Ito (Spanish footballer)

Ito

Personal information
Full name	Antonio Álvarez Pérez
Date of birth	(1975-01-21) 21 January 1975
Place of birth	Almendralejo, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team 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)
International career
1993	Spain U18	10	(0)
1997–1998	Spain U21	6	(0)
1998	Spain	1	(0)
Managerial career
2011–2012	Villafranca
2013–	Díter Zafra
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Álvarez and the second or maternal family name is Pérez.

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.

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.

Previously he helped the under-21s win the 1998 UEFA European Championships, playing in the final against Greece.

Honours

Club

Espanyol

• Copa del Rey: 2005–06
• UEFA Cup: Runner-up 2006–07

Country

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 1998

External links

• Ito profile at BDFutbol
• National team data
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Ito at National-Football-Teams.com
• Ito at Soccerway