Toñito

Antonio Jesús García González (born 24 February 1977), known as Toñito, is a Spanish former footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder.

"Tonito" redirects here. For similarly named subjects, see Toñito (name).
Toñito
Personal information
Full name Antonio Jesús García González
Date of birth (1977-02-24) 24 February 1977
Place of birth La Orotava, Spain
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
Tenerife
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Tenerife B 32 (7)
1997–1999 Vitória Setúbal 43 (6)
1999–2004 Sporting CP 87 (9)
2001–2002 → Santa Clara (loan) 30 (7)
2004–2005 Boavista 24 (1)
2005–2006 Tenerife 35 (7)
2006–2007 Rijeka 20 (4)
2007–2008 União Leiria 23 (1)
2008 Ionikos
2009 AEK Larnaca 4 (1)
Total 298 (43)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He spent most of his professional career in Portugal where he represented five clubs (mainly Sporting), amassing Primeira Liga totals of 207 games and 24 goals.

Club career

Toñito was born in La Orotava, Tenerife. A player with skill and teamwork approach alike, he started playing professionally with hometown club CD Tenerife. After having made no appearances for the first team, he moved to Portugal for the 1997–98 season and joined Vitória de Setúbal, going on to represent in the country Sporting CP, C.D. Santa Clara – loaned, where he joined Mauricio Hanuch, also on loan[1]– and Boavista FC; he played an important part in Sporting's conquest of the 2000 Primeira Liga championship, their first in 18 years, playing 28 games although 25 of those were as a substitute.[2]

In the 2005–06 campaign, Toñito returned to Spain and Tenerife, with the club now in the second division, scoring seven league goals including two in a 3–2 away win against Racing de Ferrol on 27 May 2006, before he was stretchered off.[3] After a quick spell in Croatia with HNK Rijeka he returned to Portugal, netting a late equaliser for U.D. Leiria at former side Sporting (1–1 in Lisbon),[4] although his team would eventually drop down a level.

For 2008–09, Toñito moved to Greece's Ionikos FC. However, in January 2009, he switched to Cyprus and AEK Larnaca FC, reuniting with former Sporting teammate Elpídio Silva; he retired from the game at the end of the season, aged 32.

Honours

Sporting

References
  1. Toñito e Hanuch impedidos de actuar (Toñito and Hanuch prevented from playing) Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine; Record, 16 October 2001 (in Portuguese)
  2. Toñito: «Esperava ser titular» (Toñito: «I expected to be a starter»); Record, 6 October 2000 (in Portuguese)
  3. El Racing de Ferrol certifica su descenso tras caer con el Tenerife (Racing de Ferrol confirm relegation after being downed by Tenerife); Marca, 27 May 2006 (in Spanish)
  4. Vukcevic entrou em pânico (Vukcevic panicked); Record, 4 December 2007 (in Portuguese)
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