Javi Martos

Javi Martos
	Martos as a CSKA Sofia player
Personal information
Full name	Francisco Javier Martos Espigares
Date of birth	4 January 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Alamedilla, Spain
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Prat
Number	20
Youth career
1993–2003	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team
2003–2006	Barcelona C
2006	Barcelona
2006–2007	CSKA Sofia
2007	Girona
2007–2008	Málaga B
2008–2010	Iraklis
2011–2019	Charleroi
2019–2020	Andorra
2020–	Prat
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:35, 13 September 2022 (UTC)

Francisco Javier 'Javi' Martos Espigares (born 4 January 1984) is a Spanish footballer who plays for AE Prat as a centre-back.

He spent most of his professional career with Charleroi, having signed with the club in January 2011.

Club career[edit]

Born in Alamedilla, Province of Granada, Martos spent one decade in FC Barcelona's youth system,^[1]^[2] but only represented the C team as a senior. On 20 May 2006 he played his first and only La Liga game, replacing also youth graduate Andrea Orlandi in the second half of a 3–1 loss against Athletic Bilbao at the San Mamés Stadium, as the Frank Rijkaard-led side had already been crowned league champions.^[3]

Martos had a brief spell with PFC CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria after being released by the Blaugrana, becoming the first Spaniard to play in the First Professional Football League,^[4] then resumed his career in amateur football, first with Girona FC then Atlético Malagueño. In the summer of 2008 summer he joined Iraklis Thessaloniki FC,^[5] being first choice and helping the team to back-to-back tenth-place finishes in the Super League Greece.

In early December 2010, Martos went on trial with SD Eibar in his homeland,^[6] but nothing came of it. In the following year's winter transfer window, he signed a contract with R. Charleroi S.C. in Belgium.^[7]

Martos was relegated from the Pro League in his first year, but achieved promotion in his first full season after only missing three league matches.

^ "Debe ser el número 23" [Must be number 23] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 18 November 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
^ "La entrevista: Javi Martos" [The interview: Javi Martos] (in Spanish). Calentando Banquillo. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
^ "Athletic Bilbao 3–1 Barcelona". ESPN Soccernet. 20 May 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
^ Lelyov, Momchil (20 July 2006). "“А” група погледна към елита на Европа. За пръв път в първенството ще ритат холандец и испанец" [""А" Group looked towards Europe's elite. For the first time championship will feature Spaniards and Dutchmen] (in Bulgarian). 7 Sport. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
^ "El granadino Javi Martos no acepta la oferta para seguir del Iraklis" [Granada native Javi Martos does not accept offer to remain at Iraklis]. Ideal (in Spanish). 24 August 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^ "El ex del Barcelona, Javier Martos, a prueba con el Eibar" [Former Barcelona man, Javier Martos, on trial with Eibar]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 8 December 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
^ Salcedo, David (22 January 2011). "Javi Martos, oficialmente nuevo jugador del Charleroi" [Javi Martos, officially new Charleroi player] (in Spanish). Tablón Deportivo. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2012.