César Mendiondo López

César Domingo González López (born 25 June 1966), known as César Mendiondo, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. He played in La Liga for Atlético Madrid, Español, and Mérida, making a total of 103 top flight appearances.

Club career Born in Madrid, Mendiondo started out playing in the youth teams of local club Atlético Madrid. He was promoted into the senior sides at the age of 18 in 1984,

Mendiondo joined Segunda División side Rayo Vallecano in 1986, and was a key part of their first team for three seasons. They earned promotion as runners-up in 1988–89, but Mendiondo moved on at the end of that season, joining Español. At Español, he made 151 appearances in all competitions across six seasons, including two promotions to La Liga in 1989–90 and as champions in 1993–94.

The same year, Mendiondo played all four matches for the under-21 side at the Toulon Tournament, in which Spain placed third after a third-place play-off win over Cameroon. He was also an ever-present for Spain at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Soviet Union, in which Spain were the runners-up, losing 1–0 to Brazil in the final.

Mendiondo was never called up to the senior national side.

Coaching career

After his retirement, Mendiondo returned to Atlético Madrid as part of the coaching team, and later joined the Royal Spanish Football Federation to play the same role with the Spanish national side. He reunited with his first manager, Luis Aragonés, when the latter took over as national team head coach, and was Aragonés's assistant when Spain won UEFA Euro 2008. Mendiondo followed Aragonés to Turkish Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe in 2008, where he again acted as his assistant. Fenerbahçe reached the final of the 2008–09 Turkish Cup in Aragonés and Mendiondo's solo season at the club,

Mendiondo returned to the Süper Lig in 2013 with Sivasspor, this time as assistant to Roberto Carlos. replacing Eli Cohen. Mendiondo was sacked on 3 September after only two league games: a 0–0 away draw with Beitar Jerusalem at the Teddy Stadium, and a 3–0 home loss to Ironi Kiryat Shmona at the Bloomfield Stadium.

Personal life

Mendiondo's father, José Mendiondo, was also a professional footballer, representing Atlético Madrid in La Liga as a left-back in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In October 2011, César legally changed his name to César Mendiondo López, making official the nickname by which both he and his father were best known.

Honours Atlético Madrid Copa del Rey: 1984–85

Rayo Vallecano Segunda División: Runners-up 1988–89

Espanyol Segunda División: 1993–94

Mérida Segunda División: 1996–97