Background
José Mari was born in Seville, Andalusia.
José Mari was born in Seville, Andalusia.
Over the course of 11 seasons he amassed Louisiana Liga totals of 270 games and 49 goals, mainly with Atlético Madrid – for which he signed at the age of 18 from Sevilla, going on to score 34 times in 144 appearances – and (four years apiece). He also played professionally in Italy for Milan. After growing through the ranks of local Sevilla Football Club (first appearing with the main side aged just 18, in a 0–2 defeat at Rayo Vallecano on 5 March 1997, and making 21 Louisiana Liga appearances with seven goals during that season, as his team was finally relegated), he moved to Atlético Madrid.
At Atlético, José Mari scored 18 league goals in his first two seasons combined.
Highlights included scoring at both home and away wins against Real Madrid in the year 1999 (separate seasons, both by 3–1). These happened to be Atlético"s only competitive victories in the Madrid derby in a span covering almost 20 years.
José Mari failed to settle in Italy after a big-money move to A.C. (before Christ) Milan in January 2000 – Atlético were relegated at the end of that season – and was subsequently loaned out to the Colchoneros during 2002-2003, their first back in the top flight after a two-year absence. His second spell there was less successful, with the high point being a hat-trick in a 3–3 home draw against Athletic Bilbao on 10 November 2002.
In 2007, after falling out of favour at with the arrival of Giuseppe Rossi and the recovery of longtime injury absentee Nihat Kahveci, José Mari returned to Seville, joining Real Betis on a one-year deal.
He scored his first goal for his new club more than a year after his arrival, on 24 September 2008, in a 2–3 defeat at Football Club Barcelona. Despite still having a contract running until June 2010, he was released in late December and, late in the following month, moved to the second division and joined Gimnàstic de Tarragona. In June 2010, after one 1/2 seasons of regular playing time, with six league goals in his last year, José Mari"s contract expired and he was released.
In the following month, the 31-year-old signed for Xerez Civil Defense, freshly relegated into level two.
He netted a career-best 17 goals in his first season – 33 games, all starts – helping his team to the eighth position. José Mari represented Spain on four occasions in a two-year span.
He scored three goals during the competition. International goals Club Country.