Joan Capdevila

Joan Capdevila Méndez (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒuˈaŋ kədːəˈβilə]; born 3 February 1978) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a left back.

This article is about the Spanish footballer. For the Spanish politician, see Joan Capdevila i Esteve.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Capdevila and the second or maternal family name is Méndez.

Joan Capdevila
Capdevila in action for Catalonia in 2013
Personal information
Full name Joan Capdevila Méndez[1][2]
Date of birth (1978-02-03) 3 February 1978[2]
Place of birth Tàrrega, Spain [2]
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
Tàrrega
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Tàrrega 34 (3)
1997–1998 Espanyol B 45 (4)
1998–1999 Espanyol 29 (4)
1999–2000 Atlético Madrid 31 (2)
2000–2007 Deportivo La Coruña 179 (15)
2007–2011 Villarreal 140 (15)
2011–2012 Benfica 5 (0)
2012–2014 Espanyol 31 (0)
2014 NorthEast United 12 (0)
2015 Lierse 4 (0)
2016–2017 Santa Coloma 2 (2)
Total 512 (45)
National team
1998–2000 Spain U21 13 (0)
2000 Spain U23 4 (0)
2002–2011 Spain 60 (4)
2002–2013 Catalonia 10 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Over 15 seasons in La Liga, he amassed totals of 410 matches and 36 goals, mainly for Deportivo and Villarreal.[3] In a 21-year senior career, he also played professionally in Portugal, India and Belgium.

Capdevila won 60 caps for Spain, and was part of the squads which won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Club career

Early years / Deportivo

Born in Tàrrega, Lleida, Catalonia, and a product of RCD Espanyol's youth system, Capdevila started playing football as a forward,[4] and he made his debut for its first team during the 1998–99 season in a 2–2 La Liga draw at Athletic Bilbao. He joined Atlético Madrid the following year.

After the Colchoneros' relegation, Capdevila signed with Deportivo de La Coruña in the summer of 2000, and would be a regular fixture in the team as left-back, first competing with Enrique Romero then as the undisputed first-choice.[5] On 16 September 2006, he scored twice as the Galicians overcame Villarreal CF 2–0 at the Riazor Stadium.[6]

Villarreal
Capdevila (right) attempting a tackle on Lionel Messi

For the 2007–08 campaign, Capdevila moved to Villarreal on a three-year deal,[7] and played in all the league games except two for a side that finished runners-up, achieving direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League. He produced similar numbers in his second year, bettering his goal total in the process (five).

In the 2009–10 season, with no real competition for his position, Capdevila continued to figure prominently, only missing one league match – the defender added another five goals, but his team could not qualify for the UEFA Europa League this time after finishing seventh. On 6 December 2009 he scored twice in a 3–2 home win against Getafe CF,[8] precisely the side that prevented the Valencians from reaching that achievement, even though they were later reinstated at the expense of RCD Mallorca.

Midway through 2010–11, Capdevila faced stiff competition from José Catalá, even being relegated to the bench on occasion. He did finish the campaign with more than 40 official appearances, including nine in Villarreal's Europa League semi-final run, where he scored in a 3–2 home win against eventual winners FC Porto (4–7 aggregate loss).[9]

Benfica

On 21 July 2011, aged 33, Capdevila moved abroad for the first time, joining S.L. Benfica of Portugal on a two-year contract.[10] On 20 August he made his official debut in a 3–1 Primeira Liga victory over C.D. Feirense at the Estádio da Luz,[11][12] but was not included in the squad for the group stages of the Champions League,[13] which prompted rumours that he would seek to leave in the January transfer window.[14][15] Manager Jorge Jesus confirmed that another newly signed, Brazilian Emerson, would be first-choice left-back and that the Spaniard would find it difficult to be included in matchday squads.[16]

However, during the final stages of the season, Jesus gave Capdevila a long run as a starter, and he made his Champions League debut for the Lisbon club on 4 April 2012, playing the second leg of the quarter-finals against Chelsea, a 1–2 loss at Stamford Bridge (1–3 on aggregate).[17] He was also the habitual first-choice during the domestic League Cup, which Benfica won for the fourth time in a row,[18] and finished the campaign with 12 competitive matches.[19]

Later years

On 27 July 2012, Capdevila agreed on a return to his first professional club Espanyol.[20] He was released alongside Simão Sabrosa on 22 May 2014, after only ten overall appearances in his second season.[21]

On 16 July 2014, Capdevila signed for NorthEast United FC, as their marquee player ahead of the inaugural Indian Super League season. He said: “India is a huge country and it should be a privilege for me to be a small part in popularising this global game here and working with the young talented footballers of North East India”.[22] He started in the franchise's first match, a 1–0 win over the Kerala Blasters at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, being deployed by manager Ricki Herbert as a central defender.[23] On 27 November, in a 3–0 home defeat of league leaders Chennaiyin FC, he was sent off after 72 minutes for a second yellow card,[24] as his team went on to rank in last position.

