Spanish footballer
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
Rico and the second or maternal family name is
Castro .
Fran Rico Personal information Full name Francisco Manuel Rico Castro Date of birth (1987-08-03 ) 3 August 1987 (age 38) Place of birth Portonovo , SpainHeight 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Position Midfielder Team information Current team
Olympiacos (assistant)Youth career 1997–2001 Portonovo 2001–2005 Pontevedra Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 2005–2008 Pontevedra 60 (3) 2008–2011 Real Madrid B 50 (10) 2011–2019 Granada 111 (9) 2016–2018 →Eibar (loan) 17 (2) Total 238 (24) Managerial career 2023 Sevilla (assistant)2024– Olympiacos (assistant)* Club domestic league appearances and goals
Francisco Manuel Rico Castro (born 3 August 1987) is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder .
Brought up atPontevedra , he spent most of his career – riddled with injury problems – atGranada , appearing in 117 competitive matches.[ 1] La Liga , he also played withEibar .
Born inPortonovo ,Province of Pontevedra , Rico joined localPontevedra CF 's youth ranks at the age of 14, making his senior debut on 18 December 2005 in aSegunda División B match againstCD San Isidro .[ 2] [ 3]
Mainly asubstitute in hisfirst year , he became an important part of theGalicians ' squad the following seasons.[ 4] [ 5]
Rico joinedReal Madrid in summer 2008, being assigned to thereserve team also in the third division. He made his debut on 31 August, scoring the first goal in a 2–0 win atUD Vecindario .[ 6] CD Alfaro , he suffered ananterior cruciate ligament injury eight minutes into the match, being lost for the rest ofthe campaign .[ 7]
Thirteen months after his injury, Rico played his first game ofthe season , againstRSD Alcalá .[ 8] Gimnástica de Torrelavega , frompenalties .[ 9]
In the first round of2010–11 , Rico found the net againstCoruxo FC in a 3–2 home win.[ 10] unsuccessful promotion playoffs .[ 11]
On 5 August 2011, Rico left Castilla and signed forGranada CF , with Real Madrid retaining an option for the player in case of a future transfer.[ 12] La Liga goal in only his second league game for his new team: after replacingMoisés Hurtado athalf-time , he netted the equaliser in an eventual 1–1 home draw withCA Osasuna .[ 13]
In April 2012, Rico was sidelined for the rest ofthe season after suffering another injury to his right knee.[ 14] [ 15] following campaign .[ 16]
Rico was ever-present for theAndalusians in2013–14 , with his side narrowly avoiding relegation.[ 1] [ 17]
On 26 August 2016, Rico was loaned to fellow top-tierSD Eibar for two years.[ 18] Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in a 1–1 draw.[ 19] 2017–18 season due to the same ailment.[ 20] [ 21]
Returning to Granada for2018–19 , Rico only appeared in one league match during the campaign for the runners-up.[ 22] [ 23]
After retiring, Rico worked with Eibar andSporting de Gijón in directorial capacities.[ 24] José Luis Mendilibar 's staffs atSevilla FC [ 25] Olympiacos FC .[ 26]
Pontevedra
^a b Lamelas, Rafael (17 July 2018)."El pulso de Fran Rico contra su rodilla" [Fran Rico's fight against his knee].Ideal . Retrieved9 August 2019 . ^ "El Pontevedra cobrará 250.000 euros por Fran Rico" [Pontevedra will receive €250,000 for Fran Rico].Diario de Pontevedra the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved13 February 2011 .^ "Portonovo entregará la Raia de Ouro al futbolista Fran Rico" [Portonovo to award Golden Sash to footballer Fran Rico].La Voz de Galicia . Retrieved23 April 2024 .^ "Gracia convoca a 16 futbolistas siendo Fran Castaño la gran novedad del fin de semana" [Gracia calls 16 footballers with Fran Castaño as the weekend's greatest new face].La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 6 January 2008. Retrieved22 April 2024 .