Playing position Role Football player Current team Retired Height 1.81 m | Number 23 Position Defender Name Luis Anaya | |
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Full name Luis Alonso Anaya Merino Date of birth (1981-05-19) May 19, 1981 (age 34) Similar People Osael Romero, Darwin Bonilla, Marvin Gonzalez, Jose Henriquez, Dennis Alas | ||
Luis Alonso Anaya Merino (Born May 19, 1981, in San José Guayabal, El Salvador) is a former Salvadoran professional football player.
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Club career
Anaya started his senior career at local side San José, before moving to Salvadoran Second Division side Platense where he stayed for almost 8 years.
In May 2005, he made his debut on the highest domestic level for Salvadoran giants FAS against Águila, whom he joined after winning the 2005 Clausura title with FAS a month after that debut.
In 2008, he signed with Chalatenango, only to move on to Alianza in the same year.
He joined CD UES for the 2010 Apertura season.
International career
Anaya officially received his first cap on October 7, 2006, in a friendly match against Panama.
He scored his first goal for the national team on August 22, 2007, in a friendly match against Honduras.
His second, and most important goal came almost a year later on June 22, 2008, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Panama.
His 87th-minute goal, led El Salvador to a 3–1 win, and in doing so helped secured the national team a spot in the following round of qualification.
He has earned a total of 35 caps, scoring 2 goals. He has represented his country in 8 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and played at the 2007 UNCAF Nations Cup. He also was a non-playing squad member at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
He did not play for his country since an October 2008 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Suriname and was only over two years later called up for the 2011 Copa Centroamericana by then coach José Luis Rugamas.
With Rubén Israel as coach, Anaya was called up to take part at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup where he earned 4 caps in 4 games.
Anaya received two yellow cards at the semi-finals match against Panama for complaining.
In a frinedly match against Venezuela, on 7 August 2011, Anaya was sent off with two yellow cards, because he complained and celebrated in front of the technical area of the Venezuelans.
On September 20, 2013, Anaya was one of 14 Salvadoran players banned for life due to their involvement with match fixing.