Juan Velasco (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Juan Velasco

| image =

| fullname = Juan Velasco Damas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|5|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dos Hermanas, Spain

| height = 1.79 m

| position = Right-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1987–1995 | youthclubs1 = Sevilla

| years1 = 1995–1996 | clubs1 = Coria | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1996–1997 | clubs2 = Sevilla B | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1997–1999 | clubs3 = Sevilla | caps3 = 79 | goals3 = 3

| years4 = 1999–2004 | clubs4 = Celta | caps4 = 134 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2004–2006 | clubs5 = Atlético Madrid | caps5 = 46 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2006–2007 | clubs6 = Espanyol | caps6 = 20 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2008 | clubs7 = Norwich City | caps7 = 3 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2008–2009 | clubs8 = Panthrakikos | caps8 = 25 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2010–2011 | clubs9 = AEL | caps9 = 27 | goals9 = 0

| totalcaps = 348 | totalgoals = 5

| nationalyears1 = 1998–1999 | nationalteam1 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2000 | nationalteam2 = Spain | nationalcaps2 = 5 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2013–2016 | managerclubs1 = Xerez B

| manageryears2 = 2016 | managerclubs2 = Extremadura

| manageryears3 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs3 = Sevilla (youth)

| manageryears4 = 2019–2020 | managerclubs4 = Sevilla C

| manageryears5 = 2021 | managerclubs5 = Alcalá

| manageryears6 = 2021–2022 | managerclubs6 = Santa Coloma

| manageryears7 = 2022 | managerclubs7 = Inter d'Escaldes

}}

Juan Velasco Damas (born 17 May 1977) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a right-back. He is also a manager.

He represented eight clubs during his career, appearing in 213 matches in La Liga and scoring one goal. He also competed abroad in England and Greece.

Velasco represented Spain at Euro 2000.

Club career

Born in Dos Hermanas, Province of Seville, Velasco started representing professionally local giants Sevilla FC, appearing in 13 La Liga matches in the 1996–97 season, which ended in relegation. His league debut occurred on 5 March 1997 in a 2–0 away loss against Rayo Vallecano, and in the following two years he totalled 72 official appearances, contributing prominently in the second as the Andalusians returned to the top flight.{{cite news|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/gradario/2021/08/06/velasco-probara-suerte-futbol-andorrano/00031628281096131707759.htm|title=Velasco: «Al Celta le tengo una estima muy importante»|trans-title=Velasco: "I cherish Celta as high as can be"|newspaper=La Voz de Galicia|language=es|date=6 August 2021|access-date=3 July 2024}}

After helping Sevilla to promote, Velasco joined RC Celta de Vigo, experiencing his most successful period: in 2002–03 he played 31 games to help the Galician club to qualify for the first time ever for the UEFA Champions League; in the following campaign, however, he saw them suffer relegation.{{cite web|url=http://www.yojugueenelcelta.com/2008/05/juan-velasco.html|title=Juan Velasco|publisher=Yo Jugué en el Celta|language=es|date=9 May 2008|access-date=11 April 2015}} He scored his only goal in the main division on 4 January 2000, closing the 1–1 draw at Valencia CF.{{cite news|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/gradario/hemeroteca/2017/01/04/velasco-lograba-dia-hoy-unico-gol-celta/00031483523091169980974.htm|title=Velasco lograba tal día como hoy su único gol con el Celta|trans-title=Velasco got his only goal with Celta on a day like today|newspaper=La Voz de Galicia|language=es|date=4 January 2017|access-date=3 July 2024}}

Velasco spent the next three years at Atlético Madrid (two) and RCD Espanyol, averaging 22 matches per season. On 18 February 2008, the free agent signed a three-month contract with Championship side Norwich City after a successful trial.{{cite web|url=http://www.canaries.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~1244108,00.html|title=City sign Velasco on Bosman|publisher=Norwich City F.C.|date=18 February 2008|access-date=18 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219151140/http://www.canaries.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0%2C%2C10355~1244108%2C00.html|archive-date=19 February 2008}} At the end of the campaign he left for Panthrakikos FC, recently promoted to the Super League Greece.

After one and a half seasons, Velasco moved teams in January 2010 but stayed in the country, with Athlitiki Enosi Larissa FC. He retired in June of the following year at the age of 34, and in 2013 returned to football, being appointed manager of Xerez CD B.{{cite web|url=http://www.xerezcd.com/noticia/juan-velasco-entrenara-al-xerez-b/9333/|title=Juan Velasco entrenará al Xerez "B"|trans-title=Juan Velasco will coach Xerez "B"|publisher=Xerez CD|language=es|date=22 August 2013|access-date=31 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217090505/http://www.xerezcd.com/noticia/juan-velasco-entrenara-al-xerez-b/9333/|archive-date=17 December 2013}}

On 13 October 2016, Velasco signed as head coach of Segunda División B's Extremadura UD.{{cite news|url=http://www.hoy.es/deportes/futbol/liga-segunda-b/201610/13/juan-velasco-nuevo-entrenador-20161013115907.html|title=Juan Velasco, nuevo entrenador del Extremadura|trans-title=Juan Velasco, new Extremadura manager|newspaper=Hoy|first=Raúl|last=Peña|language=es|date=13 October 2016|access-date=13 October 2016}}

International career

Velasco was capped five times by Spain, his debut coming on 26 January 2000 in a 3–0 friendly win over Poland in Cartagena.{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2000/01/26/deportes/948927239.html|title=España dota de argumentos a Camacho con otra goleada|trans-title=Spain give reasons to Camacho with another rout|newspaper=El Mundo|language=es|date=26 January 2000|access-date=31 December 2013}} Selected for UEFA Euro 2000,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/euro2000/teams/spain/759256.stm|title=Spanish squad unveiled|publisher=BBC Sport|date=28 May 2000|access-date=4 January 2013}} he did not leave the bench.{{cite news|url=https://blogs.20minutos.es/quefuede/2016/03/30/que-fue-de-juan-velasco-un-internacional-salido-de-la-cantera-del-sevilla/|title=Qué fue de… Juan Velasco: un internacional salido de la cantera del Sevilla|trans-title=What happened to… Juan Velasco: international from Sevilla's youth system|newspaper=20 minutos|first=Edu|last=Casado|language=es|date=30 March 2016|access-date=3 July 2024}}