José Antonio Reyes facts for kids
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Reyes on the ball for Sevilla (2015)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Antonio Reyes Calderón | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Utrera, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 1 June 2019 (aged 35) | ||
| Place of death | Utrera, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.75 m | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1999 | Sevilla | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2001 | Sevilla B | 32 | (1) |
| 2000–2004 | Sevilla | 86 | (21) |
| 2004–2007 | Arsenal | 69 | (16) |
| 2006–2007 | → Real Madrid (loan) | 30 | (6) |
| 2007–2012 | Atlético Madrid | 103 | (8) |
| 2008–2009 | → Benfica (loan) | 24 | (4) |
| 2012–2016 | Sevilla | 109 | (9) |
| 2016–2017 | Espanyol | 21 | (3) |
| 2018 | Córdoba | 17 | (1) |
| 2018 | Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | 14 | (4) |
| 2019 | Extremadura | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 514 | (73) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999–2000 | Spain U16 | 7 | (5) |
| 2001–2002 | Spain U19 | 7 | (3) |
| 2002–2003 | Spain U21 | 7 | (3) |
| 2003–2006 | Spain | 21 | (4) |
| 2013 | Andalusia | 1 | (0) |
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José Antonio Reyes Calderón (born 1 September 1983 – died 1 June 2019) was a Spanish professional footballer. He mostly played as a left winger but could also play as a forward.
Reyes started his career at Sevilla when he was just 16 years old. In 2004, he moved to the English club Arsenal. There, he helped them win the Premier League and the FA Cup. He returned to Spain in 2006, playing for Real Madrid on loan, where he won La Liga.
Later, he joined Atlético Madrid and won the Europa League twice. After a short loan spell with Benfica in Portugal, he went back to Sevilla. He won the Europa League three more times with Sevilla, making him the player with the most Europa League titles (five in total). He also played for Espanyol, Córdoba, Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard, and Extremadura.
Reyes played 21 times for the Spanish national team and was part of their squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Sadly, he passed away in June 2019 at the age of 35 in a car accident.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Sevilla
José Antonio Reyes was born in Utrera, Spain. His parents were from the Romani community. He joined the youth team of his local club, Sevilla FC, when he was only 10 years old. He played for all their youth teams as he grew up.
In 1999, Reyes signed his first professional contract. He made his debut for the first team in the 1999–2000 season when he was just 16. Sevilla was later promoted to the top league, La Liga. Reyes became known as a very skilled attacking player. He scored 21 goals in four seasons, which caught the attention of bigger clubs.
Moving to Arsenal
In January 2004, Reyes joined the English club Arsenal. Sevilla's manager wanted him to stay, but Reyes moved for a fee that eventually reached £17 million.
He played his first game for Arsenal on 1 February 2004. He scored an own goal in his second game, but soon after, he scored twice against Chelsea in the FA Cup. His goals also helped Arsenal complete their amazing unbeaten season in the Premier League.
Reyes started the 2004–05 season very well, scoring in the first six matches. He was even named the Premier League Player of the Month for August 2004. However, he sometimes struggled during the season.
In 2005, there were reports that Reyes was feeling homesick in England, even though his family lived with him. He signed a new six-year contract in July, saying he looked forward to more successful years at the club.
Reyes played a big part in Arsenal's journey to the 2005–06 Champions League final. He came on as a substitute in the final against FC Barcelona, which Arsenal lost 2–1.
Loan to Real Madrid
In August 2006, Reyes moved to Real Madrid on a season-long loan. This was part of a deal where Júlio Baptista went to Arsenal.
Reyes scored his first goal for Real Madrid on 17 September 2006. On the last day of the season, Reyes scored two goals after coming on as a substitute. These goals helped Real Madrid win against RCD Mallorca and claim another league title.
Playing for Atlético Madrid
In July 2007, Reyes joined Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid's city rivals. He signed a four-year deal. His first season with Atlético was difficult, and he didn't score any goals in 26 league games.
On 7 August 2008, Reyes was loaned to Benfica in Portugal for one year. He scored his first goal for Benfica against Sporting CP in September.
Reyes' return to Atlético Madrid was much better. He scored his first official goal in Spain in over two years in January 2010. He became an important player, often starting on the wings. On 14 February 2010, he played a fantastic game in Atlético's 2–1 win against FC Barcelona. He also scored a great free kick in the Europa League against Galatasaray SK.
On 27 August 2010, Reyes scored the opening goal in the UEFA Super Cup as Atlético beat Inter Milan 2–0. He continued to score important goals for the team.
Returning to Sevilla
On 5 January 2012, Reyes returned to Sevilla, signing a contract until June 2015. He played his first game back three days later. His first goals of the next season came on 18 November 2012, when he scored twice in a 5–2 win against Real Betis.
Reyes scored two goals in 12 Europa League matches as Sevilla won the tournament in 2013–14. On 27 May 2015, he was the captain in the final of the next season's tournament. He helped his team win 3–2 against FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. He stayed with Sevilla and even scored in the UEFA Super Cup against Barcelona, though Sevilla lost that game.
Reyes scored twice as Sevilla reached the final of the Copa del Rey in 2015–16. He left the club on 1 June 2016 when his contract ended.
Later Career Teams
On 28 June 2016, Reyes joined RCD Espanyol on a two-year deal. He made his debut on 20 August. He scored his first goal for Espanyol in November 2016 in a cup match. In January 2017, he scored his first league goal for them. He left Espanyol in June 2017.
In January 2018, Reyes signed for Córdoba CF in the second division. Four months later, he moved to Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard F.C. in China.
Reyes returned to Spain in January 2019, joining Extremadura UD in the second tier.
International Career
Reyes played his first full game for Spain on 6 September 2003. He scored twice in a 4–0 win against Armenia in October 2003.
He was chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. He played in one match during the tournament, a 1–0 win against Saudi Arabia.
Personal Life and Sad Passing
José Antonio Reyes married Noelia López in June 2017. They had two daughters, Noelia and Triana. Reyes also had a son, José Antonio Jr., from an earlier relationship. His son later signed for Real Madrid's youth team.
On 1 June 2019, Reyes died at the age of 35 in a car accident. He was traveling with his cousins, Jonathan Reyes (who also died) and Juan Manuel Calderón (who was seriously injured). Police believed the car was traveling between 111 km/h (69 mph) and 130 km/h (81 mph) and that a steering or tire problem caused him to lose control.
Many footballers and his former clubs shared their sadness and offered condolences to his family. A moment of silence was held at the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final that same day. His funeral was held on 3 June in his hometown of Utrera. His last team, Extremadura, retired his shirt number 19 in his honor.
Honours
Sevilla
- Segunda División: 2000–01
- UEFA Europa League: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2015–16
- UEFA Super Cup runner-up: 2014, 2015
Arsenal
- Premier League: 2003–04
- FA Cup: 2004–05
- FA Community Shield: 2004
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2006–07
Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10, 2011–12
- UEFA Super Cup: 2010
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2009–10
Benfica
- Taça da Liga: 2008–09
Spain U-19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2002
Individual
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2004
Images for kids
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Reyes playing for Sevilla in 2015
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Reyes playing for Atlético Madrid in 2011
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Reyes in action for Sevilla in 2012
See also
In Spanish: José Antonio Reyes para niños
