Clubs: Real Betis Balompié, Valencia CF

• A native of Andalusia, Joaquín played youth and B team football for Betis before breaking into the Seville club's first team in 2000/01.

• Hugely influential on the right wing as Betis won promotion to the Liga in his first season, scoring three goals in 38 appearances; maintained his form in the top flight and became a Spanish international in February 2002 – in a friendly against Portugal (1-1).

• Travelled to the Far East as a member of Spain's 2002 FIFA World Cup squad and starred in the quarter-final against Korea Republic before missing the decisive penalty in the shoot-out; represented Spain also at UEFA EURO 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

• A Copa del Rey winner with Betis in 2005, he made his UEFA Champions League debut the following season, playing in all six group games, before Valencia bought him in August 2006 for a club-record fee of €25m; made 181 Liga appearances for Betis, scoring 29 goals.

• Struggled to make the same impact at Valencia and lost his place in the Spain squad at the end of UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying (on 51 caps); did not appear either in Valencia's 2008 Copa del Rey final win but, having acquired his favoured No7 shirt from the departed David Villa at start of 2010/11, celebrated with two goals at Málaga CF (3-1) in the opening league game of the season.