| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Manuel López Martinez | ||
| Date of birth | September 3, 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atlético Madrid | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–1992 | Atlético Madrileño | ||
| 1991–2000 | Atlético Madrid | 156 | (3) |
| National team | |||
| 1992 | Spain U23 | 7 | (0) |
| 1992–1997 | Spain | 11 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for Spain | ||
| Men's Football | ||
| Gold | 1992 Barcelona | Team Competition |
Juan Manuel 'Juanma' López Martinez (born 3 September 1969 in Madrid) is a retired Spanish footballer who played mainly as a central defender (occasionally he could operate in the flanks).
López was prone to suspensions, often being considered overaggressive in his approach.[1] However, he retired after sustaining a serious knee injury.
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During his professional career, López (often dubbed Super López) played solely for Atlético de Madrid. His debut with the first team came in the dying stages of 1990–91, as he was still registered for the club's B side, and would be during the following season.
During 1995–96, López formed a solid centre-back partnership with another Atlético graduate, Roberto Solozábal, as the capital side achieved an historic double, with the former appearing in 32 La Liga matches with two goals, in home wins against Real Oviedo (3–0) and CD Tenerife (3–1).
From 1997–2001 (with the last season being played in the second division), however, consistent injuries limited the often considered over-aggressive player to just 12 games combined, and he eventually retired, due to an anterior cruciate ligament ailment from which he never bounced back.[2][3]
For Spain, López won the gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and participated at UEFA Euro 1996, receiving 11 full caps in a five-year span.
His international debut came on 9 September 1992, in a friendly 1–0 win against England in Santander, also the first for coach Javier Clemente. Both López and Solozábal played the entire match.
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