Spanish football. This shift occasionally sparked public commentary, yet his impact as a charismatic presence on and off the pitch remained undeniable.
With Joaquín nearing the end of his playing days, observers wonder where the future will take one of football’s most iconic personalities. Until then, the El Puerto player still has records to chase and moments left to savor.