On 20 August 2016, at the Martínez Valero stadium, Francisco José Beltrán Peinado played the full ninety minutes as Rayo Vallecano lost 2-1 to Elche CF on the opening day of the Spanish second division. It was his professional debut, and he was not yet 18. Fran Beltrán, a midfielder born in Madrid on 3 February 1999, had come through Rayo’s youth system. From there his career took him to La Liga with RC Celta and, in 2026, to Girona FC.
He started out in Getafe CF’s academy, which he joined at eight after passing a trial in 2007. He stayed in Getafe’s youth teams until 2013. That year a scout recommended him to Rayo Vallecano, and he signed for the club. He finished his development in Vallecas and in 2015-16 split his time between the under-19 side and the reserves. He made his debut for Rayo Vallecano B in the Tercera División on 13 December 2015, aged 16, in a 1-1 home draw with CD San Fernando de Henares.
A starter in the second tier and a title with Rayo (2016-2018)
After his debut in Elche, he won a place in a midfield that included veterans such as Trashorras. He scored his first professional goal on 29 October 2016 at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López. The 28th-minute strike got Rayo back into the game, although CD Tenerife won 3-2. He finished 2016-17 with 33 appearances and one goal. In 2017-18 he played 41 matches and was a regular in the side that won the Spanish second division and returned to the top flight. In all he made 74 competitive appearances for Rayo’s first team and scored once.
Eight seasons at Celta (2018-2026)
On 1 August 2018 RC Celta de Vigo paid Rayo his €8 million release clause and signed him on a five-year deal. He made his La Liga debut for the Galician club on 18 August 2018, in a 1-1 draw with RCD Espanyol at Balaídos. His first Celta goal came on 7 January 2019. It was an equaliser against Athletic Club, but Celta went on to lose 2-1. On 15 September 2019 he was sent off for the first time in La Liga, after a VAR review, for a foul on Yangel Herrera in a 2-0 home defeat by Granada CF. Over the years he became a fixture in the Vigo midfield. He spent seven and a half seasons there and left with 263 appearances and 8 goals for Celta.
With the Spain national team
He represented Spain at every youth level from under-17 upwards. His under-17 debut came on 20 January 2016, as a second-half substitute against Italy (1-1). He won two under-18 caps in 2017. He made his under-19 debut against Georgia (3-0) on 9 November 2016 and won nine caps at that level between 2016 and 2018. With the under-21s he made his debut in Logroño on 14 November 2018, in a 4-1 friendly win over Denmark, and won 14 caps between 2018 and 2021.
His only senior appearance came in unusual circumstances. Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19 during the build-up to the European Championship. As a result, the federation sent the under-21 squad, with full international status, to play a friendly against Lithuania at Butarque in Leganés on 8 June 2021. Spain won 4-0 with goals from Guillamón, Brahim Díaz, Juan Miranda and Puado. Beltrán replaced Gonzalo Villar in the second half and was the last of that night’s debutants to take the field.
Move to Girona (2026)
On 20 January 2026 Girona FC announced his signing from Celta. The Galician club kept a share of any future transfer fee. He scored his first goal for Girona on 16 February 2026, in a 2-1 home win over FC Barcelona at Montilivi.
Girona