José Barkero

José Barkero

File:BarkeroLevante.jpg Barkero celebrates a goal for Levante in 2012
Personal information
Full name	José Javier Barkero Saludes
Date of birth	(1979-04-27) 27 April 1979
Place of birth	Aretxabaleta, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1985–1991	Aretxabaleta
1991–1996	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1999	Real Sociedad B	96	(28)
1998–2006	Real Sociedad	62	(6)
2000–2001	→ Toulouse (loan)	13	(0)
2001–2002	→ Eibar (loan)	41	(6)
2003–2004	→ Poli Ejido (loan)	20	(0)
2006–2008	Albacete	66	(13)
2008–2011	Numancia	114	(33)
2011–2013	Levante	60	(12)
2013–2014	Zaragoza	29	(3)
Total		500	(101)
International career
1997–1998	Spain U18	13	(3)
1999	Spain U20	7	(2)
1999–2000	Spain U21	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Barkero and the second or maternal family name is Saludes.

José Javier Barkero Saludes (born 27 April 1979) is a Spanish retired professional footballer. A left-footed attacking midfielder, he possessed a powerful long-range shot.

He amassed La Liga totals of 159 games and 30 goals over the course of one full decade, representing in the competition Real Sociedad, Numancia and Levante. He added 233/43 in Segunda División during eight seasons, with five different clubs including the second.

Club career

Born in Aretxabaleta, Gipuzkoa, Barkero came from the youth system of Real Sociedad, appearing in one game with the first team in 1998–99. During eight seasons he appeared sporadically for the Basque club (17 La Liga matches maximum, in the 2005–06 campaign), and served loans at SD Eibar, Polideportivo Ejido and France's Toulouse FC.

In 2006–07 Barkero joined Albacete Balompié in the second division, where he remained for two seasons as an undisputed starter. He scored 11 goals in his second year.

After CD Numancia gained promotion to the top flight, Barkero moved to the team from Soria in July 2008. On 14 September he scored a wonderful long-range strike in a 3–4 defeat at Real Madrid, and netted five times in the first 11 games; he finished his first season as the side's top scorer at 12, but it was eventually relegated as second from bottom.

Barkero scored 15 goals for Numancia in the 2010–11 campaign, leading his team in that department in an eventual mid-table finish. Aged 32, he returned to the top division for 2011–12, agreeing to a two-year contract with Levante UD.

Barkero netted five league goals in his second season with the Valencian (seven overall). However, late into the campaign, he also accused teammates Sergio Ballesteros, Juanlu and Gustavo Munúa of lack of commitment during a 0–4 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña, which led to several match-fixing allegations.

In February 2015, after one year with Real Zaragoza in the second level, 35-year-old Barkero decided to retire from football after not being able to find a new club.

International career

Barkero scored twice to help Spain win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, including once in the 4–0 final routing of Japan.

Honours

Spain U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1999

External links

• José Barkero profile at BDFutbol
• José Barkero – French League Stats at LFP.fr (French)
• José Barkero at Soccerway