Rafael García Cortés

Rafael García Cortés (born 18 January 1958) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defender.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is García and the second or maternal family name is Cortés.
Rafael García Cortés
García Cortés in 1987
Personal information
Full name Rafael García Cortés
Date of birth (1958-01-18) 18 January 1958
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
1968–1977 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1979 Castilla 30 (2)
1979–1982 Real Madrid 58 (5)
1979–1980 → Burgos (loan) 29 (2)
1983–1987 Zaragoza 148 (11)
1987–1990 Mallorca 92 (7)
1990–1993 Rayo Vallecano 89 (16)
Total 446 (43)
National team
1975–1976 Spain U18 10 (0)
1977 Spain U20 3 (0)
1979 Spain U21 2 (0)
1980 Spain U23 1 (0)
1980 Spain amateur 1 (0)
Teams managed
1997 Tenerife (interim)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He amassed La Liga totals of 312 games and 24 goals, having played mainly for Real Madrid and Zaragoza.

Club career

Born in Madrid, García Cortés competed in 12 La Liga seasons during his 16-year professional career, having started with Real Madrid Castilla in Segunda División. In the top flight he represented Real Madrid (three and a half years), Burgos CF (one season, loaned), Real Zaragoza (four and a half seasons, having arrived at the club in January 1983), RCD Mallorca (two years) and Rayo Vallecano (1992–93), retiring at the age of 35 with the latter.[1]

García Cortés competed in the 1980–81 European Cup with Real Madrid – during his spell at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, he was part of the team dubbed Madrid of the Garcías[2]– appearing in four matches[3] and starting in three: in the final against Liverpool, his 82nd-minute mistake whilst attempting a clearance enabled Alan Kennedy to score the game's only goal in Paris.[4][5][6]

After retiring, García Cortés returned to Real as youth system coordinator.[7]

Honours

Real Madrid

Zaragoza

References
  1. Rafael García Cortés: "Mi disparo con la zurda venía de serie, no hice pesas en mi vida" (Rafael García Cortés: "My left-foot shot came from doing it again and again, I never lifted a weight in my life"); El Periódico de Aragón, 26 January 2015 (in Spanish)
  2. 'Los García' y los montículos de cal ('The Garcías' and the mounds of calcium); El País, 23 February 2009 (in Spanish)
  3. "Real Madrid CF – All the players in European Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  4. García Cortés: “El partido fue muy igualado” (García Cortés: “Match was even as can be”); Real Madrid CF, 19 February 2009 (in Spanish)
  5. García Cortés y la final del 81: "Tiré la cinta del partido por la ventana" (García Cortés and 81 final: "I threw the match tape out the window"); Diario AS, 23 February 2009 (in Spanish)
  6. Liverpool v Real Madrid: ‘Play the European Cup final, or your career is over’; The Guardian, 19 October 2014
  7. García Cortés: "El equipo ha ganado en poderío defensivo" (García Cortés: "Team is more powerful defensively"); Real Madrid CF, 23 February 2009 (in Spanish)
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