Ito (Spanish footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Antonio Álvarez Pérez | ||
Date of birth | 21 January 1975 | ||
Place of birth | Almendralejo, Spain | ||
Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Díter Zafra (coach) | ||
Youth career | |||
1991–1993 | Extremadura | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1993–1997 | Extremadura | 138 | (9) |
1997–1998 | Celta | 34 | (1) |
1998–2004 | Betis | 160 | (5) |
2004–2007 | Espanyol | 66 | (0) |
2007–2009 | Córdoba | 65 | (2) |
2009–2010 | Cacereño | 22 | (2) |
Total | 485 | (19) | |
National team | |||
1993 | Spain U18 | 10 | (0) |
1997–1998 | Spain U21 | 6 | (0) |
1998 | Spain | 1 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
2011–2012 | Villafranca | ||
2013– | Díter Zafra | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Antonio Álvarez Pérez (born 21 January 1975), known as Ito, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
He amassed La Liga totals of 282 games and seven goals over the course of ten seasons, mainly with Betis (five years) and Espanyol (three).
Club career
Born in Almendralejo, Extremadura, Ito started playing professionally with local CF Extremadura, helping it rise from the third division to La Liga and making his top flight debuts on 9 September 1996, in a game against Real Betis. Even though the club was finally relegated he was a key midfield element (39 matches, one goal) and attracted interest from Celta de Vigo, which he helped qualify for the UEFA Cup in his sole season.
Subsequently Ito spent six years with Betis, being relegated in his second season but always being an important first-team member, on occasion wearing the captain's armband. Released in 2004, he joined Barcelona's RCD Espanyol.
With Espanyol Ito won the 2006 edition of the Copa del Rey and, although a reserve in the Catalan team's 2006–07 league campaign – eight appearances – he played in ten UEFA Cup games as it lost the final on penalties, to Sevilla FC.[1]
In July 2007 Ito signed with second level side Córdoba CF, being released at the age of 34 after two seasons of regular playing time, after which he dropped down a division and joined CP Cacereño, in his native region.
International career
After a fine individual campaign with Celta which led to a transfer to Betis, Ito gained his sole cap for Spain on 23 September 1998, appearing in the last two minutes of a 1–0 friendly win over Russia in Granada.[2][3]
Previously he helped the under-21s win the 1998 UEFA European Championships, playing in the final against Greece.
Honours
Club
- Espanyol
Country
- Spain U21
References
- ↑ "Antonio Álvarez "Ito"" (in Spanish). Hall of Fame Perico. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ↑ "Camacho debuta con épica" [Camacho has epic debut] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ↑ "El extremeño Ito era el más feliz de todos" [Extremadura's Ito was happiest one of all] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ↑ "¡Increíble Espanyol!" [Incredible Espanyol!] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 13 April 2006. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ↑ Atkin, John (17 May 2007). "Palop lauds perfect performance". UEFA.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ↑ "1998: Iván Pérez applies finishing touch". UEFA.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
External links
- Ito profile at BDFutbol
- National team data
- Futbolme profile (Spanish)
- Ito at National-Football-Teams.com
- Ito profile at Soccerway