José Mari

Football player infobox
playername= José Mari


fullname = José Maria Romero Poyón
height = 183 cm
weight = 78 kg
nickname =
dateofbirth = December 10, 1978
cityofbirth = Seville
countryofbirth = Spain
currentclub = Real Betis
clubnumber = 24
position = Striker
youthyears = 1994-1995
1995-1996
youthclubs = Lledón
Sevilla FC
years = 1996-1997
1997-1999
2000-2003
2002-2003
2003-2007
2007-
clubs = Sevilla FC
Atlético Madrid
AC Milan
→Atlético Madrid (loan)
Villarreal CF
Real Betis
caps(goals) = 21 (7)
84 (20)
52 (5)
31 (6)
113 (15)
16 (1)
nationalyears = 2001-2003
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 4 (1)
pcupdate = August 30, 2008
ntupdate = August 30, 2008

José Mari, full name José María Romero Poyón (born December 10, 1978 in Seville), is a Spanish footballer of Romani origin [ [http://www.imninalu.net/famousGypsies.htm Famous gypsies] ] who plays for Real Betis, who was a member of the national squad competing at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He plays as a striker or winger.

After growing through the ranks of local Sevilla FC (first appearing with the main side aged just 18, on March 5, 1997, in a 0-2 defeat at Rayo Vallecano, and making 21 appearances with 7 goals during that season, as Sevilla was finally relegated) and international status in Atlético Madrid (scoring 18 league goals in his first two seasons combined), José Mari failed to settle in Italy when he moved to A.C. Milan in January 2000, and was subsequently loaned out to the "colchoneros" during the 2002-03 season.

He moved to Villarreal CF in the summer of 2003 and went on to play a key role in the Intertoto Cup triumph and the club's best ever league finish (third in 2004-05, with 4 goals in 30 matches).

In 2007, after falling out of favour at Villarreal with the arrival of Giuseppe Rossi and the recovery of longtime injury absentee Nihat Kahveci, José Mari returned to Seville, joining Real Betis Balompié on a one-year deal.

He scored his first goal for Betis more than a year after his arrival, on September 24, 2008, in a 2-3 defeat at FC Barcelona.

ee also

*José Maria

References

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=6391 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon
* [http://futbol.sportec.es/seleccion/ficha_jugador.asp?j=316&n=jose/mari/jose/maria/romero/payon National team data] es icon