Julio Gento López “Gento II” (Guarnizo, Cantabria 22/04/1939 – Guarnizo, Cantabria 14/09/2016), the brother of legendary Paco Gento, started his career in Cantabria, debuting in regional category with UC Astillero in 1956. The following year he signed to AD Plus Ultra, then the Real Madrid reserve team, competing in the Second Division. In 1960 he left this team to start a period of loan transfers, as a Real Madrid player, leading to Elche CF and Deportivo de La Coruña.
He arrived at CD Málaga on loan from Real Madrid to kick off the 1962/63 League season in the First Division. His debut took place in San Mamés against Athletic Club, in a match that ended in defeat for the Blue and Whites by 3-0 (20/01/1963). This was the first of 10 games he played with Málaga, sharing the attack with great players such as Pipi and Bernardi.
His last match with Málaga was a round of 32 match of the Copa del Generalísimo against Deportivo Alavés, held in Mendizorroza on 28th April 1963, resulting in a Malaguista defeat by 1-0 (in the return leg, CD Málaga went on to win the tie). Gento II was trained during his time at Martiricos by two legendary coaches, Sabino Barinaga and Antonio Iznata Urbano “Chales”.
In 1963 he left the Malaguista discipline and signed to Racing de Santander, where he remained for six seasons between the second and Third Division. In 1969 he joined Palencia CF, where he hung up his boots in 1976. He later went on to coach the Palentino team.
