Javi Balboa

{{Short description|Equatoguinean footballer (born 1985)}}

{{EngvarB|date=March 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}

{{family name hatnote|Balboa|Osa|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Javier Balboa

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Javier Ángel Balboa Osa

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|5|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Madrid, Spain

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Winger

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1992–1996 | youthclubs1 = CD Avance

| youthyears2 = 1996–1999 | youthclubs2 = Alcalá

| youthyears3 = 1999–2004 | youthclubs3 = Real Madrid

| years1 = 2004–2005 | clubs1 = Real Madrid C | caps1 = 34 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2005–2006 | clubs2 = Real Madrid B | caps2 = 32 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2006–2008 | clubs3 = Real Madrid | caps3 = 7 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2006–2007 | clubs4 = → Racing Santander (loan) | caps4 = 30 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2008–2011 | clubs5 = Benfica | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2010 | clubs6 = → Cartagena (loan) | caps6 = 11 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2011 | clubs7 = → Albacete (loan) | caps7 = 7 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2011–2013 | clubs8 = Beira-Mar | caps8 = 46 | goals8 = 8

| years9 = 2013–2015 | clubs9 = Estoril | caps9 = 41 | goals9 = 5

| years10 = 2015–2016 | clubs10 = Al-Faisaly | caps10 = 24 | goals10 = 8

| years11 = 2016–2017 | clubs11 = Chabab Rif | caps11 = 7 | goals11 = 2

| years12 = 2017 | clubs12 = Trikala | caps12 = 15 | goals12 = 2

| totalcaps = 264 | totalgoals = 28

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2017 | nationalteam1 = Equatorial Guinea | nationalcaps1 = 29 | nationalgoals1 = 5

}}

Javier Ángel Balboa Osa (born 13 May 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger, most notably for Real Madrid and Benfica.

After emerging at Real Madrid's youth system, he could never establish himself in its first team. In 2008 he signed with Benfica, being loaned several times over his contract and leaving three years later.

Born and raised in Spain to Equatorial Guinean parents, Balboa capped for the Equatorial Guinea national team at the 2012 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Club career

=Real Madrid=

Born in Madrid, Balboa arrived at Real Madrid Castilla in the summer of 2005. He eventually settled down, although he missed a part of their season due to first team duty;{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-05-12-2005/abc/Deportes/mucha-presion-de-los-delanteros-dos-medios-centro-y-rotaciones_712786165370.html|title=Mucha presión de los delanteros, dos medios centro y rotaciones|trans-title=A lot of pressure from the forwards, two central midfielders and rotations|newspaper=ABC|first=J. M.|last=Cuéllar|language=es|date=5 December 2005|access-date=27 February 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2005/12/20/mas_futbol/1135033219_850215.html|title=Balboa completa la convocatoria de López Caro para el {{sic|nolink=y|Rácing}}|trans-title=Balboa completes López Caro's squad for Racing|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=20 December 2005|access-date=27 February 2018}} he still finished his first year with 32 games and one goal, in Segunda División.{{cite news|url=http://www.elnortedecastilla.es/pg060522/prensa/noticias/Deportes/200605/22/VAL-DEP-173.html|title=Triplete de Soldado|trans-title=Soldado triple|newspaper=El Norte de Castilla|language=es|date=22 May 2006|access-date=26 February 2018}}

After having toured with the Real Madrid first team in its Austrian tour during the 2006–07 pre-season, Balboa signed a one-year loan deal with Racing de Santander in La Liga in order to gain first team experience, after being told he was not going to be part of the former's plans by manager Fabio Capello.{{cite news|url=http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/racing/es/desarrollo/681308.html|title=Pernía presenta a Balboa y Calatayud y anuncia "cava" para la delantera|trans-title=Pernía presents Balboa and Calatayud and announces "cava" for offense|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=21 August 2006|access-date=7 March 2014}} He was an integral part of the Cantabrian side for the season's duration, scoring in a 2–1 win at RCD Mallorca in the 88th minute, on 16 December 2006.{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2006/12/16/futbol/1166304380.html|title=El Racing vuelve a sonreír en Mallorca|trans-title=Racing smile again in Mallorca|newspaper=El Mundo|first=Patricio|last=Lagomarsino|language=es|date=16 December 2006|access-date=7 March 2014}}