Capdevila changed countries again on 21 January 2015, joining Belgian Pro League's Lierse SK.[25] In May, he suffered a knee injury in training, ruling him out for six months;[26] he returned to the Iberian Peninsula on 1 June 2016, signing for FC Santa Coloma, champions of Andorra's Primera Divisió.[27]

On 5 July 2017, 39-year-old Capdevila announced his retirement.[28]

International career

Capdevila played for Spain at the 2000 Summer Olympics, winning the silver medal and converting his penalty shootout attempt as his team lost the final to Cameroon.[29] He made his debut for the full side on 16 October 2002 in a 0–0 friendly draw to Paraguay, scoring his first goal in an UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Sweden on 17 November 2007, a 3–0 win;[30] previously, he made the country's final squad for Euro 2004 as an injury replacement for Míchel Salgado,[31] but did not leave the bench.

On 6 February 2008, Capdevila scored the winner in Spain's 1–0 win over France in a friendly in Málaga.[32] He was subsequently called up to the squad for Euro 2008, where he featured in all the games save one for the eventual champions. During the tournament he established himself as first-choice, his clearance in the dying seconds against Sweden being a crucial part of David Villa's late winner to make the score 2–1; together with right-back Sergio Ramos and central defenders Carles Puyol and Carlos Marchena, he helped keep clean sheets during all three matches of the knock-out stages.[33]

During the first game of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup on 14 June 2009, Capdevila set up Fernando Torres's third goal of his hat-trick, and also assisted for Cesc Fàbregas's second international goal as Spain thrashed New Zealand 5–0 – in fact, all five goals were created from the left wing, with him playing a crucial part in the Spanish attack.[34] In the second game against Iraq, three days later, he assisted Villa's on his 55th-minute goal (the match's only), which allowed for a run to the semi-finals of the competition. Eventually he, Puyol, Villa and Torres were named in the team of the tournament, as the national side finished third.[35] During the group stages of the competition, he provided the most assists (three) and made the joint second–highest number of solo runs (ten).[36]

On 20 May 2010, after appearing in all the matches during the qualifying stages, contributing with one goal in Spain's 4–0 home win against Armenia, Capdevila was selected by manager Vicente del Bosque to the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he played all the games and minutes for the eventual champions, being the only member of the starting line-up for the final who was not a Real Madrid or FC Barcelona player, considering Villa had been signed by the latter days before the tournament.[37] He was among the top ten players of the competition in terms of distance covered, having run 71.79 km.[38]

Style of play

An offensive–minded left-sided full-back or wing-back, Capdevila was known for his speed and passing ability, which enabled him to get forward, make overlapping runs, provide width to his team and link-up with the attack. Regarded as one of the best left-backs in the world in his prime, although he was not as flashy as other players in his position, he was also known for his leadership and consistency as well as his defensive ability, although he was stronger in the offensive aspect of his game.[39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]

Career statistics

Club
Sources:[49][50]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tàrrega 1996–97 Tercera División 343————343
Espanyol B 1997–98 Segunda División B 454————454
Espanyol 1998–99 La Liga 29440—50—384
Atlético Madrid 1999–2000 La Liga 31240—51—403
Deportivo 2000–01 La Liga 16020—30—210
2001–02 La Liga 20071—81—352
2002–03 La Liga 25370—9110424
2003–04 La Liga 27340—60—373
2004–05 La Liga 21110—30—251
2005–06 La Liga 36460—70—494
2006–07 La Liga 34440———384
Deportivo total 17915311—3621024718
Villarreal 2007–08 La Liga 36320—61—444
2008–09 La Liga 36500—81—446
2009–10 La Liga 37530—101—505
2010–11 La Liga 31240—111—463
Villarreal total 1401590—354—18419
Benfica 2011–12 Primeira Liga 50104010—110
Espanyol 2012–13 La Liga 26010———270
2013–14 La Liga 5050———100
Espanyol total 31060———370
NorthEast United 2014 Indian Super League 120————120
Lierse 2014–15 Belgian Pro League 4000———40
Santa Coloma 2016–17 Primera Divisió 2200—20—42
2017–18 Primera Divisió ———20—20
Santa Coloma total 2200—40—62
Career total 51245551408671065853

International
Source:[51]
Spain
YearAppsGoals
200220
200300
200430
200500
200620
200771
2008153
2009130
2010140
201140
Total604

International goals
Source:[51]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.17 November 2007Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain Sweden1–03–0Euro 2008 qualifying
2.6 February 2008La Rosaleda, Málaga, Spain France1–01–0Friendly
3.31 May 2008Nuevo Colombino, Huelva, Spain Peru2–12–1Friendly
4.10 September 2008Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Spain Armenia1–04–02010 World Cup qualification

Honours
Capdevila holding the 2010 World Cup trophy

Club

Deportivo[50]

Benfica[50]

Santa Coloma[50]

