Luis López Rekarte

Luis María López Rekarte (born 26 March 1962) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a right back.

He amassed La Liga totals of 300 games and seven goals over 11 seasons, representing in the competition Deportivo (five years), Real Sociedad and Barcelona (three apiece) and winning six major titles all teams combined.

Club career

Born in Mondragón, Basque Country, López Rekarte made his professional debut with Deportivo Alavés, amidst the massive financial difficulties the club endured, culminating with the relegation to the third division in 1983. Two years later, he signed with neighbouring Real Sociedad.

Forming a defensive quarter with legendary Alberto Górriz, Agustín Gajate and Juan Antonio Larrañaga, López Rekarte was an undisputed starter in a side that won the Copa del Rey in 1987. The following year, they emerged runner-up in both domestic competitions.

After losing the 1988 Spanish cup final to FC Barcelona, López Rekarte moved to the La Liga giants alongside José Mari Bakero and Txiki Begiristain. Relatively used in his first two seasons he appeared rarely in Barça's 1991 league conquest, playing in all but one of his 13 games as a used substitute; his greatest moment with the Catalans came in the 1988–89 Cup Winners' Cup final: brought in from the bench, he scored the decisive 2–0 to seal the win.

Being a crucial member of a rising Deportivo de La Coruña side soon dubbed Super Depor (he never played less than 25 matches during a five-year stay), López Rekarte retired in 1997 after another spell in the second level, now with RCD Mallorca.

International career

López Rekarte had four caps for Spain in 1988, the first coming in a friendly against East Germany on 27 January, in Valencia (0–0).

Personal life

López Rekarte was the older brother of another professional footballer, Aitor, who also played for Real Sociedad, also being a right back and an international.

Honours

Real Sociedad

• Copa del Rey: 1986–87

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1990–91
• Copa del Rey: 1989–90
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1988–89

Deportivo

• Copa del Rey: 1994–95
• Supercopa de España: 1995