Joselu

2.1. Celta Vigo

Joselu started his youth career with SD Silleda before joining Celta Vigo in 2002. He played for Celta's B-team in the third level from 2004. He made his first two professional appearances for the senior team in the second division during the latter part of the 2008-09 season at the age of 18. In the summer of 2009, Joselu was purchased by Real Madrid but was immediately loaned back to Celta for another season. During the 2009-10 campaign, he was relatively utilized but only managed to score four goals as the team finished in 12th position.

2.2. Real Madrid (First Spell)

Upon returning to Real Madrid, Joselu primarily played for Real Madrid Castilla, the club's B-team. In the 2010-11 season, he was Castilla's top scorer alongside Álvaro Morata, although the team failed to secure promotion in the playoffs. On 21 May 2011, he made his first-team and La Liga debut, coming on as a substitute for Karim Benzema in the final ten minutes of a home fixture against UD Almería. He scored almost immediately from a Cristiano Ronaldo cross, contributing to an 8-1 victory for Real Madrid.

On 20 December 2011, Joselu made his second official appearance for the main squad in a 2011-12 Copa del Rey match against SD Ponferradina. He replaced Benzema in the 77th minute and scored the fourth goal two minutes later in an eventual 5-1 win.
In his second season with Castilla (2011-12), Joselu became a crucial offensive player under manager Alberto Toril. He netted 26 goals-19 in the regular season and seven in the playoffs-making him the competition's top scorer and helping his team gain promotion to the second division after five years, as champions. This impressive performance attracted the interest of several European clubs.
Reflecting on his time at Real Madrid in 2015, Joselu stated that he had no regrets despite limited first-team opportunities, citing valuable experiences training with elite players and manager José Mourinho. Overall, he scored 40 goals in 72 appearances for Real Madrid Castilla.

2.3. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

On 8 August 2012, Joselu signed a four-year contract with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for an undisclosed transfer fee. He made his Bundesliga debut on 16 September, playing 30 minutes in a 3-5 away loss against SC Freiburg. Ten days later, he scored his first goal for his new club, contributing to a 3-0 victory against VfB Stuttgart. On 19 October 2012, he added a brace against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. In his debut season, Joselu made 25 appearances for Hoffenheim, scoring five goals as the club finished 16th, narrowly avoiding relegation.

2.4. Hannover 96

On 9 June 2014, Joselu joined Hannover 96 on a four-year deal, with a transfer fee reported to be €5.00 M EUR. In his single season with the club, he made 32 appearances and scored 10 goals.

2.5. Stoke City

On 16 June 2015, Joselu moved to English side Stoke City for a transfer fee of £5.75 M GBP, fulfilling his lifelong ambition to play in England's top division. He made his Premier League debut on 15 August as a 59th-minute substitute against Tottenham Hotspur. In that match, he won a penalty after being fouled by Toby Alderweireld, which was converted by Marko Arnautović, helping Stoke come from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw. On 28 December, after replacing compatriot Bojan, Joselu scored his first goal for the Potters in a 4-3 win against Everton. He played 27 times for Stoke in the 2015-16 season, scoring four goals as the team finished ninth. Towards the end of the campaign, Stoke manager Mark Hughes commented that Joselu had a slow start to his career in English football, but praised his technical ability.

2.6. Newcastle United

On 16 August 2017, Joselu joined Premier League side Newcastle United on a three-year contract for a fee of £5.00 M GBP. He made his debut four days later as a 52nd-minute substitute against Huddersfield Town in a 1-0 loss. His first goal for the club came on 26 August in a 3-0 home victory over West Ham United.
Joselu's form was inconsistent, similar to other forwards in the team, as Newcastle struggled in the league. However, he remained the team's top scorer by January when he scored in a 1-1 draw with Swansea City. He also had a penalty saved by Nick Pope in another 1-1 draw against Burnley. He finished the season as the third-highest top scorer for Newcastle, behind Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Pérez. In the 2018-19 season, Joselu became the fourth-choice striker, behind Pérez and new signings Salomón Rondón and Yoshinori Muto. His only two league goals of the season both came in August, in losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. His final goal for Newcastle was in an FA Cup third-round replay victory over Blackburn Rovers on 15 January 2019. By March, he was no longer part of the squad.

