Javier Balboa
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| Javier Balboa | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Javier Angel Balboa Osa | |
| Date of birth | May 13, 1985 | |
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | |
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 111⁄2 in) | |
| Playing position | Winger | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Real Madrid | |
| Number | 24 | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 2004–2005 2005–2006 2006- 2006–2007 |
Real Madrid C Real Madrid Castilla Real Madrid → Racing (loan) |
34 (1) 32 (1) 10 (1) 30 (1) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2006-present |  Equatorial Guinea |
2 (0) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Javier Ángel Balboa Osa (born May 13, 1985 in Madrid, Spain), is an Spanish- Equatorial Guinean football player. He is also known as "Rocky Balboa" or more simply as "Balboa." He plays as a midfielder for Real Madrid. He was a member of Real Madrid Castilla before he graduated from the youth ranks to the first team.[1]
Balboa arrived at Real Madrid Castilla in the summer of 2005 after Juanfran left Real Madrid Castilla on loan to RCD Mallorca. Balboa settled down in Juanfran's old shoes as a right-sided attacking midfielder, even though he missed a part of Castilla's season due to an injury and Real Madrid first team duty. Balboa still finished his first season with Castilla with 28 appearances and one goal.[citation needed]
Even though Balboa toured with the Real Madrid first team in its Austrian tour during the 2006-2007 pre-season, he signed a one-year loan deal with Racing Santander to gain first team experience after being told he wasn't going to be part of Real Madrid's plans by then head coach Fabio Capello.
Balboa was praised by Capello's replacement, Bernd Schuster, upon Balboa's return from loan and his contract was extended until 2011. During the 2007 preseason, Schuster played Balboa as a right and a left winger. He did well in various occasions showing his speed, dribbling ability, crossing, and even goalscoring ability, scoring against Lokomotiv Moscow.
Balboa made his international debut with Equatorial Guinea on June 2, 2007 in a 2-0 loss to Rwanda.[2]
Balboa came on in the second half of the Champions League home game against Olympiakos on 24 October 2007, and during extra time scored his first Champions League goal after being set up by Robinho. Real Madrid won the game 4-2. On December 19, 2007, Balboa scored his first goal in the Copa del Rey for Real Madrid in a 1-1 draw against Alicante.[3]
On November 9th 2007 Real Madrid pair Pepe and Javier Balboa came to blows at training. The pair clashed during a training game and the bust-up left Pepe bleeding from the face. Balboa, says Marca, connected Pepe with a right hook.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ Global Sports: Canada's Leading Newspaper. Globalsports.com.
- ^ Real Madrid player profile (Spanish)
- ^ The winner of the round will be decided at the Bernabéu RealMadrid.com
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