Joaquin endured a fairytale ending to his playing career as Real Betis hoisted its third trophy in their history after defeating Valencia in the Copa del Rey final.
Real Betis celebrated its first major honour in 17 years as they beat out Valencia, 5-4 on penalties, in Seville on Saturday. Club captain Joaquin got his hands on the Copa del Rey almost two decades after first winning the Spanish cup in Los Verdiblancos colours.
🤩🤩🤩
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) April 24, 2022
IT’S NOT A DREAM.
IT’S REAL.#BetisAlé pic.twitter.com/BNKFNj7MtG
Now aged 40 years-old, Joaquin has played more than half of his 22-year career at Betis, donning the badge for 13 seasons across two stints in Seville. He has represented Betis in 446 of his 805 club career appearances, and also enjoyed spells with Valencia and Malaga as well as Fiorentina in the Serie A. In 2006, Joaquin completed a €25m move to Valencia where he played alongside the likes of fellow Spanish internationals David Villa, David Silva and later Juan Mata and Jordi Alba.
Joaquin called time on his international career in 2007, aged just 25, after making 52 appearances for Spain. In 2011 he joined Malaga – who were managed by his current boss Manuel Pellegrini – where he remained for two seasons and then spent the following two years in Italy. Joaquin returned to his native Spain in 2015 when he re-signed for boyhood club Betis, after nine years away from the Estadio Benito Villamarín and following the club’s promotion from the second division.
Joaquin has made 596 appearances in the Spanish top-flight, second only to former Barcelona goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta (622). Joaquin is also among the top three oldest goalscorers in LaLiga this century after he netted against Alaves in March 2021, aged 39 years & 7 months. Following Betis’ recent Copa triumph, Joaquin becomes the only player to celebrate two titles with the club after the winger was part of the squad that lifted the same trophy in 2005.
Joaquin wins his second trophy with Real Betis 17 years after the first 💚 pic.twitter.com/Ix7Uf0VKMF
— GOAL (@goal) April 23, 2022
In addition to skipper Joaquin, the current Betis squad has a handful of well-known names in European football including veteran goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, Portugal midfielder William Carvalho and French international Nabil Fekir. Marc Bartra and Cristian Tello (both formely of FC Barcelona) are also amongst the ranks at Betis, as is ex-Arsenal right-back Héctor Bellerín.
Betis survived relegation by five points in 2020 and subsequently climbed to 6th last term during Pellegrini’s first campaign in charge. The 68-year-old Chilean manager has resumed Betis’ rebuild and the Seville-based side are chasing a highest league finish since ending 4th in 2004/05. Betis have been in and around the top five places in LaLiga all through this season, and they currently trail 4th-placed Atlético Madrid by four points.