Balboa was praised by Capello's replacement, Bernd Schuster, upon his return from loan, and his contract was extended until 2011. During the 2007 pre-season he was played as a right and left winger, and did well in several games, scoring against Lokomotiv Moscow.{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2007/08/04/deportes/1186178402_850215.html|title=El Madrid golea al Lokomotiv con un Guti estelar|trans-title=Madrid rout Lokomotiv with stellar Guti|newspaper=El País|first=Eleonora|last=Giovio|language=es|date=4 August 2007|access-date=21 February 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2007/08/07/mas_futbol/1186468031_850215.html|title=Aprobado con reparos|trans-title=Passed with notes|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Tomás|last=Roncero|language=es|date=7 August 2007|access-date=21 February 2018}}

Balboa came on in the second half of the UEFA Champions League home match against Olympiacos on 24 October 2007 and, during injury time, scored his first goal in the competition and for Real after being set up by Robinho, in a 4–2 group stage home win.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01c6-0e6ea9ddf73c-205b5e43d599-1000--robinho-double-sends-madrid-top/|title=Robinho double sends Madrid top|publisher=UEFA|date=24 October 2007|access-date=26 February 2018}} On 19 December, he scored his first goal in the Copa del Rey, in a 1–1 draw against Alicante in the fourth round.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01c8-0f84be0f723f-c8049f0461fd-1000--madrid-and-valencia-avert-cup-shocks/|title=Madrid and Valencia avert cup shocks|publisher=UEFA|date=19 December 2007|access-date=6 June 2010}} The previous month, he had come to blows with teammate Pepe during a training session;{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/real_madrid/es/desarrollo/1056064.html|title=Balboa y Pepe se pelean durante el entrenamiento|trans-title=Balboa and Pepe fight during training|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=9 November 2008|access-date=11 September 2008}} he was not called up for Real Madrid's next match, while the Portuguese was.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2007/11/11/mas_futbol/1194766038_850215.html|title=Schuster castiga a Balboa por su pelea con Pepe|trans-title=Schuster punishes Balboa for his fight with Pepe|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Carlos|last=Forjanes|language=es|date=11 November 2007|access-date=26 February 2018}}

=Benfica=

On 25 June 2008, Balboa signed a four-year deal with Benfica for €4 million, as the Portuguese club was managed by Quique Sánchez Flores.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/01ce-0e6f6e4afb92-15d104c4b9f5-1000--lisbon-giants-move-to-strengthen/|title=Lisbon giants move to strengthen|publisher=UEFA|date=25 June 2008|access-date=6 June 2010}} He made 17 competitive appearances in his first season, being ousted from the squad in the second following a wages dispute.{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/benfica/detalhe/balboa-sob-alcada-disciplinar.html|title=Balboa sob alçada disciplinar|trans-title=Balboa under disciplinary proceedings|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=3 September 2009|access-date=28 February 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/benfica/detalhe/balboa-muitos-fizeram-me-a-vida-impossivel-678327.html|title=Balboa: "Muitos fizeram-me a vida impossível"|trans-title=Balboa: "Many made my life impossible"|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=7 January 2011|access-date=26 February 2018}}

On 28 January 2010, Balboa was loaned to FC Cartagena in the second level until the end of the campaign.{{cite news|url=http://www.laopiniondemurcia.es/deportes/2010/01/28/cartagena-logra-cesion-ex-madridista-balboa-llega-benfica/226487.html|title=El Cartagena logra la cesión del ex madridista Balboa, que llega del Benfica|trans-title=Cartagena get loan of former Madrid man Balboa, who arrives from Benfica|newspaper=La Opinión de Murcia|language=es|date=28 January 2010|access-date=21 February 2018}} Returning to Benfica, he found himself limited to training with the first team, and subsequently joined Albacete Balompié on a five-month loan.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/es/news/21/fichajes/2011/01/24/2321626/mercado-es-oficial-balboa-es-cedido-al-albacete-por-el|title=Mercado: Es oficial, Balboa es cedido al Albacete por el Benfica|trans-title=Market: It's official, Balboa is loaned to Albacete by Benfica|publisher=Goal|language=es|date=24 January 2011|access-date=7 March 2014}}

=Beira-Mar=

On 13 August 2011, Balboa terminated his contract with Benfica.{{cite news|url=http://www.ojogo.pt/27-225/artigo940881.asp|title=Balboa rescindiu contrato|trans-title=Balboa terminated contract|newspaper=O Jogo|language=pt|date=13 August 2011|access-date=22 November 2017|archive-date=13 August 2011|archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110813192428/http://www.ojogo.pt/27-225/artigo940881.asp|url-status=dead}} Two days later he signed with S.C. Beira-Mar also in Portugal's Primeira Liga,{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/benfica-javier-balboa-rescinde-e-ja-e-do-beira-mar|title=Benfica: Javier Balboa rescinde e já é do Beira-Mar|trans-title=Benfica: Javier Balboa cuts ties and already belongs to Beira-Mar|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Cunha|language=pt|date=15 August 2011|access-date=27 February 2018}} leaving on 21 June 2013 after the Aveiro team's relegation.{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=410226|title=Balboa rescindiu|trans-title=Balboa cut ties|newspaper=A Bola|language=pt|date=21 June 2013|access-date=22 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624110016/http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=410226|archive-date=24 June 2013}}

