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FRANCISCO JAVIER PÉREZ VILLARROYA
Date of Birth: 6 August, 1966
Nationality: Spain (international from 1989 until 1992)
Period at Deportivo: 1994 - 1996
Transfer: (1994, Real Madrid)
Clubs: Badajoz, Sporting de Gijón (1996-1998), Deportivo (1994-1996), Real Madrid (1990-1994), Real Zaragoza
Sold: ca. €400,000 (1996, to Sporting de Gijón)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Position: Midfielder (left/right)
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 Zaragoza-born VILLARROYA started his career in the youth system of Real Zaragoza before making his debut in the Primera División on 9 September, 1984 during a 4-0 loss at the Nou Camp. The player had just turned eighteen and was considered a big talent, although he was only given a new opportunity two-and-a-half years later in March, 1987. But the next three campaigns he would become an undisputed figure in the Zaragoza team, which finished sixth in 1989. He played the exact number of 100 Liga matches for them before in 1990 Real Madrid approached the 23-year old player. Villarroya accepted their offer and would become an important player for them during the seasons 1990/1991 and 1991/1992.
But Real Madrid, after winning the Liga five times in a row, were slowly losing the status as best Spanish club those days to Cruyff’s Barcelona and Villarroya would not win the Liga during his four years at the club. His position in the squad was very much downgraded after the disastrous Liga loss of the club in 1992, when they went down 3-2 at Tenerife. Villarroya had played seventy Liga matches for Real Madrid in those two first years, but lost his status that summer.
The next campaign he played just three Liga matches from finish to start and only reached a total of nine. The frustration at the club only mounted, after they lost another Liga at Tenerife on the final day of the season. It didn’t do his position well because he barely played four matches during the 1993/1994 campaign, his last being against Deportivo on 5 February, 1994.
His international career back then had already been over, after he made his debut still being a Zaragoza player at the age of 23. This match took place on 20 September, 1989 in Riazor and saw Spain winning 1-0 against Poland. Villarroya would reach fourteen caps, was present at the World Cup 1990 in Italy, but already reached the end of this part in February, 1992 at the age of 25.
The midfielder, capable of playing at both wings but preferably at the left, was relieved when Deportivo approached him after the Galician club had just lost the Liga title in 1994. He made his Liga debut for them on 24 September, 1994 when he replaced Ribera in the match against Espanyol (1-1). Villarroya went on to play seventeen matches that campaign, when the club finished second and won the Copa del Rey. He added twenty-five more during the 1995/1996 season, but didn’t score a single goal in his two campaigns.
Being 30-years old, Villarroya became part of the big restructuring that Deportivo underwent after the disappointing ninth position in 1996. Despite he had a contract until 1999 at the Galician club, Villarroya accepted an offer of Sporting de Gijón, and would play fifty-one Liga matches for them in two campaigns. His second season ended with a relegation though, and Villarroya finished his career as player of Badajoz.
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