Luis López Rekarte Explained

Luis López Rekarte
Fullname:Luis María López Rekarte
Birth Date:26 March 1962
Birth Place:Mondragón, Spain
Height:1.75 m
Position:Right-back
Youthclubs2:Alavés
Years1:1980–1985
Years2:1985–1988
Years3:1988–1991
Years4:1991–1996
Years5:1996–1997
Clubs5:Mallorca
Caps1:114
Caps2:92
Caps3:59
Caps4:149
Caps5:11
Totalcaps:425
Goals1:9
Goals2:2
Goals3:0
Goals4:5
Goals5:0
Totalgoals:16
Nationalyears1:1988
Nationalyears2:1988
Nationalyears3:1993–1994
Nationalteam2:Spain
Nationalteam3:Basque Country
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalcaps3:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalgoals3:0

Luis María López Rekarte (born 26 March 1962) is a Spanish former footballer who played mainly as a right-back.

He amassed La Liga totals of 300 games and seven goals over 11 seasons, representing in the competition Deportivo (five years), Real Sociedad and Barcelona (three apiece) and winning six major titles.

Club career

Born in Mondragón, Basque Country, López Rekarte's first sport was track and field (with a personal best of 10.05 in the 100 metres).[1] He made his professional debut in football with Deportivo Alavés amidst the massive financial difficulties the club endured, culminating with the relegation to the Segunda División B in 1983.[2] Two years later, he signed with neighbouring Real Sociedad.

Forming a defensive quarter with legendary Alberto Górriz, Agustín Gajate and Juan Antonio Larrañaga, López Rekarte started for a side that won the Copa del Rey in 1987. The following year, they emerged runners-up in both domestic competitions.

López Rekarte joined FC Barcelona after losing the 1988 Spanish cup final to the La Liga giants, alongside teammates José Mari Bakero and Txiki Begiristain.[1] Relatively used in his first two seasons, he featured rarely in Barças 1991 league conquest, all but one of his 13 appearances being as a used substitute. His greatest moment with the Catalans came in the final of the 1988–89 Cup Winners' Cup: brought in from the bench, he scored the decisive 2–0 to seal the win.[3]

Being a crucial member of a rising Deportivo de La Coruña side soon dubbed Super Depor – he never played less than 25 matches during his spell at the Estadio Riazor – López Rekarte retired in 1997 at the age of 35 after another stint in Segunda División, now with RCD Mallorca.[4]

International career

López Rekarte had four caps for Spain in 1988, the first coming in a friendly against East Germany on 27 January, in Valencia (0–0).[5]

Personal life

López Rekarte was the older brother of another professional footballer, Aitor, who also played for Real Sociedad, also being a right-back and an international.[6] [7] His niece, Maitane López, was also involved in the sport.[8]

After retiring, he worked as Aitor's agent. He later engaged in mountaineering.[1]

Honours

Real Sociedad

1986–87[4]

Barcelona

1990–91

1988–89[3]

Deportivo

1995

Notes and References

  1. News: ¿Qué fue de López Rekarte? De Donosti al Himalaya. What happened to López Rekarte? From Donosti to the Himalayas. Sport. Javier. Giraldo. es. 15 March 2018. 1 March 2021.
  2. News: 100 años entre la gloria y el barro. 100 years between the glory and the mud. Noticias de Álava. Borja. Mallo. es. 22 January 2021. 1 March 2021.
  3. Web site: 1988/89: Hat-trick for Barcelona. UEFA. 1 June 1989. 1 March 2021.
  4. News: Qué fue de… Luis María López Rekarte: tres Copas del Rey con tres camisetas diferentes. What happened to… Luis María López Rekarte: three King's Cups with three different shirts. 20 minutos. Edu. Casado. es. 3 April 2020. 1 March 2021.
  5. News: Muchos altibajos y poco "punch". Too many highs and lows and little punch. Mundo Deportivo. Andrés. Astruells. es. 28 January 1988. 19 October 2017.
  6. Web site: Hermanos de Primera. Top-class brothers. Cuadernos de Fútbol. Vidal. Viñarás de Blas. es. 1 February 2017. 1 March 2021.
  7. News: Mondragón, una 'fábrica' de defensas txuriurdines. Mondragón, a 'factory' of txuriurdin defenders. Marca. Jon. Zabala. es. 22 September 2017. 19 October 2017.
  8. News: Maitane, otra 'López Rekarte' que triunfa en la Real Sociedad. Maitane, another 'López Rekarte' making it big at Real Sociedad. Diario AS. Marta. Griñán. es. 27 January 2021. 5 September 2021.