Quick Facts
Biography
Ángel Manuel Cuéllar Llanos (born 13 September 1972) is a Spanish retired footballer.
A left winger or a forward, his main assets were dribbling and netting ability. He spent most of his professional career with Betis (nine seasons) and also had a brief unsuccessful spell with country giants FC Barcelona, greatly marred by injury.
Over the course of eight La Liga seasons, Cuéllar amassed totals of 111 games and 17 goals.
Football career
Born in Villafranca de los Barros, Extremadura, Cuéllar made his debut for Real Betis's main squad aged 18, in a 0–1 La Liga away loss against CD Logroñés on 4 November 1990, with the Andalusia side finishing the season last. He became an undisputed starter while in Segunda División and scored 14 league in 1994–95, as Betis shot straight from the second level into a final third place (on 25 September 1994, he netted a hat-trick in a 5–0 home success against Sporting de Gijón); during the campaign, he also appeared in two friendly matches with the Spanish national team.
In June 1995, Cuéllar signed a five-year deal with league powerhouse FC Barcelona. After suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during his first official game, a 2–0 win at Real Valladolid, he would feature sparingly throughout his two-year spell, as Barça won three trophies during 1996–97.
Returning to Betis in 1997 for 300 million pesetas, Cuéllar would be sacked by club president Manuel Ruiz de Lopera after Betis was relegated at the end of the 1999–2000 season, under the allegations of "alarmingly low working performances". After two stints in the second level, both ended in relegation, he moved to Levante UD also in the category, and was an important element in the Valencia outfit's top flight promotion, but would only appear seven times during the following campaign.
Subsequently, Cuéllar played three seasons in Tercera División, two with CD Lugo and his final with Narón BP. After 15 goals in 2007–08, best in the category, he retired from professional football at almost 36.
Honours
Club
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97
- Supercopa de España: 1996
- Segunda División: 2003–04
Country
- UEFA European Under-16 Championship: 1988