Yordi

Yordi

Yordi while at Córdoba (2009)
Personal information
Full name	Jorge González Díaz
Date of birth	14 September 1974
Place of birth	San Fernando, Spain
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Sevilla
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1993–1996	Sevilla B	69	(31)
1996	Sevilla	6	(1)
1996–1997	Atlético Madrid B	34	(19)
1997	Atlético Madrid	1	(0)
1997–2004	Zaragoza	164	(45)
2002	→ Blackburn Rovers (loan)	8	(2)
2004–2005	Getafe	27	(2)
2005–2006	Mallorca	16	(4)
2006–2008	Xerez	66	(22)
2008–2009	Córdoba	27	(5)
Total		418	(131)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Jorge González Díaz (born 14 September 1974), known as Yordi, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.

A journeyman, he amassed La Liga totals of 180 games and 37 goals in ten seasons, in representation of five teams (notably Zaragoza), and 161/61 in Segunda División.

In 2002, Yordi had a six-month spell in England with Blackburn Rovers.

Football career

Born in San Fernando, Cádiz, Andalusia, Yordi started his professional career with Sevilla FC, moving in 1996 to Atlético Madrid. He spent the vast majority of his only season with the Colchoneros with the B-team, winning the Pichichi Trophy award in the second division and being called up two the main squad only twice, once for the UEFA Champions League; on 23 June 1997, he played 30 minutes in a 0–3 home loss against CD Tenerife, in the last matchday.^[1]

In the 1997 summer, Yordi signed with Real Zaragoza where he stayed for seven seasons, one in the second level, being a very important offensive contributor although almost always off the bench: for instance, in 2000–01, as the Aragonese side won the Copa del Rey,^[2] he only started in ten of 31 La Liga matches, scoring four times for a final 17th position – barely out of the relegation zone.

In February 2002, Zaragoza loaned Yordi to Blackburn Rovers.^[3] During his time at Ewood Park, he came on as a substitute as his team won the 2002 Football League Cup and also netted twice in the Premier League, against Southampton^[4] and Middlesbrough.^[5] Subsequently, he returned to his country and represented Getafe CF and RCD Mallorca, appearing sparingly for the latter club (both in the top division).

32-year-old Yordi slightly revived his career with Xerez CD, in division two. After a poor first season, he was the competition's top scorer in 2007–08, netting 20 goals as the Andalusians barely avoided relegation while also adopting Jorge as his shirt name.

In the 2008 summer, Yordi left Xerez and signed for another side in the region, Córdoba CF (also in the second tier),^[6] retiring at the end of the campaign at the age of 34.

Honours

Club

Zaragoza

• Copa del Rey: 2000–01,^[2] 2003–04^[7]

Blackburn Rovers

• League Cup: 2001–02

Individual

• Pichichi Trophy (Segunda División): 1996–97, 2007–08

References

1. "Traca final en Madrid" [It ended with a bang in Madrid] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 June 1997. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
2. "Zaragoza, no hay quinta Copa mala" [Zaragoza, no such thing as a bad fifth Cup] (in Spanish). ABC. 1 July 2001. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
3. "Yordi joins Blackburn". BBC Sport. 20 February 2002. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
4. "Blackburn secure vital win". BBC Sport. 1 April 2002. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
5. "Blackburn blow Boro away". BBC Sport. 20 April 2002. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
6. "Mercado: El Córdoba ficha a Yordi" [Market: Córdoba signs Yordi] (in Spanish). Goal.com. 19 July 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
7. "Galletti gives Zaragoza glory". UEFA.com. 18 March 2004. Retrieved 8 July 2014.

External links

• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• Yordi profile at BDFutbol
• Yordi career statistics at Soccerbase
• Yordi profile at Soccerway