2.7. Deportivo Alavés

On 15 July 2019, Joselu returned to La Liga, signing a three-year contract with Alavés for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £2.50 M GBP. On his debut on 18 August, he scored the only goal in a home win against Levante. On 24 November, he netted both goals in the final six minutes of an away match against fellow Basque club SD Eibar.
In the 2020-21 season, Joselu scored both home and away against Real Madrid, including a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on 28 November, which marked Alavés's first win at that venue since May 2000. In his final season at the Mendizorrotza Stadium before his contract expired in 2022, he was the league's seventh-highest scorer with 14 goals in 37 games, making him Alavés's all-time top scorer in La Liga history.

2.8. RCD Espanyol

On 27 June 2022, following Alavés's relegation from La Liga, Joselu signed a three-year deal with Espanyol as a free agent. He made his debut for the club on 13 August against his former club Celta Vigo, where he scored from a penalty, awarded via VAR, in a 2-2 draw.

Despite Espanyol's eventual relegation, Joselu was a primary goal scorer, netting 16 goals in 34 games, making him La Liga's third-highest scorer for the season, behind Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona and Karim Benzema of Real Madrid. For his performance, he received the Zarra Trophy for the 2022-23 season.

2.9. Return to Real Madrid

On 19 June 2023, Real Madrid announced that Joselu would return to the club on a loan deal until 30 June 2024, with an option to buy at the end of the season. On 12 August 2023, he made his first appearance after his return, coming on in the 80th minute of a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao in the league. On 2 September 2023, Joselu scored his first goal of the season against Getafe in a 2-1 victory.

He made his first UEFA Champions League appearance on 20 September 2023, in a group stage match against Union Berlin. On 29 November, he scored his first Champions League goal, securing a 4-2 win against Napoli. On 12 December, he scored a brace in a 3-2 away win over Union Berlin, helping Real Madrid finish top of their Group C with a perfect record of six wins from six matches.
On 14 January 2024, Joselu won his first club career trophy as he participated in Madrid's 2024 Supercopa de España triumph. He scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Atlético Madrid and came on as a substitute in the final against Barcelona. On 8 May, Joselu scored two late and decisive goals for Real Madrid in a 2-1 victory against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals second leg, sending them through to the final. Real Madrid later won the final 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London. After the season concluded, Real Madrid exercised the option to sign him permanently for €1.50 M EUR. Despite the permanent offer, Joselu reportedly desired an overseas transfer due to anticipated reduced playing time with the arrivals of Kylian Mbappé and Endrick, and was offered an annual salary of €17.00 M EUR by his next club.

2.10. Al Gharafa

On 28 June 2024, it was announced that Joselu had joined Qatar Stars League side Al Gharafa from Real Madrid on a two-year deal. This transfer was finalized just one day after Real Madrid had exercised their option to buy him permanently. He reportedly signed a contract worth €17.00 M EUR annually.

6.1. Club

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2023-24
• Supercopa de España: 2024
• UEFA Champions League: 2023-24

6.2. International

Spain

• UEFA European Championship: 2024
• UEFA Nations League: 2022-23

6.3. Individual

• Zarra Trophy: 2022-23

7.1. Club

7.2. International

8.1. Evaluation and Perception in Football

Joselu has consistently demonstrated his ability to score goals across various leagues and teams, often performing as a primary forward. His return to Real Madrid, initially on loan, highlighted his capacity to deliver in crucial moments, particularly with decisive goals in the UEFA Champions League and Supercopa de España. Despite sometimes facing challenges with consistent starting opportunities, his technical proficiency, movement, and finishing ability have been noted by coaches such as Mark Hughes, contributing significantly to teams he has played for. His strong performance at Espanyol, where he was a top scorer despite the team's relegation, and his impact on Spain's national team, underscore his consistent offensive threat and ability to influence match outcomes, leading to major international honors.