Antonio Amaya

{{short description|Spanish professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Antonio Amaya

| image = Antonio Amaya 2011.jpg

| caption = Amaya training with Betis in 2011

| full_name = Antonio Amaya Carazo{{cite news|url=https://resultados.as.com/resultados/ficha/deportista/a_amaya/14677/|title=Amaya|newspaper=Diario AS|language=Spanish|accessdate=30 January 2023}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|5|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Madrid, Spain

| height = {{convert|1.92|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = San Cristóbal

| years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs1 = Rayo Vallecano B | caps1 = 23 | goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2003–2009 | clubs2 = Rayo Vallecano | caps2 = 124 | goals2 = 5

| years3 = 2004 | clubs3 = → S.S. Reyes (loan) | caps3 = 15 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2009–2011 | clubs4 = Wigan Athletic | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2010–2011 | clubs5 = → Rayo Vallecano (loan) | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2011–2014 | clubs6 = Betis | caps6 = 64 | goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2014–2018 | clubs7 = Rayo Vallecano | caps7 = 85 | goals7 = 5

| years8 = 2018–2019 | clubs8 = UCAM Murcia | caps8 = 7 | goals8 = 1

| totalcaps = 346 | totalgoals = 14

| club-update =

}}

Antonio Amaya Carazo ({{IPA|es|anˈtonjo aˈmaʝa kaˈɾaθo}}; born 31 May 1983) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender.

He spent most of his professional career with Rayo Vallecano, making 254 appearances across three spells in all of the top three divisions.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2018/02/02/segunda/1517600276_110394.html|title=Amaya: 250 partidos con el Rayo|trans-title=Amaya: 250 matches with Rayo|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Maite|last=Martín|language=Spanish|date=2 February 2018|accessdate=6 September 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.unionrayo.es/los-numeros-y-la-trayectoria-de-amaya-en-el-rayo-vallecano/|title=Los números y la trayectoria de Amaya en el Rayo Vallecano|trans-title=Amaya's numbers and career in Rayo Vallecano|publisher=Unión Rayo|language=Spanish|date=21 June 2018|accessdate=6 September 2018}}

Club career

=Early years and Rayo=

Born in the capital of Madrid, Amaya began his career at local San Cristóbal de los Ángeles. He joined another team in the community, Rayo Vallecano, in 2002, also serving a six-month loan spell at lowly UD San Sebastián de los Reyes in the Segunda División B.

Eventually, Amaya returned to Rayo, becoming an important defensive unit for a side that returned to Segunda División at the end of the 2007–08 season{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2018/06/13/segunda/1528926905_143006.html|title=¿Qué fue del once del ascenso rayista de la 2007–08?|trans-title=What happened to the eleven Rayo men who promoted in 2007–08?|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Maite|last=Martín|language=Spanish|date=13 June 2018|accessdate=30 January 2023}} and comfortably retained their league status the following campaign, with the player appearing in less than half of the games (18 out of 42).

=Wigan Athletic=

Amaya signed for Premier League club Wigan Athletic on a three-year contract on 14 August 2009,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/8202388.stm|title=Defender Amaya agrees Wigan move|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 August 2009|accessdate=14 August 2009}} being joined by Rayo teammate Mohamed Diamé a week later.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/8205476.stm|title=Wigan complete capture of Diame|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 August 2009|accessdate=22 August 2009}} He made his debut in a 4–1 defeat at Blackpool in that campaign's Football League Cup on the 26th, scoring his team's goal with a header in stoppage time.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8207943.stm|title=Blackpool 4–1 Wigan|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 August 2009|accessdate=26 August 2009}}

After failing to make a single league appearance in 2009–10, Amaya returned to former club Rayo in a season-long loan.{{cite news|url=http://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-athletic/another_defender_departs_1_926077|title=Another defender departs|newspaper=Wigan Post|date=27 July 2010|accessdate=27 July 2010}} He was regularly used, as they returned to La Liga after an eight-year absence.

