Ito (footballer, born 1975)
| 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) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Extremadura | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1997 | Extremadura | 145 | (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 | 492 | (19) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993 | Spain U18 | 10 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Spain U21 | 6 | (0) |
| 1998 | Spain | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Villafranca | ||
| 2013–2015 | Díter Zafra | ||
| 2017–2018 | Azuaga | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Antonio Álvarez Pérez (born 21 January 1975), known as Ito, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and a manager.
He amassed La Liga totals of 282 matches and seven goals over ten seasons, mainly with Betis (five years) and Espanyol (three).
Club career
[edit]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 debut 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)[1] and attracted interest from RC Celta de Vigo, which he helped qualify for the UEFA Cup in his sole season.[2]
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.[3] Released in 2004, he joined Barcelona's RCD Espanyol.[2]
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 they lost the final on penalties, to Sevilla FC.[4][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.[1]
International career
[edit]After a fine individual campaign with Celta which led to a transfer to Betis, Ito earned 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.[5][6]
Previously, he helped the under-21s win the 1998 UEFA European Championships, playing in the final against Greece.
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]Espanyol
International
[edit]Spain U21
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Fernández S., J. Julián (31 August 2013). "Yo jugué en el Real Betis: Ito" [I played for Real Betis: Ito] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ a b Palazón, Miguel (10 February 2016). "Ito: La Extremadura dorada de los 90" [Ito: The golden Extremadura of the 90s] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "El Español pretende fichar al extremeño Ito" [Español want to sign Extremaduran Ito]. El Periódico de Extremadura (in Spanish). 14 July 2004. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "Antonio Álvarez "Ito"" (in Spanish). Hall of Fame Perico. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ Galindo, Jesús (24 September 1998). "Camacho debuta con épica" [Camacho has epic debut]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ García, Nicasio (24 September 1998). "El extremeño Ito era el más feliz de todos" [Extremadura's Ito was happiest one of all]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ Astruells, Andrés (13 April 2006). "¡Increíble Espanyol!" [Incredible Espanyol!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ Atkin, John (17 May 2007). "Palop lauds perfect performance". UEFA. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ "1998: Iván Pérez applies finishing touch". UEFA. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
External links
[edit]- 1975 births
- Living people
- People from Almendralejo
- Spanish men's footballers
- Footballers from the Province of Badajoz
- Men's association football midfielders
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Segunda División B players
- CF Extremadura footballers
- RC Celta de Vigo players
- Real Betis players
- RCD Espanyol footballers
- Córdoba CF players
- CP Cacereño players
- Spain men's youth international footballers
- Spain men's under-21 international footballers
- Spain men's international footballers
- Spanish football managers