Gabriel Omar Amato (born 22 October 1970) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a striker.

Gabriel Amato
Personal information
Full name Gabriel Omar Amato
Date of birth (1970-10-22) 22 October 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth Mar del Plata, Argentina
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+12 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1990 Aldosivi 27 (9)
1990–1991 Gimnasia LP 22 (5)
1991–1992 Boca Juniors 27 (2)
1992–1993 Independiente 38 (7)
1993 Huracán 19 (7)
1994–1996 River Plate 61 (13)
1996–1997 Hércules 36 (2)
1997–1998 Mallorca 35 (13)
1998–2000 Rangers 29 (9)
2000 Grêmio 35 (14)
2000–2002 Betis 62 (21)
2002–2003 Levante 39 (14)
2003 Albacete 8 (0)
2004 Banfield 19 (5)
Total 457 (121)
Managerial career
2017– Guadalajara(Asst. Manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Football career

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Born in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Amato began his senior career with local Club Atlético Aldosivi. In his first seven seasons as a professional he represented six clubs, also wearing the shirts of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, Boca Juniors, Club Atlético Independiente, Club Atlético Huracán and Club Atlético River Plate.

In 1996, Amato moved to Spain where he would remain for the better part of following eight years: he started with Hércules CF, but only scored twice in more than 2,000 minutes of action as his club was relegated from La Liga.[1]

Amato joined RCD Mallorca for the 1997–98 campaign, sharing teams with countrymen Héctor Cúper (manager), Óscar Mena and Carlos Roa as the team – freshly promoted to the top level – overachieved for a final third position in the league table with him as its top scorer. The Balearic Islands side also reached the final of the Copa del Rey against FC Barcelona, where he assisted Jovan Stanković in the 1–1 equalizer and also converted his penalty shootout attempt, but in an eventual loss.[2]

In-between his stint in the country, Amato spent two seasons in the Scottish Premier League with Rangers, signing for £4.2 million.[3] In his first competitive game for Rangers, a remarkable UEFA Cup tie away to League of Ireland side Shelbourne (although played at Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park), Amato marked his debut by scoring twice as Rangers came back from 3–0 down to win the match 5–3.[4] He netted 13 times in 45 official contests during his time with the club, winning the title on both occasions and adding the 1999 edition of the Scottish Cup; on 15 May 1999 he scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 away routing of Motherwell, one of the goals coming through a penalty.

After one year in Brazil with Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Amato played a further three 1/2 seasons in Spain. Midway through 2003–04 he left Albacete Balompié and joined Club Atlético Banfield, retiring shortly after at the age of 34.

References

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  1. ^ "El Hércules, adiós a Primera" [Hércules, farewell to Primera]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 June 1997. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  2. ^ Jugadores de ayer y de hoy: Gabriel Omar Amato (Players of yesterday and today: Gabriel Omar Amato); RCDM, 3 June 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ "Murray reveals van Vossen will leave as part of van Bronckhorst package: Amato on parade and others set to follow". The Herald. 7 July 1998.
  4. ^ McGinty, Karl (23 July 1998). "Shelbourne's braves left heartbroken". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
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