Javier Artero
Encyclopedia
Javier Artero López is a retired Spanish
professional footballer who played as a midfielder
.
After playing for five teams in the lower leagues in his country, he joined Dundee
in Scotland
, appearing two years with the team before being forced to retire at only 27, due to illness.
. In 1995, he joined Real Madrid
, but never made it past the C outfit
, leaving the club after only one season, and moving to another team in the community, CD Leganés
in Segunda División
, appearing very rarely in the course of his only campaign.
Subsequently, Artero dropped down a division
and joined Málaga CF
, helping the Andalusia
ns return to level two, after which he signed for another side in that category, CD Badajoz
.
In 1999, Artero moved abroad and joined San Lorenzo de Almagro in Argentina
. From March–May of the following year, he was loaned to Dundee Football Club
in the Scottish Premier League
, with the move being made permanent on 1 July for £
300,000, a then-club record. On the 30th, he scored in a 2–0 away win against Motherwell
.
On 18 November 2000, Artero contributed with one goal to a 5–0 home success against St. Mirren
, and enjoyed his best years as a professional with the Dark Blues, appearing in 64 official games with the side and helping it to the sixth place in his first year, with the subsequent UEFA Intertoto Cup
qualification.
On 1 August 2001, 26-year old Artero was admitted to hospital with an unknown disease, which was revealed to be multiple sclerosis
early into the following month. Even though he was still able to take part in some games in the 2001–02 season, he was forced to retire from football in August 2002, being immediately named Dundee's international scout
.
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...
professional footballer who played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
After playing for five teams in the lower leagues in his country, he joined Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, appearing two years with the team before being forced to retire at only 27, due to illness.
Football career
Artero started playing football with local amateurs CD Colonia MoscardóCD Colonia Moscardó
Club Deportivo Colonia Moscardó is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the namesake community. Founded in 1945, it currently plays in Tercera División – Group 7, holding home matches at Estadio Román Valero, with a capacity of 15,000 seats....
. In 1995, he joined Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, but never made it past the C outfit
Real Madrid C
Real Madrid C is a Spanish association football team that plays in the Tercera División. It is the second reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at La Ciudad del Real Madrid in Valdebebas outside the city of Madrid...
, leaving the club after only one season, and moving to another team in the community, CD Leganés
CD Leganés
Club Deportivo Leganés, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team from Leganés, in the Madrid outskirts. Founded on 26 June 1928, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Estadio Municipal de Butarque, which seats 8,000 spectators....
in Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, appearing very rarely in the course of his only campaign.
Subsequently, Artero dropped down a division
Segunda División B
Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
and joined Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
, helping the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns return to level two, after which he signed for another side in that category, CD Badajoz
CD Badajoz
Club Deportivo Badajoz, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Badajoz, in the autonomous community of Extremadura. Founded in 1905, it plays in 2ªB - Group 1, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Vivero, with a 15,200-seat capacity.-History:...
.
In 1999, Artero moved abroad and joined San Lorenzo de Almagro in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. From March–May of the following year, he was loaned to Dundee Football Club
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
, with the move being made permanent on 1 July for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
300,000, a then-club record. On the 30th, he scored in a 2–0 away win against Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
.
On 18 November 2000, Artero contributed with one goal to a 5–0 home success against St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
, and enjoyed his best years as a professional with the Dark Blues, appearing in 64 official games with the side and helping it to the sixth place in his first year, with the subsequent UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
qualification.
On 1 August 2001, 26-year old Artero was admitted to hospital with an unknown disease, which was revealed to be multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
early into the following month. Even though he was still able to take part in some games in the 2001–02 season, he was forced to retire from football in August 2002, being immediately named Dundee's international scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
.