1. Club Career
Poli Rincón's professional football journey began in the youth ranks of Real Madrid, progressing through various loan spells before making his debut with the first team and later achieving significant success at Real Betis.
1.1. Youth and Early Career
Rincón was born in Lavapiés, a neighborhood in Madrid. He developed his skills within the Real Madrid youth system. To gain further experience, he was loaned out to several smaller clubs during his tenure with Real Madrid. These loan spells included periods with CD Díter Zafra in the lower leagues, Recreativo, and Real Valladolid.
1.2. Real Madrid
On 14 October 1979, Rincón made his debut for Real Madrid's first team in a 3-2 home victory against Real Zaragoza. In this match, he entered as a second-half substitute and notably scored two goals, including his first professional goal. Despite this promising start, Rincón found it challenging to establish himself as a regular in the capital side's main squad. He played a total of only 16 La Liga games across the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons.
1.3. Real Betis
Rincón moved to Andalusia to join Real Betis for the 1981-82 season. It was during his second year at the club, in the 1982-83 season, that he achieved his most notable individual success. Despite Real Betis finishing in 11th place, Rincón scored 20 league goals, which earned him the prestigious Pichichi Trophy as the top scorer in La Liga. Over his career with Real Betis, he scored 93 times in all competitions, showcasing his prolific goal-scoring ability for the club. He remained with Betis until the end of the 1988-89 campaign, when the club was relegated from the top flight. Following this relegation, Rincón announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32.
2. International Career
Poli Rincón represented the Spain national team over a three-year period, making 22 appearances and scoring 10 goals.
His international debut came on 27 April 1983 in a UEFA Euro 1984 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, played in Zaragoza. Entering as a substitute for Francisco Carrasco of FC Barcelona, Rincón played only 15 minutes but managed to score the final goal in Spain's 2-0 victory.
A significant highlight of his international career occurred on 21 December 1983, in his sixth international match. Rincón scored four goals in Spain's historic 12-1 victory over Malta in a Euro 1984 qualifying match held in Seville. Despite his contributions in the qualifiers, he was not selected for the UEFA Euro 1984 finals in France. He later scored in friendly matches against Switzerland and Hungary. He also scored in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification against Wales and Iceland. Two years later, he was included in the squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico but did not make any appearances during the tournament.
3. Post-playing Career
After retiring from professional football, Poli Rincón continued to be involved in the sport in various capacities, transitioning into administrative and media roles.
3.1. Director and Commentator Roles
In 2004, Rincón briefly served as the director of football for Xerez CD, a neighboring club to Real Betis. Beyond club management, he also established a career as a sports commentator. He worked for prominent Spanish media outlets such as Cadena SER and Cadena COPE, providing insights and analysis on football matches and related topics.
4. Career Statistics
Poli Rincón's career statistics reflect his impactful contributions as a forward at both club and international levels.
4.1. International
International goals scored by Hipólito Rincón:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 27 April 1983 | La Romareda, Zaragoza, Spain | Republic of Ireland | 2-0 | 2-0 | Euro 1984 qualifying |
| 2. | 21 December 1983 | Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain | Malta | 4-1 | 12-1 | Euro 1984 qualifying |
| 3. | 5-1 | |||||
| 4. | 8-1 | |||||
| 5. | 10-1 | |||||
| 6. | 26 May 1984 | Charmilles, Geneva, Switzerland | Switzerland | 0-3 | 0-4 | Friendly |
| 7. | 31 May 1984 | Üllői úti, Budapest, Hungary | Hungary | 0-1 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 8. | 17 October 1984 | Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain | Wales | 1-0 | 3-0 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 9. | 23 January 1985 | Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain | Finland | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 10. | 25 September 1985 | Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain | Iceland | 1-1 | 2-1 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
5. Honours
Poli Rincón's career was marked by both team achievements with his clubs and significant individual recognition.
5.1. Club
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1978-79, 1979-80
- Copa del Rey: 1979-80
5.2. Individual
- Pichichi Trophy: 1982-83