Enrique Romero
Encyclopedia
Enrique Fernández Romero (born 23 June 1971) is a retired Spanish
footballer who played as a left defender.
He played for four different clubs during his professional career over the course of 16 seasons - notably Deportivo de La Coruña
, which he helped win four major titles, including its only La Liga
championship - amassing top division totals of 396 games and 14 goals.
Romero represented Spain
at the 2002 World Cup
.
, Province of Cádiz, Romero started his professional career with La Rioja
's CD Logroñés
, appearing in only three La Liga
matches in his first two seasons combined, but being first-choice in the 1993–94 campaign, with the team again managing to retain its division status.
After having represented Valencia CF
and RCD Mallorca
, never appearing in less than 30 league games during his spell with both teams combined, he joined Deportivo de La Coruña
in 1998. There, Romero blossomed as a very offensive left-back, notably playing in 50 UEFA Champions League
matches for the Galicians, and contributing with 34 games (one goal) in the 1999–2000 season, as Depor won its first national championship.
In the 2006 summer, after being ousted by younger Joan Capdevila
(although he was a very reliable defensive unit, never making less than 17 appearances and sometimes playing as centre back), Romero signed with Real Betis
. After a sole season, which coincided with the emergence of new signing Fernando Vega
, he opted to retire from professional football at the age of 36, having appeared in more than 500 official matches (nearly 400 in the Spanish top division, the only he competed in).
for Spain
, his first appearance coming on 23 February 2000, in a friendly match with Croatia
(in Split
).
He represented the nation at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
in Japan
and South Korea
, playing three matches for the eventual quarterfinalists.
|1991–92||rowspan="3"|Logroñés
||rowspan="3"|Spanish League
||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1992–93||2||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94||29||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="3"|Valencia
||rowspan="3"|Spanish League
||30||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||30||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97||31||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||Mallorca
||Spanish League
||38||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="8"|Deportivo
||rowspan="8"|Spanish League
||34||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–00||34||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||29||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02||24||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||31||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04||17||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05
||29||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06
||20||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Betis
||Spanish League
||17||0||||||||||||||||
396||14||||||||||||||||
396||14||||||||||||||||
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
footballer who played as a left defender.
He played for four different clubs during his professional career over the course of 16 seasons - notably Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, which he helped win four major titles, including its only La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
championship - amassing top division totals of 396 games and 14 goals.
Romero represented Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
at the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Club career
Born in Jerez de la FronteraJerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, situated midway between the sea and the mountains. , the city, the largest in the province, had 208,896 inhabitants; it is the fifth largest in Andalusia...
, Province of Cádiz, Romero started his professional career with La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
's CD Logroñés
CD Logroñés
Club Deportivo Logroñés, S.A.D. was a Spanish football team based in Logroño, in the autonomous community of La Rioja. Founded in 1940, it last played in Regional Preferente de La Rioja....
, appearing in only three La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
matches in his first two seasons combined, but being first-choice in the 1993–94 campaign, with the team again managing to retain its division status.
After having represented Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
and RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
, never appearing in less than 30 league games during his spell with both teams combined, he joined Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
in 1998. There, Romero blossomed as a very offensive left-back, notably playing in 50 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
matches for the Galicians, and contributing with 34 games (one goal) in the 1999–2000 season, as Depor won its first national championship.
In the 2006 summer, after being ousted by younger Joan Capdevila
Joan Capdevila
Joan Capdevila i Méndez is a Spanish footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, and the Spanish national team.His usual position is left defender, but he is also capable of operating as a winger and, from a defensive position, often contributes with goals...
(although he was a very reliable defensive unit, never making less than 17 appearances and sometimes playing as centre back), Romero signed with Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
. After a sole season, which coincided with the emergence of new signing Fernando Vega
Fernando Vega
Fernando Vega Torres is a Spanish footballer who plays as a left defender.He is known for his exhaustive physical display.-Club career:Vega started his career with Sevilla FC, playing 69 matches for its B team...
, he opted to retire from professional football at the age of 36, having appeared in more than 500 official matches (nearly 400 in the Spanish top division, the only he competed in).
International career
Romero gained 10 capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, his first appearance coming on 23 February 2000, in a friendly match with Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
(in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
).
He represented the nation at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, playing three matches for the eventual quarterfinalists.
Honours
- Mallorca:
- Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: Runner-up 1997–98
- Spanish Cup
- Deportivo:
- Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 1999–2000 - Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 2001–02 - Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 2000, 2002
- Spanish League
Club statistics
|-|1991–92||rowspan="3"|Logroñés
CD Logroñés
Club Deportivo Logroñés, S.A.D. was a Spanish football team based in Logroño, in the autonomous community of La Rioja. Founded in 1940, it last played in Regional Preferente de La Rioja....
||rowspan="3"|Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1992–93||2||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94||29||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="3"|Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
||rowspan="3"|Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||30||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||30||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97||31||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
||Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||38||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="8"|Deportivo
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
||rowspan="8"|Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||34||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–00||34||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||29||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02||24||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||31||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04||17||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
||29||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
||20||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
||Spanish League
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||17||0||||||||||||||||
396||14||||||||||||||||
396||14||||||||||||||||