José Luis Caminero
![]() Caminero training with Spain in 1994 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | José Luis Pérez Caminero | ||
Date of birth | 8 November 1967 | ||
Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Real Madrid | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1986–1989 | Real Madrid B | 39 | (4) |
1989–1993 | Valladolid | 134 | (3) |
1993–1998 | Atlético Madrid | 149 | (40) |
1998–2004 | Valladolid | 155 | (15) |
Total | 477 | (62) | |
International career | |||
1993–1996 | Spain | 21 | (8) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
José Luis Pérez Caminero (born 8 November 1967) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Arguably one of the best Spanish footballers of the 1990s, he was able to play in any midfield position, in the middle or in the wings. Having appeared in 408 La Liga matches over 14 seasons (57 goals), he possessed a vast array of skills: dribble, shot and physique, and his career was almost exclusively associated with Valladolid and Atlético Madrid.[1]
Caminero represented Spain in the 1994 World Cup and Euro 1996, scoring in both tournaments.
Club career
[edit]Having unsuccessfully emerged through the ranks of Real Madrid, Madrid-born Caminero signed with Real Valladolid for the 1989–90 season, with Fernando Hierro moving in the opposite direction.[2] He helped the side barely avoid La Liga relegation,[3] and scored his first goal in the competition on 16 December 1990 in a 3–1 home win against Valencia CF.[4]
The peak of Caminero's career took place from 1993–94, when he joined Atlético Madrid. He was a key member of the squad that won an historical double in 1995–96, contributing nine league goals in 37 games;[5][6] accordingly, at the end of the season, he was given the Spanish Footballer of the Year award by both the Madrid newspaper El País and the prestigious football magazine Don Balón, being the only Atlético player to win both awards the same year,[7] and netted a career-best 14 goals the following campaign.[8]
Caminero re-joined Valladolid at age 30, ending his career in 2004 after the team's top-flight relegation.[9][10] In his final years, he further enhanced his versatility by playing in the sweeper position.[11][12]
Subsequently, Caminero was installed as the club's director of football. He left the position citing personal reasons after 2007–08.[13]
Caminero returned to Atlético in May 2011.[14] He joined Málaga CF seven years later, still in that capacity.[15]
International career
[edit]Caminero made his Spain national team debut on 8 September 1993, in a 2–0 friendly win with Chile in Alicante.[16] He represented the country at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, where he was the nation's leading scorer at three (scoring twice against Bolivia in a 3–1 group stage victory)[17] and also in UEFA Euro 1996 in England, where he netted a late equaliser against France.[18]
Caminero totalled eight goals in 21 caps, and his last appearance was against England in Euro '96, a penalty shootout loss.[19][20]
Arrest
[edit]In June 2009, Caminero was arrested for possible connections to drug traffic operations, with a further 30 people being taken into custody for interrogation. He was released upon the reading of his rights.[21]
In popular culture
[edit]Caminero's football genius also made it to the silver screen. Spanish movie director Pedro Almodóvar included his dribbling against FC Barcelona's defender Miguel Ángel Nadal in his 1997 film Live Flesh.[22]
Career statistics
[edit]- Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Caminero goal.[23]
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 September 1993 | Qemal Stafa, Tirana, Albania | ![]() |
5–1 | 5–1 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
2 | 13 October 1993 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | ![]() |
1–0 | 3–1 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
3 | 27 June 1994 | Soldier Field, Chicago, United States | ![]() |
2–0 | 3–1 | 1994 World Cup |
4 | 3–1 | |||||
5 | 9 July 1994 | Foxboro, Foxborough, United States | ![]() |
1–1 | 1–2 | 1994 World Cup |
6 | 6 September 1995 | Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain | ![]() |
6–0 | 6–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
7 | 15 November 1995 | Martínez Valero, Elche, Spain | ![]() |
3–0 | 3–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
8 | 15 June 1996 | Elland Road, Leeds, England | ![]() |
1–1 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 1996 |
Honours
[edit]Atlético Madrid
Individual
- Don Balón Award: 1996[7]
See also
[edit]- List of Atlético Madrid players (+100)
- List of La Liga players (400+ appearances)
References
