Biography
Who is Xisco?
Early life and playing career
Born in Manacor, Spain, Francisco Javier Muñoz Llompart, commonly known as Xisco, began his football path in the youth ranks of local Mallorca. He made ten senior appearances for their B team in 1998 before moving to the Valencia youth system. His professional development continued with loan spells at Recreativo de Huelva, where he scored ten goals in a single season, and Tenerife.
Xisco returned to Valencia in 2003, contributing to their La Liga title victory in 2004. During that same year, he participated in their successful UEFA Cup campaign, although he remained on the bench for the final match against Marseille. He later signed a six-year contract with Real Betis in 2005. His tenure there included overcoming relegation battles and scoring crucial goals against teams like Racing de Santander and Gimnàstic de Tarragona. By the 2009 transfer window, he moved to Levante, helping the club secure a return to the top flight before eventually departing in 2011.
International football and retirement
In 2011, Xisco began a significant period abroad by joining Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia. He found considerable success there, winning the Erovnuli Liga title and the Georgian Cup during the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons. His individual performance was particularly strong in 2012–13, when he finished as the league's top scorer with 22 goals, earning the league's Player of the Year award. He capped off his time in Georgia by winning the Georgian Super Cup in 2014.
Returning to his native country in December 2014, he agreed to an 18-month deal with third-tier club Gimnàstic. He played there until June 2016, when he officially announced his retirement from professional football. Immediately following his retirement, he transitioned into coaching, beginning his new career path as an assistant to Vicente Moreno.
Managerial roles and achievements
Xisco’s coaching career began in earnest when he joined the staff at Dinamo Tbilisi in 2019, eventually becoming head coach in 2020. Under his guidance, the team secured the national championship. In December 2020, he moved to England to manage Watford in the EFL Championship. He led the club to promotion to the Premier League in his first season and earned the Championship Manager of the Month award for March 2021. However, he was dismissed from the position in October 2021.
Following his departure from England, Xisco held several managerial roles. He coached Huesca starting in October 2021 and later moved to the Cypriot club Anorthosis in 2022. In July 2023, he took charge of Sheffield Wednesday, though he was dismissed three months later. He also had a stint at DAC Dunajská Streda. By June 2025, he accepted a position at Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia. In his first season with the club, he achieved a domestic treble, winning the Malaysia Super League, Malaysia FA Cup, and Malaysia Cup.
Personal life and family
Xisco stands 175 centimeters tall. He is the older brother of Toni Muñoz, another professional football player. While his career has taken him across multiple countries and leagues, his roots remain in the Balearic Islands where he was born. He has consistently worked with familiar staff members throughout his coaching career, including bringing his brother Miguel and other former colleagues to Sheffield Wednesday.
Birthday and age
Xisco was born on September 5, 1980, which makes Xisco 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Xisco shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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