Juanfran
The right-back who won seven major titles with Atlético Madrid, including the 2014 La Liga title and two Europa Leagues.
via Wikipedia: Juanfran (footballer, born 1985) · see source
Juan Francisco Torres Belén, better known as Juanfran, is a retired Spanish right-back. He came up through Real Madrid’s youth system but built his reputation in La Liga with Osasuna and, most notably, Atlético Madrid. He joined Atlético in 2011 and won seven major trophies there, including the 2014 league title and the Europa League in 2012 and 2018. Over his career, he made 427 appearances in Spain’s top division. On the international stage, he debuted for Spain in 2012, was part of the squad that won the European Championship that year, and also played at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Juan Francisco Torres Belén
- Born
- 9 January 1985
- Birthplace
- Crevillent, Spain
- Height
- 1.81 m / 5 ft 11 in
- Position
- Right-back
- Total caps
- 533
- Total goals
- 23
Facts from the source article.
Background
Juanfran joined Atlético Madrid on 11 January 2011, signing until June 2015 for a fee of just over €4 million. He made his official debut two days later, starting in a 3–1 away loss against his first professional club Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey. He scored his first goal for Atlético on 21 May 2011, in a 4–3 win at RCD Mallorca – the last game of the season – dedicating it to his father who had died two weeks beforehand.
In 2011–12 he began being regularly played as a right-back, by both Gregorio Manzano and his successor, Diego Simeone. In the Europa League final, which his team won 3–0 against Athletic, he played in that position; after the match, he dedicated the triumph to his late father, saying 'My baby son Oliver is here with me; the only words he knows are "mama" and "Atleti", I dedicate this win to my family and to my dad, who passed away last year. I know he's up there looking down on us celebrating now.'
On 24 May 2014, Juanfran played all 120 minutes of the Champions League final, lost 4–1 to Real Madrid at the Estádio da Luz. He signed a contract extension one month later, running until 2018. Juanfran started both legs of the round-of-16 Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven; on 15 March 2016, in the second match, he took the decisive penalty in the 8–7 shootout win (0–0 on aggregate). In the final of the competition, also decided on penalties after a 1–1 draw in Milan, he was the only player to fail to convert in an eventual defeat to his former club Real Madrid.
Juanfran left Atlético upon the expiration of his contract on 30 June 2019, having made 355 appearances and won seven trophies for the club.
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