Juan Ramón López Caro

Born in Lebrija, Province of Seville, Andalusia, López Caro began working as coach before his 30th birthday, with clubs in his city of birth. His first job at the professional level arrived in the 1998–99 season, as he led Melilla to the first position in the Segunda División B, albeit without promotion in the playoffs. He then became manager of Mallorca B, and officially coached the first team in the UEFA Intertoto Cup against Romania's CSM Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț in July 2000 (4–3 aggregate loss); the reserves contested this fixture as Luis Aragonés' side had not yet commenced pre-season.[1]

Lopéz Caro signed with Real Madrid in the summer of 2001, being in charge of the reserve team and achieving promotion to Segunda División in 2005.[2] He was promoted to the main squad in December of that year following the sacking of Vanderlei Luxemburgo, and his first game was a 2–1 away loss against Olympiacos in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.[3]

After leaving the Santiago Bernabéu in June 2006, López Caro was appointed at fellow top-flight club Racing Santander for a salary of €650,000 that would rise to €900,000 should the team avoid relegation.[4] However, a month later and without leading the Cantabrians in a competitive match, he moved to Levante.[5] The following January, days after a 3–0 defeat at city rivals Valencia, he was dismissed and Abel Resino appointed in his place.[6][7]

López Caro returned to the second tier in October 2007, succeeding Hristo Stoichkov at 11th-placed Celta.[8] The following March he too was relieved of his duties, with the side now in eighth but nine points off the promotion places.[9]

In May 2008, López Caro had his first international job, being placed in charge of the Spain's under-21s succeeding Iñaki Sáez.[10] He qualified them for the 2009 UEFA European Championship in Sweden,[11] where they were edged in the group stage by England and Germany.[12]

In June 2010, López Caro moved abroad for the first time to Liga I's Vaslui,[13] on a three-year deal for a total €3.5 million salary subject to bonuses, therefore becoming the best paid coach in the competition's history.[14] He was fired in October, after enduring a rocky spell in Romania.[15][16]

López Caro succeeded Frank Rijkaard as manager of the Saudi Arabia national team in January 2013.[17] After a disappointing showing in the Gulf Cup in the run-up to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, he was dismissed in December 2014.[18] He remained in the Middle East and was hired for the same job by Oman in January 2016,[19] and left by mutual accord at the end of his one-year contract.[20]

Remaining in Asia, López Caro was hired by Dalian Yifang of China League One in November 2016.[21] In his only season, he won promotion to the Chinese Super League, with a record points tally and a game to spare.[22]

In April 2018, López Caro was appointed at Shenzhen, again in the second division and won promotion, this time as runners-up.[23] He was fired at the end of July 2019 with the side second from bottom in a 12-game winless run, and succeeded by Roberto Donadoni.[24]