Juanito (footballer, born 1954)
Juan Gómez González (10 November 1954 – 2 April 1992), known as Juanito, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.
A player with tremendous dribbling ability whose career was overshadowed by a fierce character, he was best known for his Real Madrid years. He died in a road accident at only 37.
Growing up he supported Real Zaragoza, but as he approached his adulthood he began supporting Real Madrid. Upon his presentation in 1977, he said: "Playing for Real Madrid is like touching the sky, Real Madrid has always been my first choice as a team and Madrid has always been my favorite as a city". Over the course of 13 seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 350 games and 99 goals.
Juanito gained more than 30 caps for Spain, representing the nation in two World Cups and one European Championship.
Club career
Born in Fuengirola, Málaga, Juanito played as a youth with his local club before joining Atlético Madrid in 1972. While still underage, he allegedly forged his papers so he could play for the Colchoneros' under-18 team. He scored twice on his debut, but a fractured tibia ended his career at Atlético and he never played for the senior side.
