Hipólito Rincón


Hipólito "Poli" Rincón Povedano is a Spanish former footballer who played as a striker.
During a 12-year professional career he played mainly for Real Madrid and Real Betis, amassing La Liga totals of 239 games and 81 goals.
Having won slightly more than 20 caps for Spain, Rincón appeared with the national team at the 1986 World Cup.

Club career

Rincón was born in Lavapiés, Madrid. A Real Madrid youth graduate, he served three loan stints during his tenure, one in the lower leagues with CD Díter Zafra, eventually making his debut for the first team on 14 October 1979 in a 3–2 home win against Real Zaragoza and scoring twice as a second-half substitute; he could never impose himself in the capital side's main squad, however, amassing only 16 La Liga games from 1979 to 1981.
Rincón joined Andalusia's Real Betis for the 1981–82 season, netting 20 league goals in his second year which earned him the Pichichi Trophy, even though his team could only rank 11th. He went on to score nearly 100 times overall for the club, and retired after the 1988–89 campaign at the age of 32 after suffering top-flight relegation.
In 2004, Rincón served briefly as Betis neighbours Xerez CD's director of football. He also worked as sports commentator, for Cadena SER and Cadena COPE.

International career

Rincón played 22 times and scored ten goals for the Spain national team, over three years. His debut came on 27 April 1983 in a UEFA Euro 1984 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, in Zaragoza; in only 15 minutes of play, after replacing FC Barcelona's Francisco Carrasco, he scored the final 2–0.
On 21 December 1983, in his sixth international, Rincón netted four times in Spain's historic 12–1 victory over Malta, in a Euro 1984 qualifying match played in Seville. He would not be however picked for the finals in France, being selected two years later for the 1986 FIFA World Cup squad but playing no minutes in Mexico.

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.27 April 1983La Romareda, Zaragoza, Spain2–02–0Euro 1984 qualifying
2.21 December 1983Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain4–112–1Euro 1984 qualifying
3.21 December 1983Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain5–112–1Euro 1984 qualifying
4.21 December 1983Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain8–112–1Euro 1984 qualifying
5.21 December 1983Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain10–112–1Euro 1984 qualifying
6.26 May 1984Charmilles, Geneva, Switzerland0–30–4Friendly
7.31 May 1984Üllői úti, Budapest, Hungary0–11–1Friendly
8.17 October 1984Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain1–03–01986 World Cup qualification
9.23 January 1985Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain1–03–1Friendly
10.25 September 1985Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain1–12–11986 World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Real Madrid