Lobo Carrasco

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lobo Carrasco

| image =

| fullname = Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo{{WorldFootball.net|carrasco}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|3|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Alcoy, Spain

| height = 1.83 m

| position = Winger

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Lleida

| youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = PB Tarragona

| youthyears3 = | youthclubs3 = Torredembarra

| youthyears4 = | youthclubs4 = Barcelona

| years1 = 1978 | clubs1 = Barcelona B | caps1 = 14 | goals1 = 3

| years2 = 1978 | clubs2 = → Terrassa (loan) | caps2 = 6 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1978–1989 | clubs3 = Barcelona | caps3 = 262 | goals3 = 49

| years4 = 1989–1992 | clubs4 = Sochaux | caps4 = 71 | goals4 = 2

| years5 = 1992 | clubs5 = Figueres | caps5 = 5 | goals5 = 0

| totalcaps = 358 | totalgoals = 55

| nationalyears1 = 1977 | nationalteam1 = Spain U18 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 1978 | nationalteam2 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps2 = 2 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1979 | nationalteam3 = Spain U23 | nationalcaps3 = 5 | nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 1979–1983 | nationalteam4 = Spain amateur | nationalcaps4 = 7 | nationalgoals4 = 1

| nationalyears5 = 1979–1988 | nationalteam5 = Spain | nationalcaps5 = 35 | nationalgoals5 = 5

| manageryears1 = 2005–2006 | managerclubs1 = Málaga B

| manageryears2 = 2007–2008 | managerclubs2 = Oviedo

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|ESP}}}}

}}

Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo (born 6 March 1959) is a Spanish former football player and manager.

Nicknamed Lobo,{{cite web|url=https://www.interdeportes.es/por-que-tienen-esos-apodos-los-futbolistas/|title=¿Por qué tienen esos apodos los futbolistas?|trans-title=Why are footballers nicknamed like that?|publisher=Inter Deportes|language=es|date=30 September 2014|access-date=23 October 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ole.com.ar/seleccion/messi-manicomio-lobo-carrasco-lionelmessi_0_HJkXvjwMX.html|title="Messi está en un manicomio"|trans-title="Messi is in a nuthouse"|newspaper=Olé|language=es|date=2 July 2018|access-date=23 October 2018}} he played as a winger and spent most of his 14-year professional career with Barcelona (11 seasons). He won ten major titles with the club, including the 1984–85 La Liga and three Cup Winners' Cups.

A Spain international for nine years, Carrasco represented the country at the 1986 World Cup and two European Championships.

Club career

Born in Alcoy, Alicante, Valencian Community, Carrasco was a product of the FC Barcelona youth system, and quickly made a name for himself in La Liga and Europe, with a brilliant display of creative dribbling.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcbarcelona.es/club/historia/ficha/francisco-jose-carrasco|title=Francisco José Carrasco|publisher=FC Barcelona|language=es|access-date=23 October 2018}} Having made his debut with the first team during 1978–79, he also shone in that season's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, a 4–3 thriller extra time win against Germany's Fortuna Düsseldorf.{{cite web|url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/ecwc/history/season=1978/intro.html|title=1978/79: Barcelona win seven-goal thriller|publisher=UEFA|date=1 June 1979|access-date=7 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503064818/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/ecwc/history/season%3D1978/intro.html|archive-date=3 May 2010}}

After 376 competitive appearances for the Blaugrana, winning the 1984–85 league title,{{cite web|url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol/espana/nota/_/id/6829228/messi-xavi-e-iniesta-los-10-canteranos-historicos-del-barcelona|title=Messi, Xavi e Iniesta: Los 10 canteranos históricos del Barcelona|trans-title=Messi, Xavi and Iniesta: Barcelona's 10 legendary youth players|publisher=ESPN Deportes|first=Jordi|last=Blanco|language=es|date=8 October 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}} Carrasco spent three seasons with Ligue 1 club FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. He retired following a short stint with UE Figueres, in a return to Catalonia.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/masdeporte/2003/06/26/polideportivo/1056601003_850215.amp.html|title=Un mito del Barça y de la Selección|trans-title=A Barça and national team myth|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=26 June 2003|access-date=12 April 2020}}

