Sergio Ballesteros

Sergio Martínez Ballesteros (born 4 September 1975) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender.
He started and finished his 19-year professional career with Levante, amassing La Liga totals of 387 games and eight goals over the course of 15 seasons. He also represented in the competition Tenerife (four years), Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal (three) and Mallorca (four).

Born in Burjassot, Valencian Community, Ballesteros came through the ranks of local Levante UD. In January 1996 he moved on loan to the Canary Islands' CD Tenerife, making his La Liga debut on 3 January in a 2–0 home win against Racing de Santander. After making the move permanent he went on to become an important defensive player, also starting to garner a reputation as a tough, sometimes to excess, central defender: in the 1998–99 season, as Tenerife ranked second from bottom, he was sent off twice in just eight appearances.

For the 2000–01 campaign Ballesteros moved to Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, collecting ten yellow cards during his only season and playing all the games and minutes in the club's quarterfinal run in the UEFA Cup. He subsequently spent three years at Villarreal CF, being an important defensive element as the club consolidated in the main division.

From 2004 to 2008 Ballesteros represented RCD Mallorca also in the top flight, receiving six additional marching orders in over 100 first-team appearances. In July 2008 the 33-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements and released, re-joining freshly relegated to the second level Levante after 13 years.

Veteran Ballesteros rarely missed a match for the Granotas in the following seasons, making 34 appearances in 2010–11 (one goal, against CA Osasuna in a 2–1 home win) as the team finally retained its top flight status. He fared even better the following campaign – also finding the net once, at Rayo Vallecano in a 2–1 success – as the club finished sixth and qualified for the Europa League for the first time ever.

Ballesteros was again a starter and team captain in the 2012–13 season. However, late into the campaign, he, alongside Juanlu and Gustavo Munúa, was accused by teammate José Barkero of lack of commitment during a 0–4 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña, which led to several match-fixing allegations.

Club

Villarreal

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003, 2004

Country

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 1998