Quini
Quini in 1983
Personal information
Full name Enrique Castro González
Date of birth (1949-09-23)23 September 1949
Place of birth Oviedo, Spain
Date of death 27 February 2018(2018-02-27) (aged 68)
Place of death Gijón, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Don Bosco
Ensidesa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1967–1968 Ensidesa 22 (17)
1968–1980 Sporting Gijón 381 (214)
1980–1984 Barcelona 100 (54)
1984–1987 Sporting Gijón 62 (17)
Total 567 (302)
International career
1968 Spain U18 2 (0)
1971 Spain U23 2 (0)
1969–1972 Spain amateur 9 (11)
1970–1982 Spain 35 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Enrique Castro González (Spanish pronunciation: [enˈrike ˈkastɾo ɣonˈθaleθ];[a] 23 September 1949 – 27 February 2018), known as Quini [ˈkini], was a Spanish footballer who played as a striker.

In a career totally connected with Sporting de Gijón and FC Barcelona, he was widely regarded as one of the country's best strikers, having won a total of seven Pichichi Trophy awards, five of those in La Liga.[1]

A Spain international for 12 years, Quini represented the nation in two World Cups and one European Championship.

Club career

Born in Oviedo, Asturias, Quini joined local Real Oviedo's neighbours Sporting de Gijón in 1968, from amateurs CD Ensidesa.[2] In his first season in La Liga, 1970–71, he scored 13 goals in 30 games and, the following nine years, only netted once in single digits and won three Pichichi, one in Segunda División; ironically, in the year in which he won his second, Sporting were relegated, the player's 21 goals being insufficient to avoid last place.[3]

In summer 1980, Quini signed with FC Barcelona, who had already tried to sign the player after Sporting's relegation. In his first two years he totalled 47 league goals, good enough for two more individual accolades. He also helped the Catalans to the 1981 Copa del Rey, netting twice to put away his beloved Sporting in a 3–1 win in the final.[4] Additionally, in the 1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup, he helped Barça come from behind to beat Belgium's Standard Liège 2–1 as the decisive match was held at the Camp Nou.[5]

In his final two years, Quini appeared infrequently with Barcelona (but scored the club's 3,000th goal in the league, in a home match against CD Castellón),[6][7] and chose to retire in 1984 at age 35, even being awarded a testimonial; however, he reconsidered and eventually returned to former side Sporting for three more years in the top flight, being sparingly used. On 14 June 1987 he played his last match, against Barcelona, and he totalled 448 games and 219 goals in the first division alone (fifth all-time).[8]

Quini continued to serve Sporting in the following decades, in several directorial capacities.[9][10][11]

Kidnapping

On 1 March 1981, after scoring twice for Barcelona in a 6–0 home victory over Hércules CF, Quini was kidnapped by two men at gunpoint, being forced into a van. After many developments and 25 days – during this time, Barcelona could only amass one draw in four games, eventually losing the title race – he was rescued unharmed, upon cooperation between the Spanish and Swiss law enforcement agencies.[12][13]

It was subsequently speculated that Quini developed Stockholm syndrome, since he decided not to press charges against his kidnappers and never claimed his personal damages award of 5 million pesetas.[14]

International career

Quini made his debut for Spain on 28 October 1970, in a friendly in Zaragoza with Greece: having played the second half, he scored in a 2–1 win.[15]

With a total of 35 caps and eight goals, Quini participated in two FIFA World Cups, 1978 and 1982, as well as UEFA Euro 1980. He could only find the net once in all those competitions (at Euro '80), and the nation suffered a 2–1 loss against Belgium.[15]

Personal life

Quini's younger brother, Jesús, was also a footballer. A goalkeeper, he too spent several years with Sporting.[16][17] With 763 appearances between the siblings in La Liga, they ranked second in this reckoning behind Julio and Patxi Salinas at the time of their retirement.[18]

In 2008, Quini overcame a throat cancer.[19] On 29 April 2016, the Town Hall of Gijón named him adoptive son of the city.[20]

Death

On 27 February 2018, Quini died at the age of 68 after suffering a heart attack.[21] Just one day later, the City Council of Gijón agreed unanimously to rename El Molinón stadium as Estadio El Molinón-Enrique Castro "Quini" in his memory.[22]

About 14,000 people attended Quini's funeral at his main club's homeground.[23]

Career statistics

Club

Sources:[24][25]
Club Season League Cup Europe[26] Other[27] Totals
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ensidesa 1967–68 22 17 – – – – 22 17
Sporting Gijón 1968–69 21 15 – – – – 21 15
1969–70 35 24 1 1 – – 36 25
1970–71 30 13 2 0 – – 32 13
1971–72 24 9 3 1 – – 27 10
1972–73 34 11 8 5 – – 42 16
1973–74 34 20 2 1 – – 36 21
1974–75 32 12 6 3 – – 38 15
1975–76 34 21 3 2 – – 37 23
1976–77 38 26 5 4 – – 43 30
1977–78 32 15 10 9 – – 42 24
1978–79 33 23 1 0 4 0 – 38 23
1979–80 34 25 9 3 2 0 – 45 28
Total 381 214 50 29 6 0 - - 421 243
Barcelona 1980–81 30 20 10 11 2 1 – 42 32
1981–82 32 27 2 0 8 3 – 42 30
1982–83 22 4 2 0 4 0 1 0 29 4
1983–84 16 3 5 5 1 2 7 0 29 10
Total 100 54 19 17 15 6 8 0 142 76
Sporting Gijón 1984–85 21 9 7 5 – 6 5 32 17
1985–86 24 7 3 3 2 0 4 1 29 10
1986–87 16 1 1 1 – – 17 2
Total 62 17 11 9 2 0 10 6 78 32
Career total 565 302 80 55 23 6 18 6 686 368

International goals

Sources:[28][15]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 28 October 1970 La Romareda, Zaragoza, Spain  Greece 2–0 2–1 Friendly
2. 20 November 1974 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Scotland 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying
3. 1–2
4. 29 March 1978 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain  Norway 1–0 3–0 Friendly
5. 26 April 1978 Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain  Mexico 1–0 2–0 Friendly
6. 16 April 1980 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain  Czechoslovakia 2–2 2–2 Friendly
7. 15 June 1980 Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy  Belgium 1–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 1980
8. 24 February 1982 Luis Casanova, Valencia, Spain  Scotland 2–0 3–0 Friendly

Honours

Club

Sporting Gijón

Barcelona

Individual

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In isolation, González is pronounced [ɡonˈθaleθ].

