Carlos Muñoz (footballer, born 1961)

Carlos Antonio Muñoz Cobo (born 25 August 1961), known simply as Carlos, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Muñoz and the second or maternal family name is Cobo.

Carlos
Personal information
Full name Carlos Antonio Muñoz Cobo
Date of birth (1961-08-25) 25 August 1961
Place of birth Úbeda, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Santa Eulalia
Juventud Hospitalet
Polvoretense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1983 Igualada
1983–1985 Barcelona B 29 (12)
1985–1988 Barcelona 0 (0)
1985 → Elche (loan) 12 (5)
1985–1986 → Hércules (loan) 20 (5)
1986–1987 → Murcia (loan) 21 (4)
1987–1988 → Oviedo (loan) 34 (25)
1988–1989 Atlético Madrid 21 (4)
1989–1996 Oviedo 240 (93)
1996–1998 Puebla 51 (33)
2000–2001 Lobos BUAP 52 (25)
Total 480 (206)
International career
1990–1991 Spain 6 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He represented five clubs in his professional career in his country, mainly Oviedo, moving to Mexico well into his 30s where he continued to score at an excellent rate. Over 11 seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 314 matches and 111 goals.

Early years

Carlos was born in Úbeda, Andalusia. At the age of 7, he moved to Catalonia with his family for working purposes, beginning his career with local amateur clubs and making his senior debut in Tercera División with CF Igualada.[1]

In 1981, Carlos moved to Cádiz for his military service, going on to spend one year out of football as local Cádiz CF tried to acquire him, being denied by Igualada.[1]

Club career

In 1983, Carlos signed for FC Barcelona, going on to appear almost exclusively for its reserves during his spell – he did compete with the first team in the Copa de la Liga – and also being consecutively loaned to Elche CF, Hércules CF and Real Murcia, all in La Liga.[1] In the 1987–88 season, still owned by Barcelona, he joined Real Oviedo in Segunda División, with whom he achieved promotion (finished fourth, but Real Madrid Castilla were ineligible) while winning the Pichichi Trophy.[2][3][4]

Carlos subsequently returned to the Camp Nou and, despite his wish to remain with Oviedo, was sold to Atlético Madrid where he could never settle, being barred at the capital side by the likes of Baltazar and Manolo.[1] He returned to the Asturians for the following campaign, proceeding to score 133 competitive goals for them;[5] in seven top-flight seasons, he only netted once in single digits and had 20 in 1993–94.[4]

Subsequently, Carlos had an abroad spell with Mexico's Puebla FC, where he continued to display his scoring ability. In a 12 October 1996 match against Tecos UAG, he scored four times in a 5–2 win. He retired from football altogether after a few games with another club in the country and region, Lobos BUAP, at the age of 40.[6]

International career

Carlos played six times for the Spain national team in six months, scoring as many goals.[7] His first cap came on 12 September 1990 in a friendly with Brazil in Gijón, and he found the net after ten minutes in a 3–0 victory.[8]

After his stellar campaign with Oviedo, Carlos was overlooked by national boss Javier Clemente for his 1994 FIFA World Cup squad even though he was the best national scorer. The pair had had a run-in whilst at Atlético Madrid.[1]

Career statistics
Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Muñoz goal.
List of international goals scored by Carlos Muñoz[9]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
112 September 1990El Molinón, Gijón, Spain Brazil1–03–0Friendly
210 October 1990Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain Iceland2–02–1Euro 1992 qualifying
314 November 1990Evžena Rošického, Prague, Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia2–12–3Euro 1992 qualifying
419 December 1990Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain Albania2–09–0Euro 1992 qualifying
519 December 1990Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain Albania6–09–0Euro 1992 qualifying
627 March 1991El Sardinero, Santander, Spain Hungary2–32–4Friendly

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Carlos Muñoz Cobo; "Carlos Gol", el delantero nato" [Carlos Muñoz Cobo; "Carlos Goal", the consummate striker] (in Spanish). Fútbol de Lux. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  2. "Radiografía Segunda División "A"" [Second Division "A" X-ray]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 May 1988. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. Barceló, Carme (30 May 1988). "El Mallorca volvió a las andadas" [Mallorca back to old ways]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  4. "34 años de la llegada de Carlos Muñoz al Real Oviedo" [34 years of Carlos Muñoz's arrival to Real Oviedo] (in Spanish). One Football. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  5. "Trigésimo aniversario del debut de Carlos" [Thirtieth anniversary of Carlos' debut] (in Spanish). Real Oviedo. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  6. Casado, Edu (8 June 2009). "Qué fue de… Carlos" [What happened to… Carlos]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  7. Archs, Jordi (28 March 1991). "La selección casi dió lástima" [National team were nearly pitiful]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. Ortiz, Fabián (13 September 1990). "Entrenamiento con tres golazos" [Training with three wonder goals]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  9. "Carlos". European Football. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
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