Francis Bravo (Spanish footballer)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second or maternal family name is Bravo.
Francis Bravo
Personal information
Full name Francisco Javier López Bravo
Date of birth (1974-04-06) 6 April 1974
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Málaga B (manager)
Youth career
San Félix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–2003 Málaga 278 (9)
2003–2004 Rayo Vallecano 0 (0)
2004 Almería 8 (0)
2005 Portuense 8 (0)
2005–2007 Melilla 55 (0)
2007–2008 La Unión
2008 Oviedo 14 (2)
2008–2010 Vélez 43 (1)
2010–2011 Rincón 11 (2)
Managerial career
2011–2013 Rincón (assistant)
2013–2014 Rincón (youth)
2014–2018 Rincón
2018–2019 Málaga (youth)
2019–2020 Rincón
2020–2025 Málaga B (assistant)
2025– Málaga B
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Francisco Javier López "Francis" Bravo (born 6 April 1974) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as either a centre-back or a full-back, and the manager of Atlético Malagueño.

Playing career

Born in Málaga, Andalusia, Bravo played for CD San Félix before joining Club Atlético Malagueño in 1992, aged 18.[1][2] He remained at the side in the following years, when they changed name to Málaga CF, becoming a regular starter in the process and helping the club to their promotion to Segunda División in 1998.[1][2]

Bravo made his professional debut on 30 August 1998, starting in a 2–1 home win over SD Eibar. He scored his first goal in the category on 18 April of the following year, netting the opener in a 3–0 home success over CA Osasuna, and was an undispusted starter as the club achieved a second consecutive promotion.

Bravo made his La Liga debut on 22 August 1999, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win over RCD Espanyol. Regularly used in his first two years in the division, he scored his first goal in the category on 3 December 2000, netting his side's second in a 3–2 away loss to Real Oviedo.

After losing his starting spot in the 2001–02 season, Bravo was still a part of the squad which won the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup before signing for Rayo Vallecano in the second division in 2003.[3] After failing to make an appearance for the latter side, he joined fellow league team UD Almería in January 2004.

After featuring sparingly, Bravo spent six months without a club before agreeing to a deal with Tercera División side Racing Club Portuense in January 2005. He moved to UD Melilla of Segunda División B in that summer, and was a first-choice during his two-year spell.

Bravo continued to play in the fourth tier in the following years, representing CD La Unión, Oviedo and Vélez CF. In 2010, he moved to Primera Andaluza side CD Rincón, and retired with the club in the following year, aged 37.

Managerial career

Shortly after retiring, Bravo joined the staff of his last club Rincón, as an assistant. In 2014, after managing their Juvenil squad, he was named at the helm of the first team in the regional leagues,[4] and managed to achieve promotion in his first season.[5]

On 12 July 2018, Bravo returned to his main club Málaga after being appointed manager of the Juvenil División de Honor team.[6] Roughly one year later, he returned to Rincón, again as manager of the main squad.[7]

On 30 June 2020, Bravo again returned to Málaga, being Juan Francisco Funes' assistant at the reserves.[8] On 20 November 2025, he was appointed manager of the side, after Funes was promoted to the first team.[9]

Managerial statistics

As of 14 December 2025
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Rincón 10 June 2014 12 July 2018 148 60 34 54 213 203 +10 040.54 [10]
Rincón 16 July 2019 25 June 2020 26 13 7 6 48 32 +16 050.00 [11]
Atlético Malagueño 20 November 2025 Present 4 0 0 4 2 8 −6 000.00 [12]
Total 178 73 41 64 263 243 +20 041.01 —

Honours

Málaga

References

  1. ^ a b "'Jugador Fantasma': Francis Bravo, toda una vida por y para el Málaga" ['Phantom Player': Francis Bravo, one entire life for and with Málaga] (in Spanish). SportDirect Radio. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Off-the-radar: Francisco Javier López Bravo - malagueño through and through". Barca Blaugranes. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  3. ^ "Entrevista a Francis Bravo: «Lo que nos interesa es que, por lo civil o lo criminal, el Málaga ascienda»" [Interview with Francis Bravo: "What interests us is that, by hook or by crook, Málaga get promoted"] (in Spanish). SportDirect Radio. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Bravo: «El Bravo entrenador es muy parecido al de jugador«" [Bravo: "The Bravo manager is very similar to the player"] (in Spanish). Merchán en Directo. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Francis Bravo volverá a sentarse en el banquillo del CD Rincón" [Francis Bravo will sit on the bench of CD Rincón again] (in Spanish). Diario Axarquía. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  6. ^ "Francis Bravo vuelve al Málaga CF para entrenar al Juvenil A" [Francis Bravo returns to Málaga CF to manage the Juvenil A] (in Spanish). La Opinión de Málaga. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Francis Bravo regresa al Rincón" [Francis Bravo returns to Rincón] (in Spanish). Málaga Hoy. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  8. ^ "The Funes-Bravo duo takes over the reserve team". Málaga CF. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Bravo takes charge of Atlético Malagueño". Málaga CF. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  10. ^ "Primera Andaluza (Grupo 3) 2014–15" [Primera Andaluza (Group 3) 2014–15] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
    "Tercera División (Grupo 9) 2015–16" [Third Division (Group 9) 2015–16] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
    "Tercera División (Grupo 9) 2016–17" [Third Division (Group 9) 2016–17] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
    "Tercera División (Grupo 9) 2017–18" [Third Division (Group 9) 2017–18] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  11. ^ "CD Rincón: Matches". BeSoccer. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  12. ^ "Matches Francis Bravo, 2025–26 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
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