Antonio Pinilla
Encyclopedia
Antonio Pinilla Miranda (born 25 February 1971) is a retired Spanish
footballer who played mainly as a forward.
Best known for his stints with Tenerife
and Gimnàstic de Tarragona
– he began playing professionally for Barcelona
, but had virtually no impact for its first team – he also served as general manager
at the latter club, playing in more than 500 official matches for seven different clubs in exactly 20 years, 242 of those in La Liga
.
, Barcelona, Catalonia
, Pinilla was formed in the youth ranks of FC Barcelona
. In 1989–90, a week before turning 19, Johan Cruyff
gave him the chance to make his La Liga
debuts, on 18 February 1990, in a match against Rayo Vallecano
. He appeared 25 minutes in a 4–1 win, having replaced Julio Salinas
.
The following season, Barcelona won the league and Pinilla appeared in seven matches, scoring a decisive goal against Valencia CF
. He also appeared in that campaign's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
final
, subbing in for veteran José Ramón Alexanko
in a 1–2 loss against Manchester United
.
However, strong competition in the emerging Dream Team meant Pinilla had to leave Barça on loan, and he joined RCD Mallorca
, scoring four goals in a season which ended in top flight relegation. The following season brought the player to top level newcomer Albacete Balompié
, only missing two games as the Castile-La Mancha
side retained its league status.
, where he remained seven seasons, helping the Canary Islands
' side to the semifinals of the 1996–97 UEFA Cup. He previously entered the club's history books when scoring Tenerife's first goal ever in European competition
, against AJ Auxerre
, on 15 September 1993. The 1998–99 season brought with it relegation, and Pinilla followed the club into the second division
.
After one season with UD Salamanca
, also in the second level, Pinilla joined Catalonia
's Gimnàstic de Tarragona
, freshly promoted into that category. His seven goals, however, proved insufficient to retain the side's status. In addition, a serious knee injury in the final months of the season forced him into the operating room, which led two a six-month period of inactivity, in turn prompting his release by the club.
After recovering on his own, Pinilla was re-taken by Gimnàstic in the 2003 winter transfer window. Although he barely managed to make the team while it was in the third level
, he became a basic element in the side's return to second division two. Pinilla would add five goals in the last ten days as Gimnàstic achieved an historic return to the top level in 2005–06
.
Pinilla served as club captain during Gimnàstic's short-lived spell in the first division, scoring twice in 28 contests for the last-ranked team, against RCD Espanyol
(4–0 at home) and against Athletic Bilbao
(2–0, away).
On 11 September 2007, the club was proclaimed for the first time ever champion of the Catalonia Cup after a 2–1 defeat of Barcelona. Pinilla, who started the final, netted one of the grana. At the end of 2007–08, after helping Nàstic retain second-level status, he announced his retirement after having competed in 200 games overall with the club, promptly being named its general manager
, and leaving the post in early February 2010.
, but did represent the nation in various youth levels. Additionally, he was a member of the squad that won the gold medal
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
, appearing in two of six matches.
Pinilla also played seven matches with the unofficial Catalonia national team
.
Gimnàstic
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
footballer who played mainly as a forward.
Best known for his stints with Tenerife
CD Tenerife
Club Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
and Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
– he began playing professionally for Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, but had virtually no impact for its first team – he also served as general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
at the latter club, playing in more than 500 official matches for seven different clubs in exactly 20 years, 242 of those in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
.
Barcelona
Born in BadalonaBadalona
Badalona is a city in eastern Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the comarca of the Barcelonès, near the city of Barcelona and part of its metropolitan area. It is situated on the left bank of the small Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea, backed by the Serra de la Marina mountain range...
, Barcelona, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Pinilla was formed in the youth ranks of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. In 1989–90, a week before turning 19, Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON , known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with...
gave him the chance to make his La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
debuts, on 18 February 1990, in a match against Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...
