Juanito (footballer, born 1954) facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Gómez González | ||
| Date of birth | 10 November 1954 | ||
| Place of birth | Fuengirola, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 2 April 1992 (aged 37) | ||
| Place of death | Calzada de Oropesa, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.69 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Fuengirola | |||
| 1969–1972 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1972–1973 | Atlético Madrid B | ||
| 1973–1977 | Burgos | 104 | (25) |
| 1977–1987 | Real Madrid | 284 | (85) |
| 1987–1989 | Málaga | 71 | (15) |
| 1991 | Los Boliches | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 464 | (125) | |
| National team | |||
| 1970–1972 | Spain U18 | 9 | (0) |
| 1976 | Spain amateur | 2 | (0) |
| 1976–1982 | Spain | 34 | (8) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1991–1992 | Mérida | ||
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Juan Gómez González (born November 10, 1954 – died April 2, 1992), known as Juanito, was a famous Spanish footballer. He played as a forward.
Juanito was known for his amazing dribbling skills. He was also famous for his strong personality. He is best remembered for his time playing with Real Madrid. Sadly, he died in a car accident when he was 37 years old.
When he was young, Juanito supported Real Zaragoza. But as he grew up, he became a big fan of Real Madrid. In 1977, when he joined Real Madrid, he said: "Playing for Real Madrid is like touching the sky. Real Madrid has always been my first choice, and Madrid has always been my favorite city." He played for 13 seasons in La Liga, scoring 99 goals in 350 matches.
Juanito also played more than 30 games for the Spanish national team. He represented Spain in two World Cups and one European Championship.
Contents
Club Career: Juanito's Football Journey
Juanito was born in Fuengirola, a town in Province of Málaga, Spain. He started playing football with his local club, CD Fuengirola. In 1969, he joined Atlético Madrid.
While still young, he faced a challenge with an injury. A fractured tibia (a bone in the leg) stopped him from playing for Atlético's main team.
Juanito restarted his career at Burgos CF. He helped them win the Segunda División (second division) in the 1975–76 season. He made his La Liga debut in a 2–1 win against RCD Español. Later, he was named Spanish Footballer of the Year by Don Balón magazine.
Juanito's talent caught the eye of Real Madrid. They signed him in June 1977. He became a very important player for Real Madrid in the late 1970s and 1980s. He played alongside other great players like Santillana, Uli Stielike, Vicente del Bosque, and José Antonio Camacho.
In his first season, 1977–78, he scored ten goals. He helped Real Madrid win five league titles, two Copa del Rey cups, and two UEFA Cups. One of his best moments was scoring two goals in the 1980 domestic cup final. This game was against Castilla CF, Real Madrid's reserve team, and Real Madrid won 6–1.
On May 11, 1983, he scored a penalty in the European Cup Winners' Cup final. Real Madrid lost that game 2–1 to Aberdeen. In the next league season, he won the Pichichi Trophy. This award is given to the top scorer in La Liga, and he scored 17 goals. Over ten seasons with Real Madrid, he played 284 top-flight games and scored 85 goals. He also played 55 games in various European competitions, scoring 17 goals.
After leaving Real Madrid, Juanito played two seasons with CD Málaga. He helped them get promoted from the second division in his first year. The legendary László Kubala was the manager then. Juanito retired in 1991 after a short time with an amateur club, CD Los Boliches.
He then started working as a coach for CP Mérida. He led the team to seventh place in the second division in 1991–92. However, on April 2, 1992, after watching Real Madrid play Torino F.C. in a UEFA Cup match, he was tragically killed in a car accident. This happened in Calzada de Oropesa, Toledo, while he was returning to Mérida.
International Career: Playing for Spain
Juanito played 34 times for Spain and scored eight goals. His first game for Spain was on October 10, 1976. It was a World Cup qualifier against Yugoslavia in Sevilla. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win. In a later match against Yugoslavia in Belgrade, he had a difficult moment with the crowd.
Juanito represented Spain in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups. He also played in UEFA Euro 1980. During the 1982 World Cup, which was held in Spain, he scored a penalty against Yugoslavia in another 2–1 win. In 1976, he also played Olympic football.
Profile: The Spirit of Real Madrid
Many Real Madrid fans believe Juanito represented the true spirit of the club. His fighting spirit was often called upon when the team needed to make an amazing comeback. One famous comeback was against Celtic in the 1979–80 European Cup quarter-finals. Real Madrid lost the first game 2–0 in Glasgow. But in the second game, they scored three goals without reply, with Juanito scoring one of them, to reach the semi-finals. Other great comebacks during this time included wins against Inter Milan and R.S.C. Anderlecht.
Since his death, Juanito is still remembered by fans. In the seventh minute of every home game, the Ultras (a group of Real Madrid fans) chant "Illa illa illa, Juanito maravilla" (Juanito, the marvel).
During his career, Juanito was known for his passionate and sometimes challenging behavior on the field. He faced suspensions for his actions during matches. For example, in 1978, he received a two-year ban from European competitions after an incident in a game against Grasshopper Club Zürich. He was also banned again in 1987 for four years after an incident involving FC Bayern Munich's Lothar Matthäus.
Career Statistics
- Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Juanito goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 March 1977 | Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain |  Hungary |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 4 October 1978 | Maksimir, Zagreb, Yugoslavia |  Yugoslavia |
1–0 | 2–1 | Euro 1980 qualifying |
| 3 | 24 September 1980 | Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary | Hungary |
1–0 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 18 February 1981 | Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain |  France |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 23 June 1981 | Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico |  Mexico |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 6 | 2–0 | |||||
| 7 | 28 June 1981 | Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela |  Venezuela |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 20 June 1982 | Luis Casanova, Valencia, Spain | Yugoslavia |
1–1 | 2–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup |
Honours
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1986–87
- Copa del Rey: 1979–80, 1981–82
- Copa de la Liga: 1985
- UEFA Cup: 1984–85, 1985–86
Burgos
- Segunda División: 1975–76
Málaga
- Segunda División: 1987–88
Individual
- Don Balón Award – Best Spanish Player: 1976–77
- Pichichi Trophy: 1983–84
See also
In Spanish: Juanito Gómez para niños
