Antonio Ramírez Martínez (born 23 November 1986), commonly known as Toño, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Racing Rioja CF.

Toño
Toño with Real Sociedad in 2018
Personal information
Full name Antonio Ramírez Martínez
Date of birth (1986-11-23) 23 November 1986 (age 37)
Place of birth Logroño, Spain
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Racing Rioja
Youth career
Valvanera
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Universidad País Vasco
2005–2011 Real Sociedad B 82 (0)
2009–2012 Real Sociedad 2 (0)
2009–2010Tenerife B (loan) 34 (0)
2012–2013 Guadalajara 16 (0)
2013–2014 Cultural Leonesa 31 (0)
2014–2016 AEK Larnaca 56 (0)
2016–2018 Real Sociedad 4 (0)
2018–2021 AEK Larnaca 64 (0)
2021– Racing Rioja 38 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:20, 17 April 2023 (UTC)

Club career edit

Born in Logroño, La Rioja, Toño was a Valvanera CD youth graduate. In the summer of 2005, after making his senior debut for the football team of the University of the Basque Country, he moved to Real Sociedad and was assigned to their reserves in the Segunda División B.[1]

Toño made his first-team debut on 14 June 2009, coming on as a first-half substitute for Javi Ros in a 1–1 Segunda División home draw against Levante UD as the starter Eñaut Zubikarai was sent off.[2] In July 2009 he was loaned to CD Tenerife from La Liga, but appeared exclusively for the B side also in the third tier.

In June 2011, after another campaign at Sanse, Toño was definitely promoted to the main squad as third choice to Claudio Bravo and Zubikarai.[3] After making no competitive appearances, he signed for division two club CD Guadalajara.[4]

Toño appeared sparingly for the Castile-La Mancha team, also suffering administrative relegation. On 16 August 2013, he joined Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in the third division.[5]

On 25 June 2014, Toño moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for AEK Larnaca FC in Cyprus.[6] He started during the vast majority of his spell, beating competition of Alexandre Negri and compatriot Mikel Saizar.

On 23 June 2016, Toño returned to Real Sociedad after agreeing to a two-year contract.[7] Completely barred by Gerónimo Rulli,[8] he only made his official debut on 26 October of the following year, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win over Lleida Esportiu in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.[9]

Toño's first appearance in the Spanish top division took place on 27 January 2018 (at the age of 31 years and two months), in a 4–2 defeat at Villarreal CF.[10] On 28 June, he returned to AEK for a second spell.[11]

Toño returned to Spain in summer 2021, with Racing Rioja CF of the newly-formed Segunda División RFEF.[12]

Honours edit

AEK Larnaca

References edit

  1. ^ De la Cuesta, Eneko (14 August 2005). "El filial varía su fisonomía" [The reserves change outline]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Abreu y Lillo se despiden de Anoeta con un empate" [Abreu and Lillo say goodbye to Anoeta with a draw]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 June 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  3. ^ Badallo, Óscar (19 June 2011). "Zubikarai saldrá para jugar y Toño le sustituirá" [Zubikarai will leave to play and Toño will replace him]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  4. ^ "El Guadalajara ficha a 'Toño' Ramírez" [Guadalajara sign 'Toño' Ramírez]. Marca (in Spanish). 16 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Toño Ramírez apuntala la portería culturalista" [Toño Ramírez bolsters the culturalista goal] (in Spanish). Vavel. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  6. ^ Fraguas, Ángel (25 June 2014). "Toño Ramírez se va al fútbol chipriota" [Toño Ramírez goes to Cypriot football]. Diario de León (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Real Sociedad sign Toño Ramírez". Real Sociedad. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  8. ^ Encinas, Mikel (7 September 2017). "Rulli, a por otros 50" [Rulli, another 50 a comin']. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  9. ^ Rodríguez, Ángel (26 October 2017). "Una maravilla de Canales salva a la Real contra el Lleida" [Canales wonder saves Real against Lleida]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  10. ^ Hurtado, José Luis (27 January 2018). "La Real se echa a perder" [Real throw it all away]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  11. ^ Isasa, Xabier (28 June 2018). "Oficial: Toño Ramírez se desvincula de la Real y firmará por el AEK Larnaca" [Official: Toño Ramírez cuts ties with Real and will sign for AEK Larnaca]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Toño Ramírez llega a la portería del Racing Rioja" [Toño Ramírez arrives at Racing Rioja's goal]. El Día de La Rioja (in Spanish). 1 September 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  13. ^ Xarilaou, Xaris. "Cyprus – List of Super Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 August 2022.

External links edit