Ignacio Benítez

José Ignacio Benítez Castañeda (born 9 February 1979) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a left winger.

Ignacio Benítez
Personal information
Full name José Ignacio Benítez Castañeda
Date of birth (1979-02-09) 9 February 1979
Place of birth Huelva, Spain
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Recreativo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Recreativo B
2000–2006 Recreativo 158 (12)
2006–2008 Hércules 6 (2)
2006–2007 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 16 (2)
2008 Cartagena 13 (1)
2008–2009 Ayamonte 35 (6)
Total 228 (23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Benítez and the second or maternal family name is Castañeda.

Football career

Born in Huelva, Andalusia, Benítez graduated from Recreativo de Huelva's youth setup. After two years with the reserves, he was promoted to the first team in Segunda División by manager Lucas Alcaraz, and subsequently renewed his contract despite suffering an injury in the pre-season.[1]

On 3 September 2000, Benítez played his first match as a professional, starting in a 0–0 home draw against CD Badajoz.[2] He scored his first goal on the 17th, netting in the 1–0 success over Córdoba CF also at the Estadio Colombino.[3]

Benítez was an ever-present figure in the 2001–02 season, as his team returned to La Liga after a 23-year absence. He made his debut in the competition on 1 September 2002, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–3 home loss to Málaga CF.[4]

Benítez subsequently lost his space in Recre's starting XI, mainly due to injuries. On 13 July 2006, he signed with Hércules CF also in the second level,[5] but after appearing rarely he was loaned to Segunda División B club Rayo Vallecano on 31 January 2007.[6]

On 23 January 2008, Benítez moved to FC Cartagena from the third tier.[7] On 2 September of that year, he joined Tercera División side Ayamonte CF,[8] retiring with the latter at the end of the campaign.

References
  1. Benítez, del estrellato y las lesiones a dirigir a un equipo de prebenjamines (Benítez, from stardom and injuries to managing a prebenjamines team); Huelva 24, 2 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  2. No merecen más (They don't deserve more); Mundo Deportivo, 4 September 2000 (in Spanish)
  3. El Recreativo gana el derbi andaluz y ya es quinto (Recreativo wins Andalusian derby and is already fifth); Mundo Deportivo, 18 September 2000 (in Spanish)
  4. 'Hat trick' del 'Kiki' Musampa en Huelva ('Hat trick' of 'Kiki' Musampa in Huelva); Mundo Deportivo, 2 September 2002 (in Spanish)
  5. Ignacio Benítez se convierte en la undécima incorporación del Hércules (Ignacio Benítez becomes the last addition of Hércules); Marca, 13 July 2006 (in Spanish)
  6. Benítez: “Vengo con muchísima ilusión” (Benítez: "I come with a lot of hope"); Rayo Herald, 31 January 2007 (in Spanish)
  7. Benítez: «No tengo ritmo pero sí muchas ganas» (Benítez: "I am not match fit but I am as eager as can be"); La Verdad, 23 January 2008 (in Spanish)
  8. Benítez, ex albinegro, acaba en el Ayamonte (Benítez, former albinegro player, ends up in Ayamonte); La Verdad, 2 September 2008 (in Spanish)
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