| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francisco López Contreras | ||
| Date of birth | 17 September 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala | ||
| Playing position | striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1955-1968 | Comunicaciones | ||
| National team | |||
| Guatemala | |||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Francisco "Pinula" López Contreras (born 17 September 1934) is a Guatemalan former footballer.
Born in Santa Catarina Pinula, source of his nickname, López made his domestic league debut with Comunicaciones in 1955, and would go on to play 14 seasons at that club, winning four league titles, one domestic cup, and three Campeón de Campeones (Guatemala Super Cup).[1] In 1956 he helped Comunicaciones win their first ever league title by scoring the championship-winning goal against arch-rivals CSD Municipal. Two seasons later he would score again in the decisive match against Xelajú M.C. at the Estadio Mario Camposeco in a 3-0 win that gave the title to Comunicaciones.[2]
On 18 January 1959 Comunicaciones played a friendly match against Santos FC, with Brazil's legend Pelé in its squad, at the Estadio Mateo Flores. Santos took a 2-0 lead with goals by Pelé and Pepe, and nine minutes before the match ended, "Pinula" scored the 2-1.[3]
Facing Municipal again in the title match of the 1959-60 season, Comunicaciones won 2-1 with the 1-1 equalizer netted by "Pinula".[2] The title allowed Comunicaciones to compete in the first CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 1962, with "Pinula" scoring against C.D. Águila in the first round,[4] and helping the team reach the final of the tournament against Guadalajara.[1]
"Pinula" was part of the Guatemala national team which entered World Cup qualification for the first time during the 1958 World Cup qualifiers, and continued to represent the team four years later for the 1962 process. During the first stage of the latter, in a 4-4 draw against Costa Rica, "Pinula" scored three goals[5] becoming the only Guatemalan player to score a hat-trick against Costa Rica in a World Cup qualification match.[1] In total, he scored five goals in six World Cup qualification matches.
A stadium in Santa Catarina Pinula, the Estadio Pinula Contreras, is named after him.