=Later years=

On 16 September 2015, after two seasons with G.D. Estoril Praia,{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/futebol-nacional/interior/balboa-assinou-pelo-estoril-por-duas-epocas-3285477.html|title=Balboa assinou pelo Estoril por duas épocas|trans-title=Balboa signed for Estoril for two seasons|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|first=João|last=Ruela|language=pt|date=22 June 2013|access-date=27 February 2018}} Balboa moved to Saudi Arabia after agreeing to a one-year deal with Al-Faisaly FC.{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/transferencias/internacional/oficial-javier-balboa-assina-pelo-al-faisaly|title=Oficial: Javier Balboa assina pelo Al Faisaly|trans-title=Official: Javier Balboa signs for Al Faisaly|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=16 September 2015|access-date=17 September 2015}} On 25 January 2017 he moved clubs and countries again, joining Trikala F.C. in the Football League Greece.{{cite web|url=http://www.gazzetta.gr/football/article/1038203/vomva-me-mpalmpoa-ta-trikala-vids|title="Βόμβα" με Μπαλμπόα τα Τρίκαλα!|trans-title=«Bomb» with Balboa to Trikala!|publisher=Gazzetta|first=Achilleas|last=Tsimpogiannis|language=el|date=25 January 2017|access-date=28 January 2017}}

International career

Balboa made his debut with Equatorial Guinea on 2 June 2007, in a 0–2 loss to Rwanda for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying stage. Also, he appeared in B games against the Region of Murcia{{cite news|url=http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/otras/es/desarrollo/1072460.html|title=Murcia gana por la mínima a Guinea Ecuatorial|trans-title=Murcia get minimal advantage over Equatorial Guinea|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=26 December 2007|access-date=4 June 2011}} and Extremadura in 2007,{{cite news|url=http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/otras/es/desarrollo/1073194.html|title=La selección extremeña inicia su andadura con una victoria|trans-title=Extremaduran autonomous team get going with win|newspaper=Marca|language=es|date=28 December 2007|access-date=4 June 2011}} against Brittany on 2 June 2011 and against French side Issy-les-Moulineaux.

On 21 January 2012, Balboa scored the inaugural goal in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the game's only as the co-hosts defeated Libya.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/jan/21/equatorial-guinea-libya-africa-cup-nations|title=Javier Balboa fires Equatorial Guinea to opening win against Libya|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 January 2012|access-date=30 January 2012}} In the 2015 edition of the tournament, also hosted by his country, he won a penalty after being fouled by Gabon's Lloyd Palun, and converted it to open a 2–0 win which put Equatorial Guinea into the quarter-finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30868923|title=Gabon 0–2 Equatorial Guinea|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Ian|last=Hughes|date=25 January 2015|access-date=25 January 2015}} In the last-eight encounter, against Tunisia, he converted a late penalty to tie the game at 1–1 and eventually take it to extra time, where he scored a free kick to take his country to its first ever semi-final.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30963457|title=Tunisia 1–2 Equatorial Guinea|first=Emlyn|last=Begley|publisher=BBC Sport|date=31 January 2015|access-date=1 February 2015}}

Balboa missed the first penalty in the shootout of the third-place playoff lost to the DR Congo,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31071168|title=Congo DR 0–0 Equatorial Guinea|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 February 2015|access-date=7 February 2015}} but with three goals was the tournament's joint top scorer alongside four other players.

