Quick Facts
CapricornBiography
Íñigo Calderón Zapatería (born 4 January 1982) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-back.
He played for Alicante and Alavés in Spain, joining Brighton & Hove Albion in 2010 and going on to remain several years with the club while appearing in 232 competitive games.
Club career
Spain
Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Basque Country, Calderón started his professional career with Alicante CF in Segunda División B, achieving two first-place finishes and one third during his three-year spell but seeing his team consecutively fail in the promotion play-offs.
In 2007, he moved to Deportivo Alavés (he had already represented its C and B-sides early in his career), playing in two Segunda División seasons – often serving as team captain – and suffering relegation in his second year.
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 7 January 2010, after a spell on trial, Calderón signed with Football League One club Brighton & Hove Albion on a contract until the end of the season. He made his debut nine days later in a 2–1 win at Walsall, and scored his first goal for the Seagulls in another away fixture (also 2–1 win), against Charlton Athletic on 23 February.
Calderón's offer of a new contract at Brighton was withdrawn after he agreed to join League One rivals Southampton in May 2010. However, on 10 June, the player signed a new three-year deal with Brighton, with manager Gus Poyet claiming "Calde is a quality player and was always our first-choice right-back...".
Calderón scored eight goals in the 2010–11 season, including a first-half strike in the 4–3 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge that helped Albion secure promotion to the Championship. He subsequently signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until 2014.
Calderón netted his first goal of 2011–12 in the 2–0 home defeat of Bristol City – a thunderous drive from 25 yards. He appeared predominantly as a right midfielder in 2014–15, scoring four times and being subsequently voted player of the season.
Later years
On 9 July 2016, aged 34, free agent Calderón signed a one-year contract with Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis Famagusta FC. On 19 July 2017, he switched to the Indian Super League with Chennaiyin FC.
Personal life
Calderón has a master's degree in sport psychology. He is also a qualified teacher.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played on 22 December 2017
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Alavés B | 2000–01 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2001–02 | Segunda División B | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2002–03 | Segunda División B | 35 | 1 | — | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||||
| 2003–04 | Segunda División B | 33 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 77 | 1 | — | — | — | 71 | 1 | |||||
| Alicante | 2004–05 | Segunda División B | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Segunda División B | 31 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 0 | 38 | 5 | ||
| 2006–07 | Segunda División B | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Total | 84 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | 10 | 0 | 99 | 6 | |||
| Alavés | 2007–08 | Segunda División | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Segunda División | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 52 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 55 | 1 | ||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2009–10 | League One | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | League One | 44 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 8 | |
| 2011–12 | Championship | 32 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 39 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Championship | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | Championship | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 2 | |
| 2014–15 | Championship | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 41 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | Championship | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Total | 198 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 232 | 19 | ||
| Anorthosis | 2016–17 | Cypriot First Division | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 3 | ||
| Chennaiyin | 2017–18 | Indian Super League | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 446 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 502 | 32 | ||
Honours
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Football League One: 2010–11
Chennaiyin
- Indian Super League: 2017–18
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 League One
- Indian Super League Fittest Player: 2017–18