José Amavisca


José Emilio Amavisca Gárate is a Spanish retired footballer who played mostly as a left winger.
He was best known for his Real Madrid stint but played for five other clubs, amassing 381 matches and 57 goals in both major levels of Spanish football during 16 seasons.
A Spanish international in the 90s, Amavisca represented the country at Euro 1996.

Club career

Born in Laredo, Cantabria, Amavisca made his professional debut for Real Valladolid. In the summer of 1994 he signed for La Liga giants Real Madrid, initially being deemed surplus to requirements but going on to score ten league goals in his debut season, mostly playing second striker to Iván Zamorano – both were initially seen as third or fourth-string attacking references by manager Jorge Valdano, as the club ended a four-year domestic title drought.
Amavisca's importance with the Merengues would gradually lessen in the subsequent years, however. In January 1999 he joined fellow league club Racing de Santander, thus returning to his native region and instantly became an essential member of the side, although his seven league goals in the 2000–01 campaign were not enough to avoid relegation.
Subsequently, Amavisca moved to Deportivo de La Coruña for 300 million pesetas, appearing in 28 games and netting three times for the 2002 runners-up but being sparingly used in the following two years, barred by veteran Fran and new signing Albert Luque. He retired after one season with RCD Espanyol, aged 34.

International career

After making his Spain debut on 7 September 1994, in an UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier against Cyprus, Amavisca appeared in the tournament's final stages, playing four matches in an eventual quarter-final exit. Due to having fallen out of favour at Real Madrid, he was overlooked for the squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Previously, Amavisca won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

International goals

Honours

Club

Real Madrid
Deportivo
Laredo
Spain U23