Chico Flores
FullnameJosé Manuel Flores Moreno[1]
Birth date6 March 1987 (age 39)
Birth placeCádiz, Spain
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
PositionCentre-back
Youthyears 11995–2001
Youthclubs 1GE Avante
Youthyears 22001–2004
Youthclubs 2CD Olímpico
Youthyears 32004–2005
Youthclubs 3Cádiz
Years 12005–2007
Clubs 1Cádiz B
Years 22007–2008
Clubs 2Cádiz
Caps 23
Goals 20
Years 32007
Clubs 3→ Portuense (loan)
Caps 319
Goals 33
Years 42008
Clubs 4→ Barcelona B (loan)
Caps 413
Goals 42
Years 52008–2010
Clubs 5Almería
Caps 547
Goals 51
Years 62010–2012
Clubs 6Genoa
Caps 615
Goals 60
Years 72011–2012
Clubs 7→ Mallorca (loan)
Caps 733
Goals 70
Years 82012–2014
Clubs 8Swansea City
Caps 857
Goals 82
Years 92014–2017
Clubs 9Lekhwiya
Caps 960
Goals 96
Years 102017–2018
Clubs 10Granada
Caps 1029
Goals 100
Years 112018–2019
Clubs 11Rubin Kazan
Caps 118
Goals 110
Years 122019–2020
Clubs 12Fuenlabrada
Caps 1218
Goals 120
Totalcaps302
Totalgoals14
Nationalyears 12008–2009
Nationalteam 1Spain U21
Nationalcaps 13
Nationalgoals 10

José Manuel Flores Moreno (born 6 March 1987), commonly known as Chico Flores, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Club career

Early years and Almería

Born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Chico started playing professionally with hometown club Cádiz CF, first with its reserves. In the 2006–07 season, with the main squad in the Segunda División, he appeared in three league games.

Chico served two loans in 2007–08, first at Racing Club Portuense then with FC Barcelona Atlètic, helping the Catalans to win promotion to Segunda División B after arriving at the request of manager Pep Guardiola.[2] At the end of the campaign, he signed with Cádiz neighbours UD Almería in La Liga.[3]

In 2009–10, Chico contributed 27 appearances as the team again retained their top-flight status as 13th. He also spent more than one month on the sidelines due to leg ailments.[4]

Genoa

Chico signed with Genoa CFC in late July 2010 after extensive negotiations, for five years and €4 million.[5][6] He took part in less than half of the Serie A matches in his only season.[7]

On 22 July 2011, RCD Mallorca reached an agreement with the Italians to take Chico on a season-long loan, with the Balearic Islands club having an option to buy the player at the end of the campaign.[8] He totalled 2,884 minutes of action as either a right or centre-back, starting in all his appearances for an eighth-place finish.[9]

Swansea City

On 10 July 2012, Chico signed for Premier League side Swansea City for £2 million on a three-year contract, rejoining former Mallorca boss Michael Laudrup in the process.[10] He made his league debut on 18 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 away win against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.[11]

Chico was given a straight red card after 71 minutes of the 2–2 home draw with Sunderland on 1 September 2012, for a challenge on Louis Saha – referee Roger East decided it was too high and sent him off for dangerous play.[12] An injury prevented him from playing in his team's victory in the League Cup[13] and, on 6 April 2013, he agreed to an extension meant to keep him at the Liberty Stadium until June 2016.[14]

In January 2014, police were called to Swansea's training ground after Chico allegedly picked up a brick in a furious row with team-mate Garry Monk.[15] On 1 February, he was accused of diving in a game against West Ham United, where he went down under contact from Andy Carroll, who was subsequently sent off by Howard Webb.[16]

Lekhwiya

On 9 August 2014, Lekhwiya SC announced the signing of Chico, who had arrived in Doha two days earlier for the pertinent medical. He reunited with former Swansea manager Michael Laudrup,[17] and scored in his Qatar Stars League debut for his new club, a 5–0 victory over Qatar SC in the first match of the season.[18]

Later career

In September 2017, free agent Chico returned to Spain and signed for Granada CF ahead of the second-division campaign.[19] On 28 June 2018 he moved abroad again, joining FC Rubin Kazan of the Russian Premier League on a two-year contract[20] but leaving in February 2019 by mutual consent.[21]

On 16 July 2019, Chico agreed to a one-year deal with CF Fuenlabrada, newly promoted to the second tier.[22] After retiring at age 33, he returned to Almería as youth team manager.[23]

