Jose Antonio Reyes, the legend that left before time
The 1 September 1983 born in Utrera Jose Antonio Reyes Calderon, a boy who is passionate about football thanks to the verdiblanco feeling that his father transmits to him. But also a child with that hint of rebellion that characterized him and that leads him, despite the colors that instilled in him, to train as a footballer in the Sevilla FC youth academy, historical city rival.
Jose Antonio Reyes, a precocious talent
in its beginnings, Reyes already gave off talent. A precocious quality with the ball that made him be called by Marcos Alonso to debut in the First Division with just 16 years, thus becoming the youngest player in the history of the Seville club to do so. It would be in the final minutes of an away game against Zaragoza in the season 1999/2000, when the team was practically relegated to Second Division. Despite only playing one match, would be part of the cadre that would achieve promotion in 2001.
The next course has already started, Jose Antonio Reyes was consolidated in eleven and at the age of 18 years he became the youngest player to score with Sevilla FC in the top flight (in a match against RCD Espanyol in Barcelona).
In what would be his first full season he played 29 games in which he would see door in 8 occasions.
The first call with the selection
Was young, but his future looked more than promising. in the summer of 2002, Reyes would be called by the Spanish National Team in the European U19 in Norway. With the red shirt he would win his first title with players like Iniesta or Fernando Torres and would stand out as one of the greatest attackers of that generation.
On his return to the Andalusian capital, the utrerano continued to waste talent in the club of his life for a season and a half. What reinforced the confidence in him for, one year later, debut with the senior team in the World Cup in Germany 2006. But nevertheless, with that Spain it did not finish establishing itself.
Reyes' stage at Arsenal
In the season 2003/2004 I was already a star with all the letters. So much so that European teams began to be interested in him, until Wenger's Arsenal opted for his signing in that winter market.
And said and done, Reyes left pierced by a fork of 30-35 millions of euros, becoming the most expensive transfer in the history of those from Nervión.
In that first year in Gunners, the striker would win his first trophy, the Premier League, being the first Spaniard to achieve it. He would do it surrounded by world idols in the famous "Arsenal of the invincibles", who went nearly a year and a half without losing. But that was not all, the utrerano would also raise the Community Shield in 2004 and an F.A.. Cup. in 2005.
after the feat, two irregular years ended up crying out for his return to Spain, leaving a trail at Arsenal 110 matches and 23 goals scored.
He played for Atlético and Real Madrid
His influence in the London club was diminishing until he disappeared from the starting lineup and being in the sights of Real Madrid triggered his departure. In 2006 Real Madrid got his loan for one year in exchange for Julio Baptista, who also went on loan to Arsenal.
Fabio Capello lined him up as a winger, though, how it happened in the english team, little by little he was losing ownership until he became an expendable player. But nevertheless, along the way he would leave historic matches, even becoming the protagonist of "the League of comebacks" by coming on as a substitute for the injured Beckham on the last day. That day, Real Madrid lost 0-1 against Mallorca and the entrance to the Reyes field would be definitive. The Andalusian would score the tie goal and sentence the match with the final 3-1 who made the whites of the League champions 2007.
Despite this performance, the Vikings negotiated his definitive transfer to Arsenal, but they did not have a change of script. Atlético de Madrid was quicker and the colchoneros got ahead of the madridistas by incorporating the player by 12 millions. His path with the Indians was not easy. His merengue past meant that he did not enjoy the support of the stands and the fans, so after a modest season, ended up on loan to Benfica.
The Sevillian's stay in Portugal was short, but it meant long enough to regain its shine. With Quique Sanchez Flores on the bench he managed to win the league, Playing 30 matches and scoring 5 goals.
But he had to return home and the following year at Atlético he again did not enjoy the trust of his coach, at that time Abel Resino. However, everything changed after his dismissal and the hiring of his great supporter in Portugal, QSF. Reyes was another under his command and responded that season by being decisive in the Europa League won by the rojiblancos in 2010. One more title for his record.
In the 2011/2012, Gregorio Manzano takes over from Quique and returns José Antonio to mediocrity in the game and poor performance, which leads him to be transferred to Sevilla FC. not without before, after the transfer of the coach in the middle of the season and the arrival of Simeone, win another Europa League.
The return to the team of his life: the Seville
On his return to Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, The utrerano definitively consecrated himself as a sevillista legend by winning 3 consecutive Europa League titles (2014, 2015 Y 2016). Thus forging the figure of the player who has won the most UEFA Europa League championships, a total of five, two with Atlético de Madrid and three with Sevilla.
In his lands, the winger signed several outstanding performances and became, as captain, in charge of lifting the Basel Cup on a magical night. That moon would witness the farewell of Reyes from Sevilla FC after, total, 10 seasons, 240 matches and 41 goals scored with the Sevilla shirt.
End of career and his tragic death
Spanish, Córdoba, Chinese League would be the next to enjoy his talent until his landfall in Extremadura, club he joined in January 2019. Under the baton of Almendralejo he disputed 9 matches before dying in a traffic accident. A road tragedy, in Alcala de Guadaira, near his hometown, the 1 June 2019. That afternoon, with only 36 years, the light of a history of sevillismo went out, of a record player of Spanish soccer and world soccer.
