Born inPozoblanco,Córdoba, López had an unassuming career as a professional footballer, appearing in 48La Liga matches over four seasons, eight of those forSevilla to where he arrived in 1977 from local amateursPozoblanco, first being assigned to theB team.
He also representedReal Murcia,[1]Burgos andAtlético Madrid (no appearances for the latter), retiring from the game at only 29 years of age due to a knee injury.[2] In1981–82 he scored an astonishing 13 goals in 32 games for Burgos,[3][4][5] which nonetheless sufferedSegunda División relegation due to financial irregularities.[6]
López started coaching in the early 1990s, withAtlético's reserves. After one season apiece in amateur football, also in theMadrid area, he took charge of theBolivia national team, first as an assistant toXabier Azkargorta, and eventually appeared with it them as head coach at twoCopa América tournaments.[7] He then returned to club action withClub Bolívar, followed by a spell in his homeland withLleida in the second tier – whilst at theCatalan side, he briefly accumulated with his work as the national coach of theSouth American country, which he left for good in 1997[8] to sign withSporting de Gijón of the Spanish second tier, being dismissed shortly after his arrival.[9]
López becameTenerife's second head coach ofthe following campaign in November 2005,[12] being fired himself after only six second-division matches. Two years later, he joinedHristo Stoichkov's staff atCelta in the same tier. With theGalicians constantly battling relegation until the last month ofcompetition, he was namedinterim coach for the final three months[8] as the team eventually stayed afloat; he was the third manager for the club in approximately one year, after replacingJuan Ramón López Caro.[13][14]
In2010–11 López, who was assistant to Stoichkov atMamelodi Sundowns of theSouth African Premier Division, took over the reins of the senior team.[15] They made their best-ever start to a season and topped the standings at the end of the first round, eventually staying in contention for the league title until the second-last match; he resigned in February citing personal reasons, and went back to Spain.[16]
In January 2012, López was appointed director of the Target Football Academy inBangkok,Thailand.[17] On 13 July he signed for South African clubBidvest Wits, agreeing to a two-year contract[18] but leaving on 4 January of the following year.[19]
In August 2014, after a short spell in Atlético Madrid's youth system,[20] López was named coach ofATK in theIndian Super League.[21] On 25 October he was given a four-match suspension and fined₹5,00,000 for his involvement in a spat withGoa'sRobert Pires,[22] which was reduced to two upon appeal.[23]
On 25 April 2016, López was appointed at fellow top-tier clubPune City.[28] On 16 September 2017, after a run-in with the board of directors, he left his position.[29]
In May 2019, López returned to ATK.[30][31] On 14 March 2020, ina final played behind closed doors, he won the national championship againstChennaiyin to become the first manager to achieve the feat twice with the same team.[32][33]
López signed with the newly formedATK Mohun Bagan on 15 March 2020.[34] In hisfirst season his side finished level withMumbai City in the first stage, but pushed down to second place on head-to-head points and lostthe final 2–1. On 3 April 2021, he agreed to a one-year contract extension.[35] On 18 December 2021, he resigned after a poor run of results.[36]
López returned to Mohun Bagan – now renamed Mohun Bagan Super Giant – in June 2023, as technical director.[37] He was appointed their interim head coach the following 3 January, after the sacking ofJuan Ferrando. He returned mid season to a struggling mohun bagan side and made them win the shield[38]
^Paramo, J.A. (21 December 1981)."Burgos 2, – Málaga 0".Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish).Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved23 December 2014.
^Rey, Emilio (5 April 1982)."5–3: ¡Como un torrente!" [5–3: Like a tornado!].Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish).Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved23 December 2014.
^Calleja, José Luis (6 October 1998)."Directiva y técnico, a la calle" [Board and manager, out you go].Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish).Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved11 April 2020.
^"LÓPEZ, "aquí y ahora"" [LÓPEZ, "here and now"].El Día (in Spanish). 15 November 2005.Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved23 November 2018.