International

Spain U23

Spain

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 29. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  2. "Joan CAPDEVILA Méndez" (in Spanish). El Mundo. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  3. "Los goles de Capdevila garantizan las victorias del Villarreal" [Capdevila goals equal Villarreal wins] (in Spanish). El Economista. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. Martín, Luis (17 October 2009). "Capdevila: "Soy un jugador de segunda fila"" [Capdevila: "I'm a second-rank footballer"] (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. "La maldición del lateral izquierdo del Deportivo" [Deportivo's left-back curse] (in Spanish). Vavel. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  6. Capdevila makes Deportivo proud; UEFA, 16 September 2006
  7. Capdevila veers towards Villarreal; UEFA, 25 June 2007
  8. Villarreal comeback stuns Getafe; ESPN Soccernet, 6 December 2009
  9. Falcao record as Porto progress; ESPN Soccernet, 5 May 2011
  10. "Capdevila opts for pastures new with Benfica". UEFA. 21 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  11. Mateus, Luís (20 August 2011). "Benfica-Feirense, 3–1 (crónica)" [Benfica-Feirense, 3–1 (match report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  12. "Benfica 3–1 Feirense". Sky Sports. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  13. Level crossing; Sky Sports, 8 September 2011
  14. Juventus target Benfica's Joan Capdevila; Goal, 5 September 2011
  15. 'Benfica's Joan Capdevila would accept Napoli move' – agent; Goal, 7 September 2011
  16. Joan Capdevila is not our first choice left-back – Benfica's Jorge Jesus; Goal, 9 September 2011
  17. Shaky Chelsea hold off ten-man Benfica; UEFA, 4 April 2012
  18. "Benfica bate Gil Vicente e conquista a 4ª Taça da Liga (vídeo)" [Benfica beat Gil Vicente and conquer 4th League Cup (video)] (in Portuguese). Sábado. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  19. "Capdevila preparado para um novo impulso na carreira no Espanyol" [Capdevila prepared for new career boost at Espanyol] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  20. Capdevila, quart fitxatge (Capdevila, fourth signing); RCD Espanyol, 27 July 2012 (in Catalan)
  21. "Capdevila y Simao dejan el Espanyol" [Capdevila and Simao leave Espanyol] (in Spanish). Marca. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  22. Bali, Rahul (16 July 2014). "Capdevila: 'It's a privilege to popularise football in India'". Goal. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  23. Ganguily, Abhishek (13 October 2014). "ISL: NorthEast United ride high on Koke, beat Kerala Blasters 1–0". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  24. "ISL: NorthEast United thrash leaders Chennaiyin FC 3–0". The Times of India. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  25. "Capdevila: 'Als je 36 bent, zitten clubs niet langer op je te wachten'" [Capdevila: 'Since I am 36, clubs just do not sit and wait for you'] (in Dutch). Het Nieuwsblad. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  26. "Fin de carrière pour Capdevila (Lierse), blessé six mois?" [End of career for Capdevila (Lierse), injured for six months?] (in French). RTBF. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  27. "Joan Capdevila fitxa pel Santa Coloma d'Andorra" [Joan Capdevila signs for Andorra's Santa Coloma] (in Catalan). L'Esportiu. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  28. "Joan Capdevila, Villarreal's World Cup winner, retires". Villarreal USA. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  29. "Cameroon's "Indomitable Lions" win shootout over Spain to take Olympic gold". Soccer Times. 30 September 2000. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  30. España gusta, golea y a la EURO (Spain pleases, routs and goes to EURO); UEFA, 18 November 2007 (in Spanish)
  31. "Goodbye pharoes, hello Faro". UEFA. 12 June 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  32. Capdevila tumba a Francia (1–0) (Capdevila downs France (1–0)); La Verdad, 7 February 2008 (in Spanish)
  33. Hanagudu, Ashwin (26 April 2016). "Spain's Euro 2008 winning squad – Where are they now?". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  34. "La Roja lean to the left". FIFA. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  35. "Puyol, Capdevila, Villa y Torres, en el once ideal de la web en la FIFA" [Puyol, Capdevila, Villa and Torres, in FIFA's web All-Star IX] (in Spanish). Marca. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  36. "The group stage's statistical stars". FIFA. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  37. Fletcher, Paul (11 July 2010). "Netherlands 0–1 Spain (aet)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  38. Spector, Jesse (18 December 2010). "Final World Cup leaders". New York Daily News. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  39. Davies, Nick (4 July 2010). "2010 FIFA World Cup: Germany vs. Spain, the battle of the midfields". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  40. Burt, Jason (7 July 2010). "Germany v Spain: player ratings". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  41. Hughes, Rob (8 July 2010). "Puyol, a star on defense, wins it with offense". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  42. Burt, Jason (9 July 2010). "World Cup final: Holland discipline vs Spain's 'tiki-taka' tactics". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  43. Walsh, Kristian (9 July 2010). "World Cup final: how Holland can stop Spain". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  44. Amies, Nick; Hermann, Matt (11 July 2010). "Spain, Netherlands gear up for clash to be world's best". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  45. James, Stuart (11 July 2010). "World Cup final: Holland v Spain player ratings". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  46. D'Souza, Callum (14 October 2010). "Ranking the ten best left backs in world football". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  47. Cox, Michael (21 June 2013). "Star backs are fully involved in Brazil". ESPN. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  48. "Meet Spain's 2010 World Cup team". Fox Sports. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  49. "Capdevila: Joan Capdevila Méndez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  50. "Capdevila". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  51. "Joan Capdevila". European Football. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
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