Canito (Spanish footballer born 1956)

Canito
Personal information
Full nameJosé Cano López
Date of birth23 April 1956
Place of birthLlavorsí, Spain
Date of death25 November 2000 (aged 44)
Place of deathLa Pobla de Montornès, Spain
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionDefensive midfielder
Youth career
Iberia
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1974–1975Lloret
1975–1979Español43(4)
1975–1976Lleida (loan)32(1)
1977–1978Cádiz (loan)20(0)
1979–1981Barcelona25(2)
1981–1982Español31(4)
1982–1984Betis54(1)
1984–1985Zaragoza24(0)
1985–1986Belenenses17(1)
1986–1987Lloret
1988Iberiana
National team
1976–1977Spain U212(0)
1979Spain amateur4(1)
1981Spain B1(0)
1978Spain1(0)
* 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 Cano and the second or maternal family name is López.

José Cano López, commonly known as Canito (23 April 1956 – 25 November 2000), was a Spanish footballer who played during the 1970s and 1980s.

During his professional career, amongst others, the defensive midfielder represented both major teams in Barcelona, Español and FC Barcelona, albeit with little impact at the latter.

Club career

Born in Llavorsí, Lleida, Catalonia, Canito began playing professionally with RCD Español. After serving two loans, at UE Lleida and Cádiz CF, he moved permanently to the first team.

After solid displays in the 1978–79 season, Canito signed with Español's neighbours FC Barcelona. He helped the club win the Copa del Rey in his second year, but was also ostracized following an incident involving main team Español: as the club was fighting to avoid relegation from La Liga against Hércules CF, he was warming up in the sidelines for Barcelona, and celebrated when the Pericos netted the goal which led to salvation, to the fury of the crowd at the Camp Nou.[1]

Canito then returned to his main club as part of the deal that sent goalkeeper Urruti in the opposite direction, but left after only one year after falling out with coach José María Maguregui.[1] He subsequently represented Real Betis, Real Zaragoza and also spent one season in Portugal with C.F. Os Belenenses after which he moved back to his country, retiring in amateur football at the age of 32.

International career

During one of his best club seasons, at Español, Canito picked up his sole cap for Spain: on 21 December 1978 he played the last 20 minutes of the 0–1 friendly defeat with Italy, in Rome.

Honours

Barcelona

Death

Canito fell into a severe drug addiction after retiring. Even though he was aided psychologically and economically by Barcelona and Espanyol's Veterans Associations, he could not recover, and was found dead in his sister's home in La Pobla de Montornès, Province of Tarragona, on 25 November 2000. He was only 44 years old.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Espanyol archives (Spanish)
  2. !!Ha muerto Canito!! (Canito is dead!!); Web del Culé, 25 November 2000 (Spanish)

External links