Subsequently, Carrasco became a manager: he finished 2005–06 at Atlético Malagueño, with the Andalusia team eventually being relegated from Segunda División.{{cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/deportes/futbol-00162/noticia-futbol-lobo-carrasco-presentacion-malaga-bes-reto-bonito-receptividad-jugadores-buena-20060113152310.html|title=Fútbol. – Lobo Carrasco en su presentación con el Málaga B:"Es un reto bonito y la receptividad de los jugadores es buena"|trans-title=Football. – Lobo Carrasco in his presentation with Málaga B:"It's a beautiful challenge and the players' approach is good"|publisher=Europa Press|language=es|date=13 January 2006|access-date=23 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.malagacf.com/2001-2006-primera-participacion-europea|title=2001–2006: Primera participación Europea|trans-title=2001–2006: First appearance in Europe|publisher=Málaga CF|language=es|access-date=15 May 2024}} In the 2007–08 campaign, he coached lowly Real Oviedo.{{cite news|url=http://eldia.es/jornada/2007-06-21/75-Lobo-Carrasco-dice-entrenar-Oviedo-es-lujo-pese-estar-Tercera.htm|title="Lobo" Carrasco dice que entrenar al Oviedo es "un lujo", pese a estar en Tercera|trans-title="Lobo" Carrasco says that coaching Oviedo is "a privilege", in spite of them being in Tercera|newspaper=El Día|language=es|date=21 June 2007|access-date=23 October 2018}}

International career

Having first appeared for Spain in a friendly with Romania on 4 April 1979 (2–2 away draw), Carrasco went on to collect 35 caps with five goals, being selected for UEFA Euro 1980 and 1984 (where he played all five matches for the runners-up, scoring from the penalty kick spot against Romania in another tie, 1–1).{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2020/08/24/reportajes/1598278552_391608.html|title=1980 * 1990 Los mejores jugadores|trans-title=1980 * 1990 The best players|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Ana Beatriz|last=Micó|language=es|date=24 August 2020|access-date=22 May 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/carrasco-intl.html|title=Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo – International Appearances|website=RSSSF|first=Emilio|last=Pla Díaz|access-date=6 November 2009}}

Carrasco was also picked for the squad that appeared in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, but did not leave the bench for the eventual quarter-finalists.{{cite news|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/futbol/mundial/2016-05-21/espana-mundial-86-butragueno-mexico_1203991/|title=Del utillero falangista al positivo de Calderé: nuestro Mundial 86 en diez episodios|trans-title=From the falangista kit man to Calderé's positive: our 86 World Cup in ten episodes|newspaper=El Confidencial|first=Alfredo|last=Pascual|language=es|date=21 May 2016|access-date=28 September 2017}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1.	15 May 1983	Ta' Qali, Attard, Malta	{{fb\|MLT}}	2–2	2–3	Euro 1984 qualifying
2.	14 June 1984	Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	{{fb\|ROU\|1965}}	0–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 1984
3.	17 October 1984	Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain	{{fb\|WAL}}	2–0	3–0	1986 World Cup qualification
4.	1 April 1987	Prater, Vienna, Austria	{{fb\|AUT}}	2–3	2–3	Euro 1988 qualifying
5.	23 September 1987	Nou Castalia, Castellón, Spain	{{fb\|LUX}}	1–0	2–0	Friendly

Honours

Barcelona

La Liga: 1984–85
Copa del Rey: 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88
Supercopa de España: 1983
Copa de la Liga: 1983
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79, 1981–82, 1988–89{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/022d-0e9458554d19-9e9caf57a328-1000--reyes-s-fifth-win-top-uefa-club-cup-winners/|title=Reyes's fifth win: top UEFA club cup winners|publisher=UEFA|first=Paul|last=Saffer|date=18 May 2016|access-date=19 May 2016}}
European Cup runner-up: 1985–86

Spain

UEFA European Championship runner-up: 1984{{cite news|url=http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/eurocopa/20160413/401083135341/francia-1984-los-bleus-se-coronan-tras-el-error-de-arconada.html|title=1984: Los 'bleus' se coronan tras el error de Arconada|trans-title=1984: ‘Bleus’ crowned after Arconada's mistake|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Imma|last=Mentruit|language=es|date=13 April 2016|access-date=23 October 2018}}

Records