Xisco Nadal
Full nameFrancisco Sebastián Nadal Martorell
Birth date27 June 1986 (age 40)[1]
Birth placePalma, Spain
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
PositionForward, winger
Youthyears 12001–2003
Youthclubs 1Villarreal
Years 12003–2008
Years 22003–2007
Years 32004
Years 42005
Years 52006–2007
Years 62008
Years 72008–2011
Years 82011–2014
Years 92014–2015
Years 102015–2016
Years 112016–2018
Clubs 1Villarreal B
Clubs 2Villarreal
Clubs 3Numancia (loan)
Clubs 4Murcia (loan)
Clubs 5Hércules (loan)
Clubs 6Granada 74
Clubs 7Levante
Clubs 8Alqueries
Clubs 9Vinaròs
Clubs 10Segorbe
Clubs 11Roda
Caps 220
Caps 315
Caps 40
Caps 516
Caps 616
Caps 790
Caps 913
Caps 1115
Totalcaps185
Goals 23
Goals 31
Goals 40
Goals 50
Goals 61
Goals 76
Goals 92
Goals 112
Totalgoals15
Nationalyears 12002–2003
Nationalyears 22004
Nationalteam 1Spain U17
Nationalteam 2Spain U19
Nationalcaps 113
Nationalcaps 21
Nationalgoals 14
Nationalgoals 20

Francisco Sebastián Nadal Martorell (born 27 June 1986), commonly known as Xisco Nadal, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as a forward.

Club career

Born in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Nadal moved to Villarreal as a baby when his father Sebastián, also a footballer, joined Villarreal CF.[2] He himself made his official debut for the same club against CA Osasuna on 2 February 2003. On 15 June, in the last minute of a 2–2 away draw with RCD Espanyol, he became the youngest player ever to score in a La Liga match, aged 16 years, 11 months and 18 days;[3] he also appeared in four UEFA Cup and one Champions League games for the side.[4]

However, Nadal was not used very often at Villarreal, and served Segunda División loans at CD Numancia[5] and Real Murcia CF in the second halves of 2003–04 and 2004–05, respectively.[6] He spent the entire 2006–07 season at Hércules CF of the same league,[7] and only made a total of 31 league appearances between the three teams.

Nadal lost all ties to Villarreal in January 2008, and signed with newly created side Granada 74 CF in the second tier.[8] He moved again upon their relegation, joining Levante UD on a two-year contract.[9]

Although rarely a starter in 2009–10, Nadal contributed three goals in 32 matches as the Valencians returned to the top flight after a two-year absence.[10] In the following campaign, in which he was used almost exclusively as a winger, he went scoreless in 25 games in an eventual escape from relegation; on 15 May 2011, he was sent off for a late challenge on Roberto Soldado in a 0–0 away draw against Valencia CF which certified the team's permanence.[11]

On 11 September 2011, the 25-year-old Nadal agreed to a short-term deal with Alqueries CF in the Valencian regional divisions.[12] After retiring in 2018 at the age of 32, he returned to the Estadio de la Cerámica as match delegate following an invitation from his former teammate Javier Calleja who acted as the club's manager.[13]

International career

Nadal was part of Spain's under-17 squad that finished runners-up at the 2003 UEFA European Championship. Also that year, he played in the FIFA World Cup of the same age group, with the nation losing in the final to Brazil.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Xisco Nadal". Eurosport. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Pau Torres, primer futbolista nacido en Vila-real que debuta en 13 años" [Pau Torres, first footballer born in Villarreal to debut in 13 years] (in Spanish). Sport. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ Astruells, Andrés (16 June 2003). "Despedida con empate" [Farewell with draw] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  4. ^ Esteve, David (13 September 2021). "Pino, el canterano más joven en debutar en Champions" [Pino, youngest youth player to make Champions League debut] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Breve enciclopedia numantina" [Brief numantina encyclopedia] (in Spanish). Desde Soria. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  6. ^ "El Murcia es el destino del cedido Xisco Nadal" [Xisco Nadal headed for Murcia] (in Spanish). El Periódico Mediterráneo. 22 January 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  7. ^ Burgos, Julián (1 May 2007). "Piti se va al Rayo y Xisco regresará al Villarreal B" [Piti goes to Rayo and Xisco returns to Villarreal B] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Villarreal bring in Eguren". UEFA. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Xisco Nadal, presentado como nuevo jugador del Levante UD" [Xisco Nadal, presented as new Levante UD player] (in Spanish). Levante UD. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  10. ^ "El Levante consigue su cuarto ascenso ganando al Castellón" [Levante achieve their fourth promotion by beating Castellón] (in Spanish). Diario de Almería. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Los Che secure third spot". ESPN Soccernet. 15 May 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Xisco Nadal, de Primera división a la Regional Preferente" [Xisco Nadal, from First division to Regional Preferente] (in Spanish). Marca. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  13. ^ Sabatés, Roger (22 February 2022). "De goleador más precoz a delegado más joven" [From earliest scorer to youngest delegate] (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Brasil acaba con el sueño español en el Mundial sub'17" [Brazil end Spanish dream in under'17 World Cup] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2022.