Fran Álvarez (footballer, born 1998)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Fran Álvarez

| image =

| full_name = Francisco Javier Álvarez Rodríguez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|1|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Benidorm, Spain

| height = 1.78 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Widzew Łódź

| clubnumber = 10

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Villarreal

| years1 = 2017–2018

| clubs1 = Villarreal C

| caps1 = 31

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2017–2020

| clubs2 = Villarreal B

| caps2 = 33

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2020–2021

| clubs3 = Valladolid B

| caps3 = 29

| goals3 = 6

| years4 = 2021–2023

| clubs4 = Albacete

| caps4 = 54

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2023–

| clubs5 = Widzew Łódź

| caps5 = 54

| goals5 = 12

| club-update = 5 April 2025

}}

Francisco Javier "Fran" Álvarez Rodríguez (born 21 January 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Polish club Widzew Łódź.

Career

= Youth career =

Born in Socovos, Albacete, Castilla-La Mancha,{{Cite web |title=Fran Álvarez |url=http://www.90minut.pl/kariera.php?id=47208 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.90minut.pl}} Álvarez was a Villarreal CF youth graduate.{{Cite web |title=Zawodnik Widzew Łódź: Fran Álvarez |url=https://widzew.com/zespoly/druzyna/item/Alvarez/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Widzew |language=pl}}

= Villareal CF =

He made his senior debut with the reserves on 19 August 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute for Dani Raba in a 1–0 Segunda División B away win over CD Atlético Baleares,{{Cite web |title=Spain - Fran Álvarez - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway |url=https://ng.soccerway.com/players/francisco-javier-alvarez-rodriguez/423635/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=ng.soccerway.com}}{{Cite web |title=Atlético Baleares vs. Villarreal II - 19 August 2017 - Soccerway |url=https://ng.soccerway.com/matches/2017/08/19/spain/segunda-b/club-deportivo-atletico-baleares/villarreal-cf-ii/2539392/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=ng.soccerway.com}} but spent the vast majority of the campaign playing for the C-team in Tercera División.

= Real Valladolid Promesas =

On 16 January 2020, Álvarez moved to another reserve team, Real Valladolid Promesas, which was also in the third division.{{cite web|url=https://www.eldiadevalladolid.com/Noticia/zc9479ce1-0bb0-f145-efc92a0b4a25e85a/202001/Fran-Alvarez-nuevo-refuerzo-del-Promesas|title=Fran Álvarez, nuevo refuerzo del Promesas|trans-title=Fran Álvarez, new addition of Promesas|publisher=El Día de Valladolid|language=es|date=16 January 2020|accessdate=18 August 2022}}

= Albacete Balompié =

On 7 July 2021, he signed a one-year deal with Albacete Balompié, freshly relegated to Primera División RFEF.{{cite web|url=https://www.albacetebalompie.es/noticia/fran-alvarez-se-une-al-proyecto-del-alba|title=Fran Álvarez se une al proyecto del Alba|trans-title=Fran Álvarez joins the project of Alba|publisher=Albacete Balompié|language=es|date=7 July 2021|accessdate=18 August 2022}}

On 21 June 2022, after being regularly used as Alba achieved promotion to the second division, Álvarez signed a new one-year contract with the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.albacetebalompie.es/noticia/fran-alvarez-seguira-vistiendo-la-camiseta-del-alba|title=Fran Álvarez seguirá vistiendo la camiseta del Alba|trans-title=Fran Álvarez will continue wearing the shirt of Alba|publisher=Albacete Balompié|language=es|date=21 June 2022|accessdate=18 August 2022}} He made his professional debut on 9 October, replacing goalscorer Manu Fuster in a 1–1 home draw against CD Tenerife.{{cite web|url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/cronica/2022/10/09/6343006dca4741f2068b458d.html|title=El Albacete resiste ante un Tenerife que no puede contra diez|trans-title=Albacete resist against a Tenerife which cannot handle ten man|publisher=Marca|language=es|date=9 October 2022|accessdate=9 October 2022}}

Álvarez scored his first professional goal on 7 May 2023, netting the opener in a 5–0 away routing of UD Ibiza.{{Cite web |title=Ibiza vs. Albacete - 7 May 2023 - Soccerway |url=https://ng.soccerway.com/matches/2023/05/07/spain/segunda-division/ud-ibiza/albacete-balompie/3812237/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=ng.soccerway.com}}

= Widzew Łódź =

On 26 June, he moved abroad for the first time in his career and signed a two-year contract with Polish Ekstraklasa side Widzew Łódź,{{cite web|url=https://widzew.com/aktualnosci/item/Fran-Alvarez-zawodnikiem-Widzewa-Lodz/|title=Fran Alvarez zawodnikiem Widzewa Łódź|trans-title=Fran Alvarez joins Widzew Łódź|publisher=Widzew Łódź|language=pl|date=26 June 2023|accessdate=29 June 2023}} where he was assigned squad number #10. He debuted in his new club on 23 July 2023 in a 3–2 home victory over Puszcza Niepołomice. He also scored his first goal for Widzew in the 35th minute of that match. During that season, he played 31 times (of which 28 Ekstraklasa matches were played and three in the Polish Cup).{{Cite web |title=Fran Álvarez (season 2023–24) |url=http://www.90minut.pl/wystepy.php?id=47208&id_sezon=103 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.90minut.pl}} On 1 September 2024, he was given two yellow cards and, as a consequence, he received a red card and was sent off the pitch.{{Cite web |last=S.A |first=Telewizja Polska |date=2024-09-01 |title=Fran Alvarez odbił piłkę i zobaczył czerwoną kartkę… Czy słusznie? |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/82078633/pilka-nozna-pko-bp-ekstraklasa-fran-alvarez-odbil-pilke-i-zobaczyl-czerwona-kartke-czy-slusznie |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=sport.tvp.pl |language=pl}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-01 |title=Zły początek i czerwona kartka. Widzew przegrał z Jagiellonią |url=https://lodzkisport.pl/zly-poczatek-i-czerwona-kartka-widzew-przegrywa-z-jagiellonia/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Łódzki Sport |language=pl-PL}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-02 |title=Kontrowersje w meczu Widzewa. Czy Alvarez zasłużył na czerwoną kartkę? |url=https://lodzkisport.pl/kontrowersje-w-meczu-widzewa-czy-alvarez-zasluzyl-na-czerwona-kartke/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Łódzki Sport |language=pl-PL}}{{Cite web |title=Fran Álvarez (season 2024–25) |url=http://www.90minut.pl/wystepy.php?id=47208&id_sezon=105 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.90minut.pl}}