Julio Álvarez

For the Mexican singer, see Julión Álvarez.
Julio Álvarez
Personal information
Full name Julio Álvarez Mosquera
Date of birth (1981-05-01) 1 May 1981
Place of birth Caracas, Venezuela
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Numancia
Number 10
Youth career
Rayo Sadense
Ural
Deportivo La Coruña
1998–1999 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Real Madrid C 34 (14)
2000 Real Madrid B 2 (2)
2000–2003 Real Madrid 0 (0)
2000–2002 → Racing Santander (loan) 44 (1)
2002–2003 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 26 (8)
2003–2006 Murcia 72 (7)
2006–2008 Numancia 66 (10)
2008–2009 Almería 21 (0)
2009–2010 Mallorca 26 (6)
2010–2011 Tenerife 30 (3)
2011– Numancia 173 (43)
National team‡
1998 Spain U16 10 (2)
1998–1999 Spain U17 6 (1)
1999–2000 Spain U18 5 (1)
2002–2003 Spain U21 7 (1)
2011– Venezuela 4 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 04 December 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 June 2012
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Álvarez and the second or maternal family name is Mosquera.

Julio Álvarez Mosquera (born 1 May 1981) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays for Spanish club CD Numancia mainly as an attacking midfielder.

He appeared in 98 La Liga games over the course of five seasons (14 goals), representing Racing de Santander, Rayo Vallecano, Murcia, Almería and Mallorca. In addition, he played in more than 300 matches in Segunda División.

After competing for Spain at youth level, Álvarez represented Venezuela internationally.

Club career

Real Madrid / Murcia

A playmaker, Álvarez was born in Caracas and moved to Spain aged four to reunite with his parents, settling in Sada, Galicia. He showed early promise while playing for Spain at youth level, winning the 1999 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup with the under-17 team and also appearing at the 1998 UEFA European Under-16 Championship (third place). Subsequently he joined Real Madrid to finish his formation but, despite very good performances overall for the B and C-sides, could never break into the main squad.

Álvarez was loaned by the Merengues to Racing de Santander in the 2000–01 season. However, he was mostly injured, and could not help the Cantabria team escape La Liga relegation at the season's end. The following campaign, with 31 matches and one goal, he helped Racing quickly return to the top flight.

In July 2002, Álvarez was sent on loan again, to first division's Rayo Vallecano where he scored eight times and was one of the team's best players, but again his team failed to keep its status, ranking last. Several teams made offers, and he was finally signed by Real Murcia.[1] Before playing any games for his new team he got injured, and struggled throughout the vast majority of the season, finishing with 12 just appearances as the club went on to rank 20th;[2] fully recovered he went on to be a very important team player, showing impressive skills and netting some deciders, despite a poor year for the team in 2005–06, that almost ended in relegation – he also established himself as a free kick specialist.[3]

Late career

In the summer, Álvarez was transfer listed and, on 9 August 2006, joined CD Numancia on a two-year deal.[4] Playing as an attacking or holding midfielder, he again showed enough quality to earn a regular starting eleven berth under manager Andoni Goikoetxea and, following the departure of some important players, became a key player in team's push for promotion, scoring more winning goals;[5] the Sorians won the 2007–08 championship, five points clear of Málaga CF.

Álvarez's contract expired by the end of the season and UD Almería signed him on a free transfer on 3 July 2008, where he got the opportunity to work again with Gonzalo Arconada, his former boss at Numancia. He replaced ACF Fiorentina-bound Felipe Melo.

After an irregular season in Andalusia, Álvarez was released hours before the transfer deadline in August 2009, and joined RCD Mallorca shortly after. On 23 July 2010, after helping the Balearic Islands side finish fifth and qualify for the UEFA Europa League, the 29-year-old signed a three-year contract with CD Tenerife, which had in turn relegated from the top division.[6]

International career

Álvarez gained 28 caps for Spain all youth levels combined. On 14 October 2011, after switching allegiance to his country of birth, the 30-year-old made his debut for Venezuela in a 1–0 home win against Argentina for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Personal life

Álvarez's older brother, Javier, is also a footballer and a midfielder. He played his entire career in Spanish amateur football.[7] In addition, he represented Spain in three FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups (2006, 2007 and 2008).[8]

Club statistics

As of 22 May 2011[9]
Season Club Country Competition Apps Goals
1999–00 Real Madrid C  Spain Tercera División 34 14
2000–01 Real Madrid B  Spain Segunda División B 2 2
2000–01 Racing Santander  Spain La Liga 13 0
2001–02 Racing Santander  Spain Segunda División 31 1
2002–03 Rayo Vallecano  Spain La Liga 26 8
2003–04 Murcia  Spain La Liga 12 0
2004–05 Murcia  Spain Segunda División 35 5
2005–06 Murcia  Spain Segunda División 25 2
2006–07 Numancia  Spain Segunda División 33 4
2007–08 Numancia  Spain Segunda División 33 7
2008–09 Almería  Spain La Liga 21 0
2009–10 Mallorca  Spain La Liga 26 6
2010–11 Tenerife  Spain Segunda División 30 3
Total339 63

References

  1. ↑ "El Murcia ficha a Julio Alvarez y Luis García" [Murcia signs Julio Álvarez and Luis García] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 July 2003. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  2. ↑ "Julio Álvarez estará al menos dos meses de baja" [Julio Álvarez to miss at least two months] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 8 August 2003. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  3. ↑ "Julio Álvarez hands Murcia triumph in the 94'" (in Spanish). Deia. 9 January 2005. Archived from the original on 11 August 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "Julio Álvarez se incorpora al Numancia, equipo al que también se marchó Pulido" [Julio Álvarez joins Numancia, as well as Pulido] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  5. ↑ "Julio Álvarez pone líder al Numancia" [Julio Álvarez makes Numancia leader] (in Spanish). El Norte de Castilla. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  6. ↑ "Julio Álvarez, un refuerzo de lujo" [Julio Álvarez, deluxe signing] (in Spanish). El Día. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "Javi Álvarez, de campeón sobre la arena a goleador con el Vilalbés" [Javi Álvarez, from champion upon the sands to scorer with Vilalbés] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Javi Álvarez – FIFA competition record
  9. ↑ "J. Álvarez". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
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