José Ignacio Zahínos Sánchez (born 1 December 1977) is a Spanish former footballer. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he was able to operate as a central defender.
The late bloomer's career was greatly hampered by injuries, as he only played an average of 11 matches in ten seasons as a professional.Zahínos se negó a ser sustituido a pesar de la brecha (Zahínos refused to be replaced in spite of gash); Diario AS, 18 March 2005 (in Spanish)El niño del pescadero (The boy from the fish market); El Mundo, 27 October 2005 (in Spanish)
Club career Born in Madrid, Zahínos' career began with CD Yuncos in the regional leagues. In 1999, following a successful trial at CP Amorós, he joined Atlético Madrid's reserves, and made two appearances for the first team in 2000–01's Segunda División.
Zahínos would feature rarely for Atlético due to several injuries, however, serving four loan stints in the second tier until June 2007 in the process.Zahínos rescinde su contrato con el Atlético (Zahínos terminates his contract with Atlético); Marca, 30 August 2007 (in Spanish) He made his La Liga debut on 29 May 2005, playing the last 16 minutes of a 2–2 home draw against Getafe CF.El Atlético es incapaz de alcanzar la Intertoto (Atlético are unable to reach the Intertoto); El Mundo, 29 May 2005 (in Spanish) His only goal in the competition came on 30 October that year, when he opened the 1–1 draw with Villarreal CF also at the Vicente Calderón Stadium.La conexión Riquelme-Forlán da al Villarreal un empate increíble ante un Atlético conformista y rácano (Riquelme-Forlán connection gives Villarreal incredible draw against conformist and miser Atlético); Libertad Digital, 30 October 2005 (in Spanish)
In 2007–08, Zahínos signed a two-year contract with top-tier club Recreativo de Huelva,Aguiar leaves Porto, Kuban coup; UEFA, 31 August 2007 but had his season cut short due to a serious knee injury, sustained in a 1–0 away win over CA Osasuna in April 2008. Due to this, he missed the entirety of the following campaign.A Zahinos le será extirpado el menisco de la rodilla que se lesionó (Zahinos to have meniscus of injured knee removed); Huelva Información, 18 October 2008 (in Spanish)Zahínos se somete a una artroscopia y será baja el resto de temporada (Zahínos undergoes arthroscopy and will miss rest of season); Marca, 14 April 2009 (in Spanish)
Zahínos retired shortly after, aged 31. He started working as a coach in Atlético Madrid's youth system.Zahínos dirigirá al tercer juvenil (Zahínos will coach juvenil number three); Mundo Deportivo, 15 June 2010 (in Spanish)
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