[edit]- ^ "Leyendas del Real Valladolid C. F. – Caminero" [Real Valladolid C. F. legends – Caminero]. El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ Hurtado, José Luis (4 July 2020). "Cantera y Real Madrid: El equipazo que se fue de casa" [Youth system and Real Madrid: The wonder team that left home]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Tejedor Carnicero, José Vicente. "Spain, Final Tables 1989–1999". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Alvarado, Arturo (17 December 2020). "Segunda victoria del Valladolid" [Second Valladolid win]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b c G. Fuente, Chema (25 May 2016). "20 años del 'Doblete' del Atlético de Liga y Copa" [20th anniversary of Atlético's League and Cup 'Double']. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Estepa, Javier; Molina, Rafa (7 April 2020). "Los cinco descubrimientos de Antic para la historia en el Atlético, Real Madrid y Barça" [Antic's seven findings for the ages at Atlético, Real Madrid and Barça]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b Pla Diaz, Emilio. "Spain – Footballer of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Ortiz, Guillermo (September 2013). "Guillermo Ortiz: El último regate imposible de José Luis Pérez Caminero" [Guillermo Ortiz: José Luis Pérez Caminero's last impossible dribble] (in Spanish). Jot Down. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Anselmo Moreno, José (14 July 2004). "FUTBOL (Pretemporada): Caminero se lo piensa" [FOOTBALL (Preseason): Caminero thinking about it]. La Opinión de Zamora (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Caminero anuncia su retirada" [Caminero announces retirement]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 18 August 2004. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Tornadijo, José Ignacio (1 November 2001). "Caminero puede volver a ser líbero" [Caminero may be sweeper again]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Tornadijo, José Ignacio (29 January 2002). "El puesto de líbero resucita a Caminero" [Sweeper position brings Caminero back to life]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Encinas, A. (28 May 2008). "Caminero se marcha por el «desgaste» sufrido en tres temporadas como director deportivo" [Caminero leaves "worn out" after three seasons as director of football]. El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Caminero y Aguilera serán presentados el lunes 30 de mayo en la Sala VIP" [Caminero and Aguilera will be presented Monday 30 May in VIP room] (in Spanish). Atlético Madrid. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ R. Barbero, Alberto; Winterburn, Chris (8 June 2018). "Caminero: I hope it's a see you soon". Marca. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Román, Rogelio (9 September 1993). "La selección afila sus armas" [National team sharpen claws]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (28 June 1994). "WORLD CUP '94; Bolivia Scores, but Will Still Go Home". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ "Caminero rescues Spain against France in EURO '96 Group B". UEFA. 6 October 2003. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ "José Luis Pérez Caminero, nuevo director deportivo del Atlético" [José Luis Pérez Caminero, new Atlético sporting director]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 27 May 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Díaz, José Felix (12 July 2024). "Así recuerdan los españoles aquel Inglaterra-España del 96: robo, goles anulados y penaltis no pitados" [This is how Spaniards remember that England-Spain of 96: robbery, disallowed goals and unawarded penalties]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Caminero, imputado en una red de blanqueo de dinero de la droga" [Caminero, charged with involvement in a laundry money network with connections to drug traffic]. Marca (in Spanish). 29 June 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
- ^ Aznar, Carlos (31 May 2011). "Caminero, aquel regate de cine, aquel doblete" [Caminero, that movie-like dribble, that double]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ "Caminero". European Football. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
External links
[edit]- José Luis Caminero at BDFutbol
- José Luis Caminero at National-Football-Teams.com
- José Luis Caminero – FIFA competition record (archived)
- 1967 births
- Living people
- 20th-century Spanish sportsmen
- Spanish men's footballers
- Footballers from Madrid
- Men's association football defenders
- Men's association football midfielders
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Real Madrid Castilla footballers
- Real Valladolid players
- Atlético Madrid footballers
- Spain men's international footballers
- 1994 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 1996 players
- Atlético Madrid non-playing staff
- Real Valladolid non-playing staff
- Málaga CF non-playing staff