Xisco_Nadal

Xisco Nadal

Xisco Nadal

Spanish footballer

Not to be confused with Xisco (footballer, born 1980) or Xisco (footballer, born 1986).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Nadal and the second or maternal family name is Martorell.

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.

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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 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] Upon their relegation he moved again, 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. In the same year he also played in the category's FIFA World Cup, with the nation losing in the final to Brazil.[14]

References

  1. [1]
    "Xisco Nadal". Eurosport. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  2. [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]. Sport (in Spanish). 22 December 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. [3]
    Astruells, Andrés (16 June 2003). "Despedida con empate" [Farewell with draw]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  4. [4]
    Esteve, David (13 September 2021). "Pino, el canterano más joven en debutar en Champions" [Pino, youngest youth player to make Champions League debut]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Breve enciclopedia numantina" [Brief numantina encyclopedia]. Desde Soria (in Spanish). 29 May 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  6. [6]
    "El Murcia es el destino del cedido Xisco Nadal" [Xisco Nadal headed for Murcia]. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). 22 January 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  7. [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]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  8. [8]
    "Villarreal bring in Eguren". UEFA. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  9. [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. [10]
    "El Levante consigue su cuarto ascenso ganando al Castellón" [Levante achieve their fourth promotion by beating Castellón]. Diario de Almería (in Spanish). 14 June 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  11. [11]
    "Los Che secure third spot". ESPN Soccernet. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  12. [12]
    "Xisco Nadal, de Primera división a la Regional Preferente" [Xisco Nadal, from First division to Regional Preferente]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  13. [13]
    Sabatés, Roger (22 February 2022). "De goleador más precoz a delegado más joven" [From earliest scorer to youngest delegate]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  14. [14]
    "Brasil acaba con el sueño español en el Mundial sub'17" [Brazil end Spanish dream in under'17 World Cup]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 30 August 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
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