Julio Álvarez Mosquera

Julio Álvarez Mosquera, Álvarez (born 1 May 1981 in Caracas), is a Venezuela-Spain professional Association football who plays as a midfielder, currently for UD Almería in the La Liga.

Football career

A playmaker, Álvarez started his career with Deportivo de La Coruña, showing early promise and playing for Spain national under-17 football team at the 1996 Meridian Cup (winning the tournament) and the 1998 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship (third place). Subsequently, he joined Real Madrid but, despite very good performances for Real Madrid B and Real Madrid C, could never break into the first team.

Following a successful season for Real Madrid B, Álvarez was loaned to Racing de Santander in La Liga 2000-01. However, he was mostly injured, and could not help the Cantabria team escape relegation at the season's end. The following season, his 31 matches (1 goal) helped Racing quickly Segunda División 2001-02.

In July 2002, Álvarez was sent on loan again to La Liga Rayo Vallecano, where he netted 8 times and was one of the team's best players, but again his team failed to keep its status, ranking last. Several teams made offers, and he was finally signed by Real Murcia.Before playing any games for his new team, Álvarez got injured, and struggled throughout the vast majority of the season, finishing with 12 appearances, with Murcia also ending 20th.Fully recovered, he went on to be a very important team player, showing impressive skills and netting some deciders, despite a poor year for the team in 2005-06, that Segunda División 2005-06. Álvarez also established himself as a free kick specialist.

Following a worse second year, Álvarez was transfer listed and, on 9 August 2006, joined CD Numancia on a two-year deal.

Playing as an attacking midfielder or holding midfielder, Álvarez again showed enough quality to earn a regular starting eleven berth, under manager Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (2006-07). Following the departure of some important players, Álvarez became a key player in team's push for promotion, scoring more winning goals.
Numancia won Segunda División 2007-08, 5 points clear of Málaga CF.

Álvarez's contract expired by the end of the season and UD Almería signed him on a free transfer on July 3, 2008,where he got the opportunity to work again with Gonzalo Arconada, his former boss at Numancia. He replaced ACF Fiorentina-bound Felipe Melo.