Toni Dovale

Antonio "Toni" Rodríguez Dovale (born 4 April 1990) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left winger.

Club career Celta Dovale was born in A Coruña, Galicia, playing youth football with FC Barcelona amongst other clubs. Aged 19, he made his professional debut with local RC Celta de Vigo, starting in a 1–2 Segunda División home loss against CD Numancia on 29 August 2009. He started his career as a winger.

In the 2011–12 season, after a brief loan spell with SD Huesca of the same tier, Dovale contributed 30 games (only nine starts, 1.141 minutes of action) and two goals to help his team to return to La Liga after an absence of five years. He made his debut in the competition on 18 August 2012, coming on as a late substitute in the 0–1 home defeat to Málaga CF.

Even though his future seemed uncertain at Celta following the appointment of coach Luis Enrique in summer 2013, Dovale managed to remain with the club, being successfully reconverted into left-back in the process. However, he eventually became surplus to requirements, with even right-footed Jonny being played in his position.

Sporting KC On 11 March 2014, Dovale signed with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. He made his debut for his new team on 5 April, playing the last ten minutes of the 0–0 home draw against Real Salt Lake.

Dovale scored his first goal in the competition on 27 May 2014, in a 1–1 draw with the New York Red Bulls also at Children's Mercy Park. His contract expired on 31 December and was not renewed.

Lugo On 29 January 2015, Dovale signed a six-month deal with second-tier CD Lugo. He was an ever-present figure during his spell, starting in 16 of his league appearances and scoring his first goal on 22 March to help defeat Deportivo Alavés 3–2 at home.

Later years On 10 July 2015, Dovale moved to CD Leganés in the same league after agreeing to a one-year contract. Roughly two years later, he left Rayo Vallecano and signed a one-year deal with Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC.

On 9 September 2018, Dovale joined Cypriot First Division side Nea Salamis Famagusta FC. On 10 December, he returned to India after transferring to East Bengal FC on a loan deal.

In July 2019, the 29-year-old Dovale moved clubs and countries again, signing a four-month contract with Thai League 2 club Royal Thai Navy FC. Following a spell in the Hong Kong Premier League with Eastern Sports Club, he returned to both his homeland and his native region in October 2022 after joining Coruxo FC of the Segunda Federación.

Personal life Dovale was a trained pharmacist, and worked at his family's pharmacy in La Coruna during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020.

Career statistics