Rafael Gordillo facts for kids
Gordillo in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 February 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Almendralejo, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Wing-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1971–1972 | San Pablo | ||
| 1972–1975 | Betis | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1975–1976 | Triana Balompié | ||
| 1976–1985 | Betis | 275 | (23) |
| 1985–1992 | Real Madrid | 182 | (20) |
| 1992–1995 | Betis | 68 | (8) |
| 1995–1996 | Écija | 18 | (1) |
| Total | 543 | (52) | |
| National team | |||
| 1977 | Spain U21 | 1 | (1) |
| 1979 | Spain U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 1979 | Spain amateur | 4 | (0) |
| 1978–1988 | Spain | 75 | (3) |
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Rafael Gordillo Vázquez (born on February 24, 1957) is a famous Spanish retired footballer. He was known for playing as a left wing-back, which means he played on the left side of the field and helped both defend and attack. He could also play as a regular defender or a midfielder. Rafael was known for his unique style of playing with his socks down!
He spent most of his career playing for two big Spanish clubs: Betis and Real Madrid. He played in 428 La Liga games, which is Spain's top football league, and scored 38 goals over 16 seasons. With Real Madrid, he won ten major trophies, including five national championships.
Gordillo was also a very important player for the Spanish national team in the 1980s. He played in 75 matches for his country and took part in five big international tournaments.
Contents
A Football Legend: Rafael Gordillo
Playing for Clubs
Rafael Gordillo was born in Almendralejo, Spain. When he was just a few months old, his family moved to Seville. He grew up loving football and joined Real Betis in 1972 when he was 15 years old.
On January 30, 1977, Rafael played his first game for Betis in La Liga. In his very first year, he helped his team win the Copa del Rey, which is a major cup competition in Spain.
After playing for Betis for nine professional seasons, where he played almost 300 official matches, Rafael moved to Real Madrid in 1985. In his first season with Real Madrid, he helped them win the UEFA Cup. He even scored a goal in the final game! He also won five league titles with Real Madrid. In 1989, he scored the only goal in the Spanish Cup final, helping Real Madrid win another trophy.
In 1992, when he was 35, Rafael Gordillo returned to his first club, Betis. He helped them get back into the top division of Spanish football. He played one more season with a team called Écija Balompié before he retired from playing. After retiring, he worked as a director for Écija Balompié.
Later, Rafael Gordillo came back to Betis in different leadership roles. On December 13, 2010, he was even chosen to be the president of the club!
Representing Spain
Rafael Gordillo played 75 games for the Spanish national team over ten years. These games are called "caps." He scored three goals for his country. His first game for Spain was on March 29, 1978, in a friendly match against Norway. Spain won 3-0.
Gordillo played for Spain in two FIFA World Cup tournaments: in 1982 and 1986. He also played in three UEFA European Championship tournaments: in 1980, 1984, and 1988. In the 1984 European Championship, Spain finished as the runner-up, which means they came in second place.
International Goals
Here are the goals Rafael Gordillo scored for Spain:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 15 May 1983 | Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta |  Malta |
2–3 | 2–3 | Euro 1984 qualifying |
| 2. | 25 September 1985 | Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain |  Iceland |
2–1 | 2–1 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 11 June 1988 | Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany |  Denmark |
1–3 | 2–3 | UEFA Euro 1988 |
After Football
After retiring from professional football, Rafael Gordillo continued to be involved in the sport. He played for Betis again in a national indoor soccer league. He also worked as a sports commentator for a TV channel called laSexta during the 2006 World Cup.
Trophies and Awards
Rafael Gordillo won many important trophies and awards during his career:
Betis
- Copa del Rey: 1976–77
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90
- Copa del Rey: 1988–89
- Supercopa de España: 1988, 1989, 1990
- UEFA Cup: 1985–86
Spain
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 1984
Individual
- Don Balón Award: 1979–80 (This award is for the best Spanish player in La Liga)
- La Liga Team of The Year: 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84
More to Explore
In Spanish: Rafael Gordillo para niños
- List of La Liga players (400+ appearances)
- List of Real Betis players (+100 appearances)
- List of Real Madrid CF players
