Canito (footballer, born 1956)

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

Canito
Personal information
Full name José Cano López
Date of birth (1956-04-23)23 April 1956
Place of birth Llavorsí, Spain
Date of death 25 November 2000(2000-11-25) (aged 44)
Place of death La Pobla de Montornès, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Iberia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1975 Lloret
1975–1979 Espanyol 43 (5)
1975–1976 → Lleida (loan) 32 (1)
1977–1978 → Cádiz (loan) 20 (0)
1979–1981 Barcelona 25 (2)
1981–1982 Espanyol 31 (4)
1982–1984 Betis 54 (1)
1984–1985 Zaragoza 24 (0)
1985–1986 Belenenses 17 (1)
1986–1987 Lloret
1988 Iberiana
Total 246 (14)
National team
1976–1977 Spain U21 2 (0)
1979 Spain amateur 4 (1)
1981 Spain B 1 (0)
1978 Spain 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Cano and the second or maternal family name is López.

During his professional career, amongst others, the defensive midfielder represented both major teams in Barcelona, Espanyol and FC Barcelona, albeit with little impact at the latter.[1]

Club career

Born in Llavorsí, Lleida, Catalonia, Canito began playing professionally with RCD Espanyol. 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 Espanyol'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 Espanyol: 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.[2]

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.[2] 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 Espanyol, 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.[3]

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.[4]

Honours
Barcelona
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References
  1. Hasta siempre, Canito (Farewell, Canito); Mundo Deportivo, 26 November 2000 (in Spanish)
  2. José Cano “CANITO”; Hall of Fame Perico, 15 April 2009 (in Spanish)
  3. "1–0: Los jóvenes "Kubala-Boys" vendieron cara su piel" [1–0: Young «Kubala-Boys» made opposition sweat it out] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 22 December 1978. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  4. !!Ha muerto Canito!! (Canito is dead!!); Web del Culé, 26 November 2000 (in Spanish)


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