^ Sáez, Lara (31 May 2023)."Fran Rico, un entrenador por sorpresa" [Fran Rico, manager by accident].Diario do Salnés (in Spanish). Retrieved23 April 2024 . ^ Velasco, Álvaro (31 August 2008)."El filial del Real Madrid comienza la Liga con buen pie" [Real Madrid reserves start league on the right foot] (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Archived fromthe original on 7 November 2009. Retrieved4 September 2010 . ^ Del Moral, Patricia (6 October 2008)."Fran Rico inicia su recuperación" [Fran Rico starts rehabilitation] (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Archived fromthe original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved4 September 2010 . ^ Piñero, Alberto (12 December 2009)." ["There are no crybabies at Castilla"] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. Retrieved23 April 2024 . ^ Monge, Cristina (8 November 2009)."4–2: Querer es poder" [4–2: When there's a will there's a way] (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Archived fromthe original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved4 September 2010 . ^ Blanco, Lidia; O'Donnell, Michael J. (29 August 2010)."The youth team takes the first three points at stake" . Real Madrid CF. Archived fromthe original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved3 September 2010 . ^ Burgos, Julián (30 May 2011)."Paco Esteban rompe el sueño del Castilla" [Paco Esteban shatters Castilla's dream].Diario AS . Retrieved22 April 2024 . ^ "Fran Rico ficha por el Granada" [Fran Rico signs for Granada].Marca . Retrieved6 August 2011 .^ "Granada and Osasuna share spoils" .ESPN Soccernet . 25 September 2011. Archived fromthe original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved28 September 2011 .^ "Fran Rico, lesionado para el resto de temporada" [Fran Rico, injured for rest of the season].Marca (in Spanish). 14 April 2012. Retrieved23 July 2013 .^ "Fran Rico: "Estad tranquilos, que volveré" [Fran Rico: "Don't worry, i'll be back"].Ideal (in Spanish). 16 August 2012. Archived fromthe original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved23 July 2013 .^ "Fran Rico será baja toda la temporada tras su operación" [Fran Rico will miss entire season after surgery].Ideal (in Spanish). 25 January 2013. Archived fromthe original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved23 July 2013 .^ "Fran Rico renueva por cinco temporadas" [Fran Rico renews for five seasons] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 26 February 2015. Archived fromthe original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved26 February 2015 .^ "Fran Rico se marcha al Eibar cedido por dos temporadas" [Fran Rico goes out to Eibar on loan for two seasons] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 26 August 2016. Retrieved27 August 2016 .^ Caleya, M.J. (2 October 2016)."El Eibar sorprende en el Bernabéu y agrava la crisis del Madrid" [Eibar surprise at the Bernabéu and extend Madrid's crisis] (in Spanish).RTVE . Retrieved23 April 2024 . ^ Barroso, Ander (18 September 2017)."El infierno de Fran Rico" [The hell of Fran Rico].Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved30 April 2018 . ^ Ramajo, Roberto (10 January 2018)."Confirmado: Fran Rico no jugará esta temporada" [Confirmed: Fran Rico will not play this season] (in Spanish).Cadena SER . Retrieved30 April 2018 . ^ "Fran Rico vuelve dos años y cuatro meses después" [Fran Rico returns two years and four months later] (in Spanish). Be Soccer. 8 June 2019. Retrieved9 August 2019 .^ "Comunicado | El Granada CF y Fran Rico acuerdan su desvinculación del club" [Announcement | Granada CF and Fran Rico agree his release from the club] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 16 July 2019. Retrieved17 July 2019 .^ Vigil Morán, Alejandro (9 May 2022)."Fran Rico, fichaje de Javi Rico para el Sporting" [Fran Rico, Javi Rico's signing for Sporting].La Voz de Asturias . Retrieved5 July 2022 . ^ Florido, Eduardo (21 March 2023)."El escueto cuerpo técnico de Mendilibar" [Mendilibar's short coaching staff].Diario de Sevilla . Retrieved22 April 2024 . ^ Sánchez, Gonzalo (19 April 2024)."El portonovés Fran Rico hace historia con Mendilibar en Grecia al meter a Olympiacos en semifinales europeas" [Portonovo-born Fran Rico makes history with Mendilibar in Greece as they put Olympiacos in European semi-finals].Diario de Arousa (in Spanish). Retrieved22 April 2024 . ^ Fran Rico at BDFutbol^ Fran Rico at Soccerway^ "El Pontevedra, campeón desmotivado ante el Pájara" [Pontevedra, unmotivated champions against Pájara].Faro de Vigo . Retrieved22 April 2024 .^ Torre, Raúl."Spain – List of Copa Federación RFEF Finals" .RSSSF . Retrieved2 April 2024 . 
