Quini spent most of his career at hometown team Sporting Gijon where he played 15 seasons between 1968 and 1987. He also played 4 seasons for FC Barcelona since 1980 until 1984. Along his career, he won 7 Pichichi trophies, 5 in Primera División and 2 in Segunda. This makes him the third most prolific scorer in Spanish football history, ranking only behind Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Quini played 35 games with the Spanish national team, and he scored 8 goals. He took part in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

In 1981, after his then record transfer to Barcelona, two common criminals kidnapped Quini. They assaulted him following a game against Hércules. Quini's captivity lasted 25 days. After being released, he forgave his captors and refused any monetary compensation.

In his last years, Quini struggled with a throat cancer which required surgery on two occasions.