Víctor Sánchez

Football player infobox
playername = Víctor


fullname = Víctor Sánchez del Amo
height = height|meter=1.83
weight = 79 kg
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|2|23
cityofbirth = Madrid
countryofbirth = Spain
currentclub = Free agent
clubnumber =
position = Right midfielder
youthyears = 1994–1995 1995-1996
youthclubs = Real Madrid C Real Madrid B
years = 1996-1998 1998-1999 1999-2006 2006-2007
2007-2008
clubs = Real Madrid Racing Santander Deportivo La Coruña Panathinaikos FC
Elche CF
caps(goals) = 065 (7) 035 (12)
0210 (30) 012 (0) 017 (2)
nationalyears = 2000-2002
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 08 (0)
pcupdate = September 1, 2008
ntupdate = September 1, 2008 Víctor Sánchez del Amo (born 23 February 1976 in Madrid), commonly known as Víctor, is a Spanish football midfielder, currently unattached. His crossing ability is among the qualities which brought him international recognition with Spain and especially Deportivo de La Coruña.

Club career

Being a product of the famous Real Madrid CF youth system, Víctor debuted with the first team on May 25, 1996, in the season's last matchday, a 1-0 win at Real Zaragoza, and would play a relative role in Madrid's conquest of the 1997-98 Champions League.

In 1998-99, Víctor, facing stiff competition, had to leave his hometown club, his first post-R.Madrid port of call being Racing de Santander, where he registered 12 league goals to earn a move to Deportivo de La Coruña. In 1999-2000 he missed just one league match as Deportivo won "La Liga" title - their first - scoring four goals.

It was as creator rather than scorer, however, that Víctor impressed in the UEFA Champions League 2001-02, a season which saw the Galicians win the Spanish Cup. He helped "Depor" to a third-place finish in 2002-03 with four goals in 30 games, while also chipping in with a couple in the Champions League, prior to the club's second group stage elimination.

In 2003-04, he enjoyed his best return in front of goal, seven in 31 league games, including a January 3, 2004 hat-trick at Celta de Vigo (5-0 success), as Deportivo finished third behind Valencia CF and FC Barcelona. Víctor failed to score, though, in a Champions League campaign which concluded with a semi-final loss to FC Porto. In his last season, Deportivo would finish eighth in the league and Víctor was not offered a new contract, a decision helped by the fact he had recently been injured.

On August 3, 2006, Víctor signed a 2-year contract with Greek league giants Panathinaikos FC [cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/news/kind=1/newsid=442752.html|title=Víctor wins Panathinaikos deal|date=2006-08-07|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=UEFA.com] for about €1.5 million per year, being one of the most reputed transfers in Greece that season. However, he appeared sparingly throughout the season and, in October 2007, returned to Spain, signing a one-year deal with "Segunda División" club Elche CF. He spent the first months of the new season training on his own.

At the end of the season, Víctor renewed his link for a further season, only to back down immediately on his original decision, leaving the Alicante province side in July 2008.

International career

Víctor debuted with Spain in a friendly match against Germany on 16 August, 2000 (4-1 away loss), and went on to receive 8 caps in a two-year span.

He had previously participated in the UEFA U-21 Championship 1998 in which Spain emerged victorious, against Greece (1-0).

References

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=6259 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon
* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=8493 NationalFootballTeams data]