Quick Facts
Biography
Antonio Jesús García González (born 24 February 1977 in La Orotava, Tenerife), known as Toñito, is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder.
He played most of his professional career in Portugal where he represented five clubs (mainly Sporting), amassing Primeira Liga totals of 207 games and 24 goals.
Career
A player with skill and teamwork approach alike, Toñito started playing professionally with hometown's 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 Clube de Portugal, C.D. Santa Clara – loaned, where he joined compatriot Mauricio Hanuch, in the same predicament– and Boavista FC; he played an important part in Sporting's conquest of the 2000 Primeira Liga championship, the club's first in 18 years, playing 28 games, although 25 of those were as a substitute.
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. After a quick spell in Croatia with HNK Rijeka he returned to Portugal, netting a late equalizer for U.D. Leiria at former side Sporting (1–1 in Lisbon), 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
Player
Club
Sporting
- Primeira Liga: 1999–00
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2000, 2002