Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo (born 6 March 1959) is a Spanish retired football player and manager. Nicknamed Lobo, he played as a winger spending 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. 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. After more than 350 competitive appearances for the Blaugrana, winning the 1984–85 league title, Carrasco spent three seasons with Ligue 1 club FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. He retired after a short stint with UE Figueres, in a return to Catalonia. Subsequently, Carrasco became a manager: he finished 2005–06 at Atlético Malagueño, with the Andalusia team eventually being relegated from Segunda División. In the 2007–08 campaign, he coached lowly Real Oviedo.

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). 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.

Career statistics

Honours

Barcelona Spain Records