Javi Poves

Born in Madrid, Poves played youth football with hometown clubs Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, going on to make his senior debut in amateur football also in the community, with Rayo Vallecano B, Las Rozas CF and CDA Navalcarnero. In 2008 he joined Sporting de Gijón, being assigned to the reserves in the Segunda División B. Poves made his first and only appearance for the Asturians' first team on 21 May 2011, playing in the goalless La Liga draw at Hércules CF on the final day of the season as a second-half substitute for David Barral. He refused to use a bank account and returned a free car which Sporting had given to each of their players, and retired in August 2011 for reasons of conscience, stating:

What I've seen from within makes it clear: professional football is only money and corruption. It's capitalism, and capitalism is death. I don't want to be part of a system based on people earning money at the expense of the deaths of others in South America, Africa and Asia. To put it simply, my conscience will not let me continue with this.