The Coín-born striker (Málaga) started his career in the Málaga Club de Fútbol lower categories, and made his debut with the first team in official competition at the age of 16 (Copa del Rey match against Getafe CF on 13th January 2010). Juanmi has two under-19’s European Championships with Spain under his belt (2011 and 2012) and is the youngest player to score twice in a League match (September 2010 against Zaragoza at La Romareda). The striker will return to Málaga CF at the end of the loan period.
19 year-old (turns 20 in May) Juan Miguel Jiménez López, known as ‘Juanmi’, started off in La Academia, where he soon became an international, playing for Spain’s younger teams. In 2009/10, whilst a member of Atlético Malagueño in the Third Division, he was included in the first team line-up to play in a Copa del Rey match against Getafe CF. Not only did he score, but he held the record of being the youngest goal-scorer in Málaga’s history, until Fabrice made his debut this season. During that season, Juanmi played 13 matches with Atlético Malagueño and six with Málaga CF’s first team – five in the First Division and one Cup match. That same year he also played in four matches with Spain’s under-17’s, in which he scored four goals.
In 2010/11, the Coín-born striker continued with Atlético Malagueño, but also played regularly with the first team. Juanmi played in 17 First Division games, scored four goals, and nine Third Division matches. He also scored six goals in nine matches with Spain’s under-18’s and under-19’s. A year later, in 2011/12, Juanmi became a full-time member of the first team – though kept his number ‘26’ shirt, corresponding to reserve team players. He has scored in every competition he’s taken part in, including the under-19’s European qualifier, as well as the European Championship which Spain won. He has played in six First Division matches, one Cup match – scoring a goal in each competition – and nine internationals with the under-19’s where he racked up four goals.
So far this season, Juanmi has taken part in 11 games and scored one goal. As captain of Spain’s under-19’s, the team was once again proclaimed European Champions last summer. As well as the four League games and one Cup match he’s participated in, Juanmi has also played in two UEFA Champions League matches, in which the team qualified as group leaders and sailed through to the next round of the competition.
