Name: Francisco Javier López García
Country:
SpainClub: Real Betis Balompié
Position: *CMF, AMF, SMF, DMF
Side: RF/RS
Age: 26-27 years (14/10/1950)
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Attack: 76
Defence: 70
Balance: 77
Stamina: 87
Top Speed: 81
Acceleration: 80
Response: 84
Agility: 79
Dribble Accuracy: 82
Dribble Speed: 81
Short Pass Accuracy: 83
Short Pass Speed: 80
Long Pass Accuracy: 80
Long Pass Speed: 80
Shot Accuracy: 76
Shot Power: 80
Shot Technique: 78
Free Kick Accuracy: 72
Curling: 74
Header: 76
Jump: 78
Technique: 82
Aggression: 81
Mentality: 90
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 84
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 8
Weak Foot Accuracy: 6
Weak Foot Frequency: 6
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Standard/Lasting
CARDS:
P14 - Free Roaming
S05 - Marauding
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Tactical Dribbling - Centre - Reaction
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Balanced
INFO:
Javier López is by many polls in top 10 best Betis players! A midfielder of enormous strength and quality who did not disdain at all to join the attack. Watching him on the field, it seems like he could be found everywhere. His virtues were in the physical abilities and he just couldn't stop running. He started as an inside forward and used to score goals with some ease. In a youth game he scored eight goals in one match. Later, in Torrelavega, they placed him as a midfielder, a demarcation in which he played his career and which goes well with his playing characteristics. During his best years in the Verdiblanco team, he formed a great midfield as the master of the right part of the Betis midfield, alongside Julio Cardeñosa and Sebastián Alabanda, all of them achieving internationality; the then manager of Milan, Nils Liedholm, said after their elimination against Betis in the 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup, that the Betis trio formed the best midfield in Europe at the time.
During his early career, López played for Gimnástica de Torrelavega (1967–69), Racing de Santander (1969–70) and Real Betis (1970–82). He appeared in nine La Liga seasons with the last club, amassing totals of 266 games and 25 goals. In 1976–77, López netted twice in 34 matches to help the Andalusians finish fifth whilst winning the Copa del Rey, a penalty shootout win against Athletic Bilbao where he scored both of his team's goals in a 2–2 regulation time draw. Shortly after, on 21 September 1977, he gained his first and only cap for Spain, playing the last six minutes in a 2–1 away friendly win with Switzerland, but would suffer club relegation at the end of the subsequent campaign. López retired in June 1984 at almost 34, after one season apiece with RCD Mallorca and Granada CF, both in the second division.
All over the field and with a lot of goals, a tireless fighter, vibrant and electric, Javier López marked an entire era in the midfield of Real Betis, a club with which he played 393 official matches and scored 44 goals. Most of his goals were obtained by finishing off inside the rival area, 5 of them with headers. One penalty and 3 shots from outside the area complete his goalscoring repertoire.
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