Paco Jémez

Jémez was born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. During his career, he played for Córdoba, Real Murcia, Rayo Vallecano (first appearing in La Liga and playing all 38 matches of the season), Deportivo de La Coruña (only totalling ten games in his first two seasons as the club achieved two consecutive runner-up spots, being more used afterwards) and Real Zaragoza, which he helped to victory in the 2000–01 edition of the Copa del Rey. In January 2004 he returned to Rayo, now in the Segunda División. After one year out of football, Jémez returned with Lugo – Tercera División – before retiring at the age of 35.

Over almost three years, Jémez played 21 times for the Spain national team. His debut was on 23 September 1998 in a friendly against Russia in Granada, and he was a participant at UEFA Euro 2000, taking part in three matches in an eventual quarter-final exit.

Spain

Jémez took up coaching in 2007, first with lowly Alcalá. He moved to the second division the following campaign, with Córdoba, being sacked with eleven matches to go. In early 2009, Jémez signed with Cartagena, ultimately being the coach that earned the Murcia club a first ever promotion to the second tier. He left in July. On 12 April 2010, following Sergije Krešić's dismissal, Jémez was appointed coach at struggling Las Palmas in division two. He eventually led his hometown side safe from the relegation zone in a 17th-place finish, being fired on 27 February 2011. After taking Córdoba to the first round in the second-division promotion playoffs, Jémez joined his former club Rayo on 22 June 2012. After leading the team to their best-ever ranking in the top flight, eighth, he renewed his contract until June 2015. On 26 May 2016, after Rayo's top-tier relegation, Jémez failed to agree new terms and became manager of Granada on 20 June. However, on 28 September, he was dismissed after only six games in charge, no wins and a club-worst start to a season in more than 70 years.

Mexico

On 28 November 2016, Jémez was named head coach of Cruz Azul in the Mexican Liga MX. He led the team to their first playoff appearance in three years but, in November 2017, decided not to renew his contract and left.

Back to Spain

Jémez returned to Las Palmas on 21 December 2017, becoming the third permanent manager in charge of the club during the campaign. He…

Jémez's father, Francisco Crespo Aguilar (known professionally as Lucas de Écija (1929–2018)), was a flamenco singer who released two records. He himself nearly embraced the sport of golf, having a 1.4 handicap.