Rafael Gordillo

Rafael Gordillo

Personal information
Full name	Rafael Gordillo Vázquez
Date of birth	24 February 1957 (1957-02-24)
Place of birth	Almendralejo, Spain
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Wingback
Youth career
1971–1972	San Pablo
1972–1975	Betis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1975–1976	Triana Balompié
1976–1985	Betis	237	(18)
1985–1992	Real Madrid	182	(20)
1992–1995	Betis	68	(8)
1995–1996	Écija	18	(1)
1975–1996	Total	543	(54)
National team
1977	Spain U21	1	(1)
1979	Spain U23	3	(0)
1979	Spain amateur	4	(0)
1978–1988	Spain	75	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Gordillo and the second or maternal family name is Vázquez.

Rafael Gordillo Vázquez (born 24 February 1957) is a retired Spanish footballer.

A tremendously offensive left wingback, equally at ease as defender and midfielder and with a good effort rate, he had an unmistakable style of playing with his socks down, he represented with individual and team success Betis and Real Madrid, appearing in 428 La Liga games and scoring 38 goals (505/47 during his professional career), over the course of 16 seasons.

He was a mainstay for the Spanish national team in the 80's, appearing in nearly 80 matches and representing the nation in five international tournaments.

Club career

Born in Almendralejo, Province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Gordillo moved to Seville - from where his parents were originally - when he was just a few months old. He grew up in the Polígono de San Pablo neighbourhood, and signed with Real Betis in 1972, at the age of 15. On 30 January 1977, he made his first team - and La Liga - debuts, against Burgos CF, and helped the Andalusians to the Copa del Rey in his debut season.

After nine professional seasons with Betis (12 in total, and another on loan to an amateur club), being named the country's footballer of the year in 1979–80, and appearing in more than 300 official matches, Gordillo moved to Real Madrid in 1985–86, winning the UEFA Cup in his first season (scoring in the final against 1. FC Köln) and forming a dreaded left-wing partnership with José Antonio Camacho during four seasons - with Gordillo playing as a midfielder. In 1989's Spanish Cup, he scored the final's only goal against Real Valladolid.

In 1992, 35-year old Gordillo returned to Betis, helping the team return to the first division in his second year and retiring after one final season with neighbours Écija Balompié, also in the second division. With the latter club, he also worked in the vice-president role.

In the following decade, Gordillo returned to Betis, also in directorial capacities. On 13 December 2010, he was elected the club's president.

International career

Gordillo earned 75 caps and scored three goals for the Spanish national team during one full decade, his debut coming on 29 March 1978 in a friendly 3–0 win over Norway, in Gijón.

He went on to represent the country in two FIFA World Cups (1982 and 1986) and three UEFA European Football Championships (1980, 1984 (where Spain were runners-up) and 1988).

International goals

#	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

Honours

Club

Betis

• Spanish Cup: 1976–77

Real Madrid

• UEFA Cup: 1985–86
• Spanish League: 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90
• Spanish Cup: 1988–89
• Spanish Supercup: 1988, 1989, 1990

Country

• UEFA European Football Championship: Runner-up 1984

Individual

• Best Spanish player: 1979–80

Post-retirement

Gordillo re-joined Betis for a third time, appearing for the side in the indoor football national league. He also worked briefly for La Sexta as a sports commentator, at the 2006 World Cup.

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)
• Rafael Gordillo at National-Football-Teams.com
• Rafael Gordillo – FIFA competition record
• International appearances; at RSSSF
• France Football's Football Player of the Century; at RSSSF
• Official website (Spanish)

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Quini	Best Spanish player 1979–80	Succeeded by Urruti