. He appeared 25 minutes in a 4–1 win, having replaced Julio Salinas
Julio Salinas
Julio Salinas Fernández is a retired Spanish footballer who played during the 1980s and 1990s....
.
The following season, Barcelona won the league and Pinilla appeared in seven matches, scoring a decisive goal against Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
. He also appeared in that campaign's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
final
1991 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final
The 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was a football match played between Manchester United and Barcelona on 15 May 1991 at Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam. It was the final match of the European Cup Winners' Cup 1990–91 and the 31st European Cup Winners' Cup Final...
, subbing in for veteran José Ramón Alexanko
José Ramón Alexanko
José Ramón Alexanko Ventosa , also referred to as Alesanco or Alexanco, is a retired Spanish footballer and manager....
in a 1–2 loss against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
However, strong competition in the emerging Dream Team meant Pinilla had to leave Barça on loan, and he joined RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
, scoring four goals in a season which ended in top flight relegation. The following season brought the player to top level newcomer Albacete Balompié
Albacete Balompié
Albacete Balompié, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. Founded on August 2, 1940, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, with a 17,300-seat capacity.-History:The club was founded...
, only missing two games as the Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
side retained its league status.
Tenerife / Nàstic
The summer of 1993, Pinilla was finally released, signing CD TenerifeCD Tenerife
Club Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
, where he remained seven seasons, helping the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
' side to the semifinals of the 1996–97 UEFA Cup. He previously entered the club's history books when scoring Tenerife's first goal ever in European competition
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, against AJ Auxerre
AJ Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise is a French association football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the...
, on 15 September 1993. The 1998–99 season brought with it relegation, and Pinilla followed the club into the second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
.
After one season with UD Salamanca
UD Salamanca
Unión Deportiva Salamanca, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded on 16 March 1923, it currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 2....
, also in the second level, Pinilla joined Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
's Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
, freshly promoted into that category. His seven goals, however, proved insufficient to retain the side's status. In addition, a serious knee injury in the final months of the season forced him into the operating room, which led two a six-month period of inactivity, in turn prompting his release by the club.
After recovering on his own, Pinilla was re-taken by Gimnàstic in the 2003 winter transfer window. Although he barely managed to make the team while it was in the third level
Segunda División B
Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
, he became a basic element in the side's return to second division two. Pinilla would add five goals in the last ten days as Gimnàstic achieved an historic return to the top level in 2005–06
2005–06 Segunda División
-Classification 2005–06:-Relegated to Segunda División B:* UE Lleida -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 3* Ferrol -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 1* Eibar -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 4...
.
Pinilla served as club captain during Gimnàstic's short-lived spell in the first division, scoring twice in 28 contests for the last-ranked team, against RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
(4–0 at home) and against Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
(2–0, away).
On 11 September 2007, the club was proclaimed for the first time ever champion of the Catalonia Cup after a 2–1 defeat of Barcelona. Pinilla, who started the final, netted one of the grana. At the end of 2007–08, after helping Nàstic retain second-level status, he announced his retirement after having competed in 200 games overall with the club, promptly being named its general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
, and leaving the post in early February 2010.
International career
Pinilla never gained one full cap for SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, but did represent the nation in various youth levels. Additionally, he was a member of the squad that won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, appearing in two of six matches.
Pinilla also played seven matches with the unofficial Catalonia national team
Catalonia national football team
Catalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including Selecció Catalana, Selecció de Barcelona and the Catalan XI...
.
Club
Barcelona- Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 1990–91 - Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 1989–90 - Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 19911991 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1991 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 28 October and 11 November 1991. It contested by Atlético Madrid, who were Spanish Cup winners in 1990–91, and FC Barcelona, who won the 1990–91 Spanish League. FC Barcelona won 2–1 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second... - UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: Runner-up 1990–91
Gimnàstic
- Catalonia Cup: 2007
Country
Spain U23- Summer OlympicsSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
: 1992