Name Jose Mejias Role Footballer | Years Team Height 1.74 m 1976–1977 Cadiz B | |
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Full name Jose Manuel Mejias Lopez Date of birth (1959-01-21) 21 January 1959 (age 56) | ||
Playing position | ||
E0003 Jose Mejias Baseball Player
José Manuel 'Pepe' Mejías López (born 21 January 1959) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
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His career was closely associated to Cádiz, for which he appeared in 304 games both major levels of Spanish football combined, scoring 66 goals.
In La Liga Mejía also represented Zaragoza, Murcia and Rayo Vallecano, amassing competition totals of 263 matches and 43 goals over the course of ten seasons.
Football career
Born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Mejías spent most of his 19-year senior career with Cádiz CF. After starting out with the B-team he was loaned to neighbouring amateurs Jerez Industrial CF, returning in January 1978 and going on to remain with his main club a further eight full seasons; he made his La Liga debut on 9 April 1978, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–4 home loss against RCD Español.
During his first spell, Mejías constantly alternated between the top level and Segunda División, promoting three times to the former and being relegated to the latter in 1982 and 1984. In the 1982–83 campaign he scored a career-best 15 goals, helping the Gaditanos return to the main category.
Mejías left Cádiz in the 1986 summer, joining fellow top-divisioner Real Zaragoza. He continued to compete in that level in the following years, with Real Murcia (also started 1989–90 with the club in division two) and Rayo Vallecano; he appeared with the first in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, netting once in seven contests – the 2–0 win at Vitosha Sofia– to help the Aragonese team reach the semifinals.
After two more seasons with Cádiz in the second division, 33-year-old Mejías retired from professional football and moved to the lower leagues, retiring three years later.
Personal life
Mejías' younger brother, Salvador, was also a footballer. They coincided in several teams during their careers.