Gonzalez won a 1500 m silver medal at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics behind Abdi Bile, and also won IAAF World Indoor Championships silver medals in 1985 and 1989. He appeared six times at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, starting with a junior silver medal in 1975. He competed at the European Athletics Championships in 1986 and 1990, and was a six-time champion at the European Athletics Indoor Championships. Among his other international honours are a silver medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games, and wins at the 1987 European Cup and 1983 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics. He was a seven-time Spanish national champion, winning four 1500 m titles and a 5000 m crown at the Spanish Athletics Championships, plus two victories at the Spanish Cross Country Championships.