Rafa Navarro
Rafael "Rafa" Jesús Navarro Mazuecos (born 24 February 1994) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Deportivo Alavés as a right back.
Navarro in September 2018 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Rafael Jesús Navarro Mazuecos | ||
Date of birth | 24 February 1994 | ||
Place of birth | Salteras, Spain | ||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Right back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Alavés | ||
Number | 12 | ||
Youth career | |||
2004–2010 | Sevilla | ||
2010–2012 | Coria | ||
2012–2013 | Betis | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2012–2013 | Betis B | 1 | (0) |
2013–2014 | Gerena | 32 | (2) |
2014–2016 | Betis B | 69 | (2) |
2016–2018 | Betis | 21 | (2) |
2018– | Alavés | 0 | (0) |
2018–2019 | → Sochaux (loan) | 23 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 May 2019 |
Club career
Born in Salteras, Seville, Andalusia, Navarro represented Sevilla FC, Coria CF and Real Betis as a youth.[1] He made his senior debut with the latter's B-team on 2 December 2012, starting in a 2–3 home loss against CD San Roque de Lepe for the Segunda División B championship.
On 2 August 2013, Navarro signed for CD Gerena in Tercera División, after leaving the Verdiblancos.[2] He was an undisputed starter for the club during the campaign, and subsequently returned to Betis and its reserve team on 4 July 2014.[3]
Navarro featured regularly for Betis B in the following seasons, and renewed his contract with the club until 2020 on 13 June 2016.[4] On 24 August, he was definitely promoted to the main squad and was assigned the no. 2 shirt.[5]
Navarro made his professional – and La Liga – debut on 23 September 2016, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win against Málaga CF.[6] His first goal in the category came on the following 18 March, netting the last in a 2–0 home success over CA Osasuna.
On 2 July 2018, Navarro signed a three-year contract with fellow top tier club Deportivo Alavés, being immediately loaned to Ligue 2 side FC Sochaux-Montbéliard for one year.[7]
References
- "Rafa Navarro, la pieza intocable del Betis B de Juan Merino" [Rafa Navarro, the untouchable piece of Juan Merino's Betis B] (in Spanish). Estadio Deportivo. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "La Lebrijana ficha a Iván Ares y el Gerena a Rafa Navarro" [Lebrijana sign Iván Ares and Gerena Rafa Navarro] (in Spanish). El Correo de Andalucía. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "Rafa Navarro ficha por el Betis B para las próximas dos temporadas" [Rafa Navarro signs for Betis B for the following two seasons] (in Spanish). Andalucía Información. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "Rafa Navarro renueva con el Real Betis hasta 2020" [Rafa Navarro renews with Real Betis until 2020] (in Spanish). Real Betis. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "Rafa Navarro becomes a first team member". Real Betis. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- "Sangre, sudor y tres puntos" [Blood, sweat and three points] (in Spanish). Marca. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- "El Deportivo Alavés se hace con los servicios de Rafa Navarro" [Deportivo Alavés get the services of Rafa Navarro] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.