International career

On 14 October 2008, Chico made his debut for the Spain under-21 team, playing the entire 3–1 extra time win over Switzerland for the 2009 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[24] He was called for the squad that appeared in the finals in Sweden, participating in the 0–0 group stage draw against Germany.[25]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cádiz2006–07[26]Segunda División3000—30
Portuense (loan)2007–08[26]Segunda División B19320—213
Almería2008–09[26]La Liga20130—231
2009–10[26]La Liga27010—281
Total47140—514
Genoa2010–11[27]Serie A15010—160
Mallorca2011–12[26]La Liga33010—340
Swansea City2012–13[27]Premier League26061—321
2013–14[27]Premier League3132010[a]0433
Total57381100754
Lekhwiya2014–15[27]Qatar Stars League2540010[b]1355
2015–16[27]Qatar Stars League171007[b]1242
2016–17[27]Qatar Stars League181006[b]1242
Total60600233839
Granada2017–18[26]Segunda División29000—290
Rubin Kazan2018–19[27]Russian Premier League8000—80
Career total2711316133332017
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League

Honours

Swansea City

Lekhwiya

References

  1. ^ "Barclays Premier League squad numbers 2013/14". Premier League. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ^ Cejudo, José Ignacio (5 January 2018). "La relación amor-odio del gaditano Chico Flores con parte de la afición del Cádiz" [The love-hate relationship of Cádiz-born Chico Flores with part of Cádiz's faithful] (in Spanish). Ideal. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  3. ^ "El Almería culmina el fichaje del gaditano Chico" [Almería complete of signing of Cádiz-born Chico] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  4. ^ El central gaditano Chico estará de baja varias semanas (Cádiz-born centre-back Chico will miss several weeks) Archived 25 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine; UD Almería, 16 March 2010 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ El marcaje a Xavi lleva a Chico al Genoa (Marking Xavi takes Chico to Genoa); Marca, 21 July 2010 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ "Chico deja el Almería por el Genoa" [Chico leaves Almería for Genoa] (in Spanish). UEFA. 22 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Genoa: Chico torna in Spagna" [Genoa: Chico returns to Spain] (in Italian). Calcio Mercato. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  8. ^ Acuerdo por 'Chico' (Agreement for 'Chico') Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine; RCD Mallorca, 22 July 2011 (in Spanish)
  9. ^ Vázquez Jodar, Sergio (18 May 2012). "Puntuaciones del Mallorca 2011/2012" [Mallorca grades 2011/2012] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Swansea City complete signing of defender Jose Manuel Flores". BBC Sport. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Michu magic inspires Swansea rout". ESPN Soccernet. 18 August 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  12. ^ "Swansea City 2–2 Sunderland". ESPN Soccernet. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  13. ^ "Swansea City's Chico Flores ruled out of League Cup final". BBC Sport. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Chico Flores signs one-year extension with Swansea City". BBC Sport. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  15. ^ "Police called to Swansea after row between Garry Monk and Chico Flores". The Guardian. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  16. ^ Wallace, Sam (10 February 2014). "Comment: Arsene Wenger, David Moyes and Jose Mourinho all say they want retrospective bans for diving and simulation, so why is nothing done about it?". The Independent. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  17. ^ Chico Flores signs deal with Lekhwiya Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Lekhwiya SC, 9 August 2014
  18. ^ John, Anil (22 August 2014). "5-star Lekhwiya hammer Qatar SC". Gulf Times. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Former Swansea City defender Chico Flores lands new club in Spain". Talksport. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  20. ^ "ru:Хосе Мануэль Чико Флорес – в "Рубине"" [Jose Manuel Chico Flores – to Rubin] (in Russian). Rubin Kazan. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  21. ^ "ru:Чико Флорес покидает «Рубин»" [Chico Flores leaves Rubin] (in Russian). Rubin Kazan. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  22. ^ "Chico Flores ficha por el CF Fuenlabrada" [Chico Flores signs for CF Fuenlabrada] (in Spanish). CF Fuenlabrada. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  23. ^ G. Luque, Francisco (27 July 2021). ""Estoy feliz de que el Almería volviera a contar conmigo"" ["I am happy that Almería thought of me once again"] (in Spanish). Diario de Almería. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Crónica del España-Suiza, 3–1" [Spain-Switzerland match report, 3–1] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 15 October 2008. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  25. ^ "Chico (UD Almería) jugó de titular con la selección española sub-21" [Chico (UD Almería) started for Spanish under-21 national team] (in Spanish). Join Futbol. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  26. ^
  27. ^
  28. ^ "59 points out of a possible 75 in 25 games settled the title for the Champions Lekhwiya". Qatar Stars League. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  29. ^ Rubio, Quique (6 April 2017). "El Lekhwiya de Chico Flores conquista la liga de Qatar" [Chico Flores' Lekhwiya conquer Qatari league] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 9 August 2019.