Javier Artero

Javier Artero López (born 16 April 1975) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Artero and the second or maternal family name is López.
Javier Artero
Personal information
Full name Javier Artero López
Date of birth (1975-04-16) 16 April 1975
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 Moscardó 28 (3)
1995–1997 Real Madrid C 51 (0)
1996–1997 → Leganés (loan) 7 (0)
1997–1998 Málaga 19 (0)
1998–1999 Badajoz 25 (1)
1999–2000 San Lorenzo 3 (0)
2000 → Dundee (loan) 9 (1)
2000–2002 Dundee 56 (3)
Total 198 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

After playing for five teams in the lower leagues of his country he joined Dundee in Scotland, spending two years with the club before being forced to retire at only 27, due to illness.

Club career

Early years

Born in Madrid, Artero started playing football with local amateurs CD Colonia Moscardó. In 1995 he signed with Real Madrid, but never made it past the C team, also being loaned to another club in the community, CD Leganés of Segunda División, and appearing very rarely over the course of his only season.

Subsequently, Artero dropped down to Segunda División B and joined Málaga CF, helping the Andalusians return to the second level after which he signed for another side in that tier, CD Badajoz.

Dundee

In 1999, Artero moved abroad to San Lorenzo de Almagro from Argentina. From March–May of the following year he was loaned to Dundee F.C. of the Scottish Premier League, with the deal being made permanent on 1 July[1] for £300,000, a club record. On the 30th, he scored in a 2–0 away win against Motherwell.[2]

Artero contributed with one goal to a 5–0 home victory over St Mirren on 18 November 2000,[3] and enjoyed his best years as a professional with the Dark Blues, appearing in 64 official games with the side and helping them to the sixth place in his first year, with the subsequent qualification to the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

On 1 August 2001, the 26-year-old Artero was admitted to hospital with an unknown disease,[4] which was revealed to be multiple sclerosis early into the following month.[5] Even though he was still able to take part in some matches in the 2001–02 season,[6][7] he was forced to retire from football in August 2002, being immediately named Dundee's international scout.[8]

Artero worked as a football analyst after retiring, being a co-commentator on Real Madrid TV.[9]

References
  1. Dundee add to foreign quota; BBC Sport, 1 July 2000
  2. Dundee win as manager sees red; BBC Sport, 30 July 2000
  3. Five-star Dundee crush Buddies; BBC Sport, 18 November 2000
  4. Artero admitted to hospital; BBC Sport, 1 August 2001
  5. Artero reveals serious illness; BBC Sport, 6 September 2001
  6. Killie win at Dens Park; BBC Sport, 21 December 2001
  7. Dundee see off hapless Hibs; BBC Sport, 11 January 2002
  8. MS forces Artero retiral; BBC Sport, 29 August 2002
  9. Javier Artero: “No me importaba dejar el fútbol; sólo pensaba en vivir” (Javier Artero: “I did not mind leaving football; I only thought about living”; La Galerna, 11 November 2016 (in Spanish)
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