Personal life

Balboa came from a notable Equatorial Guinean family. His paternal great-grandfather, Abilio Balboa Arkins, of Cuban and Sierra Leone Creole descent,{{Cite web|url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5149868.pdf|title=PRESENCIA DE LA SOCIEDAD ABAKUÁ EN FERNANDO POO A FINALES DEL SIGLO XIX|page=7|quote=Today, although there is no memory of their origins, many Cuban surnames are preserved among Creole families: Moreno, Castillo, Riquito, Mata, Rivas, Balboa, Valcárcel, etc.}}{{Cite web|url=https://revistas.uned.es/index.php/endoxa/article/download/16613/14255/30146|title=EL LEGADO CULTURAL DE SIERRA LEONA EN BIOKO. COMPARATIVA DE DOS ESPACIOS DE CRIOLIZACIÓN AFRICANA|page=19|quote=It is in this decade close to the middle of the century when Sierra Leonean families arrived in a second migration to Fernando Poo and still remain in Bioko, such as the King, Jones, Dougan, Atkins and Collins families (Ndongo, 1977, 29).}} was mayor of Santa Isabel (renamed Malabo) during the 1960s. Balboa Arkins' sons were also footballers: Norberto (Javier's paternal grandfather), Armando – both were killed after participating in a failed coup d'état against Francisco Macías Nguema – and Abilio Jr.,{{cite web|url=http://www.bioko.net/galeriaFA/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=75|title=Crónicas de la Guinea Ecuatorial|trans-title=Equatorial Guinea chronicles|publisher=Bioko|language=es|access-date=14 May 2011}} the most prominent of the three who played with his national team. Turn, a daughter of Armando, formed a family in Spain with the son of Domènec Balmanya,{{cite news|url=http://www.as.com/futbol/articulo/balboa-senda-jones/20060102dasdaiftb_24/Tes?print=1|title=Balboa, en la senda de Jones|trans-title=Balboa, in the track of Jones|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=2 January 2006|access-date=14 May 2011}} and they had a son, Israel Balmanya, who was a professional basketball player.{{cite web|url=http://competiciones.feb.es/estadisticas/Jugador.aspx?i=95222&c=75694&med=1|title=Balmanya Balboa, Israel|publisher=Spanish Basketball Federation|language=es|access-date=14 May 2011}}

Balboa had another cousin Richard Nguema, a basketball player who played with, amongst others, Real Madrid and the Equatorial Guinea national team.{{cite news|url=http://www.as.com/baloncesto/articulo/primo-balboa-canterano-antiguo/20061221dasdaibal_4/Tes|title=El primo de Balboa es el canterano más antiguo|trans-title=Balboa's cousin is oldest youth system member|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Ricardo|last=González|language=es|date=21 December 2006|access-date=16 June 2011}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|12 May 2016}}{{soccerway|javier-balboa/3269}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Madrid B

|2005–06{{cite web|url=http://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j1224.html|title=Balboa: Javier Ángel Balboa Osa|publisher=BDFutbol|access-date=28 September 2015}}

|Segunda División

|32

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—321
rowspan="3"|Real Madrid

|2005–06

|La Liga

|2

0101{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Champions League|name=UCL}}040
2007–08

|La Liga

|5

04{{efn|Includes one appearance in Supercopa de España|name=SSC}}12{{efn|name=UCL}}1112
colspan="2"|Total

!7

05131152
Racing Santander (loan)

|2006–07

|La Liga

|30

120colspan="2"|—321
Benfica

|2008–09{{cite web|url=https://www.foradejogo.net/player.php?player=198505130001&language=2|title=Balboa|publisher=ForaDeJogo|access-date=28 September 2015}}

|Primeira Liga

|10

0403{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Cup|name=UC}}0170
Cartagena (loan)

|2009–10

|Segunda División

|11

000colspan="2"|—110
Albacete (loan)

|2010–11

|Segunda División

|7

000colspan="2"|—70
rowspan="3"|Beira-Mar

|2011–12

|Primeira Liga

|25

320colspan="2"|—273
2012–13

|Primeira Liga

|21

551colspan="2"|—266
colspan="2"|Total

!46

871colspan="2"|—539
rowspan="3"|Estoril

|2013–14

|Primeira Liga

|28

4617{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League|name=UEL}}0415
2014–15

|Primeira Liga

|13

1101{{efn|name=UEL}}0151
colspan="2"|Total

!41

57180566
Al-Faisaly

|2015–16

|Saudi Professional League

|24

800colspan="2"|—248
colspan="3"|Career total

!203

2325314124727

{{notelist}}

=International=

{{updated|31 January 2015}}

:Scores and results list Equatorial Guinea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Balboa goal.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Javier Balboa{{cite news|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/javier-angel-balboa-osa/3269/matches/|title=Javier Balboa – Matches|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=21 February 2018}}

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|121 January 2012Estadio de Bata, Bata, Equatorial Guinea{{fb|LBY}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–02012 Africa Cup of Nations
align="center"|225 January 2015Estadio de Bata, Bata, Equatorial Guinea{{fb|GAB}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–02015 Africa Cup of Nations
align="center"|3rowspan="2"|31 January 2015rowspan="2"|Estadio de Bata, Bata, Equatorial Guinearowspan="2"|{{fb|TUN}}align="center"|1–1rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|2–1rowspan="2"|2015 Africa Cup of Nations
align="center"|4align="center"|2–1

Honours

Real Madrid

Benfica

Individual

References

{{Reflist}}