References

  1. ^ a b Bravo, Luis Javier; Sillipp, Bernhard; Torre, Raúl; Di Maggio, Roberto. "Spain – List of Topscorers ("Pichichi") 1929–2015". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  2. ^ Fernández, Albina (21 April 2012). "Los jugadores que hicieron historia en el Ensidesa juvenil no olvidan el pasado" [The players who made Ensidesa youth great do not forget the past]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  3. ^ Martín, Pedro (11 February 2016). El gran libro de los récords: 281 historias del fútbol español [The great book of records: 281 stories of Spanish football] (in Spanish). ISBN 9788494425653. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b García Candau, Julián (19 June 1981). "El Barcelona ganó una bonita final de Copa" [Barcelona won beautiful Cup final]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b "1981/82: Home sweet home for Barcelona". UEFA. 1 June 1982. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Quini, autor del gol 3.000 del Barça en la Liga" [Quini, scorer of Barça's 3000th goal in League]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 January 1982. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  7. ^ Martínez, Miguel; Paniagua, Raúl (29 January 2009). "Enrique Castro Quini, autor del gol 3.000: El cabezazo del 'Brujo'" [Enrique Castro Quini, scorer of goal 3.000: The 'Sorcerer's header]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  8. ^ Subirán, Jordi (1 February 2019). "El último gol de Quini" [Quini's last goal]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Quini ingresará mañana en el hospital para someterse a una segunda operación de garganta" [Quini to be admitted to hospital tomorrow for second throat surgery]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 4 February 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Quini hará de 'entrenador' del Sporting en el Camp Nou" [Quini will be Sporting's 'coach' at the Camp Nou]. Marca (in Spanish). 2 February 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Andoni Imaz y Quini, mejores delegados de la Liga BBVA y la Liga Adelante" [Andoni Imaz and Quini, best delegates in Liga BBVA and Liga Adelante] (in Spanish). La Liga. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  12. ^ Quinta, Alfons (3 March 1981). "El secuestro de Quini puede tener móviles económicos" [Quini's kidnapping may be economically driven]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  13. ^ "Quini: Un secuestro que tuvo en vilo al país" [Quini: A kidnapping that kept the nation wide awake]. Sport (in Spanish). 19 September 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  14. ^ Fitzpatrick, Richard (2012). El Clasico: Barcelona v Real Madrid: Football's greatest rivalry. Bloomsberry USA. p. 256. ISBN 978-1408158791.
  15. ^ a b c Pla Díaz, Emilio. "Enrique Castro González, 'Quini' – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2016.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ "Los inicios de Quini y Castro" [The beginnings of Quini and Castro]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  17. ^ "El Ayuntamiento rendirá homenaje a Quini a partir de mañana con una exposición y la inauguración de un parque" [City Hall will pay homage to Quini as of tomorrow with exhibit and opening of park] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  18. ^ Viñarás de Blas, Vidal (1 February 2017). "Hermanos de Primera" [Top-class brothers] (in Spanish). Cuadernos de Fútbol. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Quini, después de superar un cáncer: "Cuando nos toca luchar con la enfermedad vemos la realidad de la vida"" [Quini, after overcoming a cancer: "When you have to fight the disease you realize what life is all about"]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 27 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  20. ^ "Quini: «El título de Hijo Adoptivo es el premio más importante de mi vida»" [Quini: "The title of Adoptive Son is the most important award of my life"]. El Comercio (in Spanish). 29 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  21. ^ "Fallece el mítico ex futbolista Quini tras sufrir un infarto en plena calle" [Legendary former footballer Quini dies after suffering a heart attack in the middle of the street]. Marca (in Spanish). 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  22. ^ "El Molinón llevará el nombre de Quini" [El Molinón to be named after Quini]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  23. ^ "14.000 personas despiden a Quini en El Molinón" [14.000 people say goodbye to Quini at El Molinón]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Quini: Enrique Castro González". BDFutbol. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Quini". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  26. ^ Counts for appearances and goals at the UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
  27. ^ Counts for appearances and goals at the Copa de la Liga and Supercopa de España.
  28. ^ "Quini". European Football. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  29. ^ "El Barcelona se proclamó campeón de la Copa del Rey en el último minuto" [Barcelona crowned King's Cup champions in the last minute]. El País (in Spanish). 5 June 1983. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  30. ^ "El Barcelona ganó la Copa de la Liga" [Barcelona won the League Cup.]. El País (in Spanish). 30 June 1983. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  31. ^ Pla Díaz, Emilio. "Spain – Footballer of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  32. ^ Poquí, Joan (10 November 2017). "Quini, el 'Pichichi' de la camiseta Meyba" [Quini, the 'Pichichi' of the Meyba shirt]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 November 2017.

External links

Spain squads
La Liga top scorers
La Liga Spanish Player of the Year – Don Balón Award
Sporting de Gijón Player of the Season
Authority control databases
Categories