=Betis=

On 18 July 2011, Wigan announced the departure of Amaya, who signed a three-year contract with Real Betis.{{cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18072011/58/la-liga-wigan-defender-signs-betis.html|title=Wigan defender signs for Betis|publisher=Eurosport|date=18 July 2011|accessdate=18 July 2011}} He scored his first goal for the team on 1 December 2013, in a 2–2 home draw against former side Rayo.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/eventos/marcador/futbol/2013_14/primera/jornada_15/bet_ray/|title=Al Betis todo son pulgas|trans-title=Everybody out to get Betis|newspaper=Marca|first=Santiago|last=Siguero|language=Spanish|date=1 December 2013|accessdate=15 February 2014}}

=Return to Rayo=

In early June 2014, following Betis' top-flight relegation, Amaya once again returned to Rayo Vallecano.{{cite news|url=http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/mercado-de-fichajes/antonio-amaya-primer-refuerzo-del-rayo-para-proxima-temporada-3289742|title=Antonio Amaya, primer refuerzo del Rayo para la próxima temporada|trans-title=Antonio Amaya, first Rayo addition for next season|newspaper=Sport|language=Spanish|date=3 June 2014|accessdate=3 June 2014}} He finished the first season in his second spell with 19 games and one goal,{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/eventos/marcador/futbol/2014_15/la-liga/jornada_32/ray_alm/|title=El Rayo no tiene piedad del Almería|trans-title=Rayo have no mercy on Almería|newspaper=Marca|first=Ramiro|last=Aldunate|language=Spanish|date=19 April 2015|accessdate=26 December 2015}} helping them to easily avoid relegation.

On 20 December 2015, Amaya was on target at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, but his team had to play with nine players for more than 60 minutes and were eventually crushed 10–2 by hosts Real Madrid.{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/r-madrid-vs-r-vallecano/347723|title=Real Madrid 10–2 Rayo Vallecano: Gareth Bale nets four as Madrid hit 10 at the Bernabeu|publisher=Sky Sports|date=21 December 2015|accessdate=26 December 2015}} The veteran contributed 17 matches and one goal{{cite web|url=http://www.europapress.es/deportes/futbol-00162/noticia-rayo-remonta-oviedo-granada-empata-albacete-20170821004419.html|title=El Rayo remonta en Oviedo y el Granada empata con el Albacete|trans-title=Rayo come back from behind in Oviedo and Granada draw with Albacete|publisher=Europa Press|language=Spanish|date=21 August 2017|accessdate=6 September 2018}} in the 2017–18 campaign, helping to promotion to the top tier as champions.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/2018/05/27/5b0b12c8268e3ee9088b45fc.html|title=¡El Rayo Vallecano vuelve a ser de Primera!|trans-title=Rayo Vallecano are back to Primera!|newspaper=Marca|first=Adrián|last=Valero|language=Spanish|date=27 May 2018|accessdate=6 September 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vavel.com/es/futbol/2018/07/31/segunda-division-b-grupo-4/933025-amaya-experiencia-y-solidez-al-servicio-de-la-defensa-universitaria.html|title=Amaya, experiencia y solidez al servicio de la defensa universitaria|trans-title=Amaya, experience and toughness at the service of the collegiate defence|publisher=Vavel|first=Alejandro|last=Ruiz Cutillas|language=Spanish|date=31 July 2018|accessdate=6 September 2018}}

=UCAM Murcia=

On 31 July 2018, Amaya signed with third division club UCAM Murcia CF.{{cite web|url=http://www.ucamdeportes.com/ucamcf/noticias/amaya-un-lider-para-el-ucam-murcia|title=Amaya, un líder para el UCAM Murcia|trans-title=Amaya, a leader for UCAM Murcia|publisher=UCAM Murcia|language=Spanish|date=31 July 2018|accessdate=31 July 2018}}

Personal life

Amaya's older brother, Iván, was also a footballer and a central defender. Both represented local Rayo.{{cite news|url=http://masdeporte.as.com/masdeporte/2003/03/14/polideportivo/1047619001_850215.html|title=Antonio Amaya, hermano de Iván, novedad en la lista|trans-title=Antonio Amaya, Iván's brother, new to callup|newspaper=Diario AS|language=Spanish|date=14 March 2003|accessdate=24 April 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2009/05/22/mas_futbol/1242973634_850215.html|title=Los Amaya se citan en su segunda casa: Vallecas|trans-title=The Amayas meet in their second home: Vallecas|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Monserrate|last=Hernández Marcos|language=Spanish|date=22 May 2009|accessdate=24 April 2015}}

Their family were Romani people.{{cite news|url=https://www.marca.com/2014/11/01/futbol/equipos/rayo/1414851275.html|title=La dinastía Amaya|trans-title=The Amaya dynasty|newspaper=Marca|first=Isáac|last=Súarez|language=Spanish|date=1 November 2014|accessdate=19 March 2020}}

Honours

Rayo Vallecano

Segunda División: 2017–18{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2018/06/02/segunda/1527968593_751999.html|title=El Rayo es campeón de Segunda por primera vez en su historia|trans-title=Rayo are Segunda champions for the second time in their history|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Maite|last=Martín|language=Spanish|date=2 June 2018|accessdate=30 January 2023}}
Segunda División B: 2007–08