Francisco Llorente Gento

Paco Llorente

Personal information
Full name	Francisco Llorente Gento
Date of birth	(1965-05-21) 21 May 1965
Place of birth	Valladolid, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
1982	Urbis
1983	Real Madrid
1984–1985	Móstoles
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1985–1986	Atlético Madrileño	31	(5)
1986–1987	Atlético Madrid	29	(3)
1987–1994	Real Madrid	105	(8)
1994–1998	Compostela	72	(2)
Total		237	(18)
International career
1986	Spain U21	5	(0)
1986–1987	Spain U23	3	(0)
1987	Spain	1	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Llorente and the second or maternal family name is Gento.

Francisco 'Paco' Llorente Gento (born 21 May 1965 in Valladolid, Castile and León) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mostly as a right winger.

The nephew of legendary Real Madrid's Francisco Gento (also a winger), he also represented the other side from the city, Atlético.

Club career

After a brief youth passage at Real Madrid, Llorente moved to neighbours Atlético Madrid, being fairly used in the course of two seasons. In 1987, after displays of incredible speed and useful skills, he re-joined Real.

Also being able to appear as a forward, Llorente found it difficult to break into the starting XI, barred by Míchel in his natural position and Hugo Sánchez and Emilio Butragueño up front. His moment of glory came during the second leg of the second round of the 1987–88 European Cup, as he appeared from the bench with Real trailing 0–1 at F.C. Porto (2–1 win at home) to assist Míchel twice after powerful flank runs, as his uncle Francisco in the 50/60's.

In 1989–90, after the arrival of John Toshack as coach, Llorente found his playing time drastically cut – in his later years with the club, with Benito Floro at the helm, he even saw some time as right back. He retired in 1998 after four seasons with lowly SD Compostela, having played 206 games with 13 goals during 13 years (all in La Liga).

International career

Llorente played once for Spain, against Albania for the UEFA Euro 1988 qualifiers, on 18 November 1987, scoring one of the five without response in Seville. He did not make the cut for the final stages in West Germany, however.

Personal life

Llorente hails from a sporting family: other than his uncle, his three brothers were also professionals: José Luis (1959) and Antonio "Toñín" (1963) played top level basketball for well more than one decade (including at Real Madrid), while the youngest, Julio, amassed nearly 400 overall official appearances during his career as a defender, coinciding with Paco at Real from 1988–90.

Honours

• La Liga: 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90
• Copa del Rey: 1989–90, 1992–93
• Supercopa de España: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993

External links

• Francisco Llorente profile at BDFutbol
• National team data (Spanish)
• Llorente.html Francisco Llorente Gento at National-Football-Teams.com