José de la Cuesta

José Julián de la Cuesta Herrera (born 10 February 1983) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Once Caldas as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Medellín, de la Cuesta started playing football with local Atlético Nacional. In January 2004, after an unassuming spell in Austria and a brief return to his first club, he signed with Spain's Cádiz CF, where he would remain for the better part of the following six 1/2 seasons.

With the Andalusia side, de la Cuesta competed in all three major levels of Spanish football. He played 15 games in La Liga in the 2005–06 campaign, which ended in relegation; his best output consisted of 25 matches and one goal in 2007–08, with his team also dropping down a level, now from the second division.

Released by Cádiz in the 2010 summer, de la Cuesta joined another club in the country, Albacete Balompié, having his season curtailed after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee and again suffering team relegation from the second level.

International career

De la Cuesta represented Colombia at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates, partnering Pablo Pachón in central defense as the national team finished third.