Iván Calero Ruiz

Iván Calero began his career in the academies of Madrid's two biggest clubs, moving between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid before turning professional through Atlético's C and B sides. In 2014 he left Spain for England, joining Derby County, where he spent two seasons. From there he crossed to the Netherlands, playing for Sparta Rotterdam and its reserve side, Jong Sparta, before returning to Spain in 2017 to sign for Elche.

What followed was a run through the Spanish lower and middle divisions that has come to define his career: a loan at Salamanca, then spells at Numancia, Málaga, Cartagena and, most recently, Real Zaragoza, with a further loan at Alcorcón along the way. According to FootyStats, Calero holds the record for the most Segunda División appearances among current players, with 188 outings.

As a teenager he was capped repeatedly for Spain's youth sides, appearing for the under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 teams. His closest brush with senior European competition came in 2013, when he was named among Atlético Madrid's substitutes for a UEFA Europa League tie against Rubin Kazan, though he did not take the field.

In August 2025 he moved to Cultural Leonesa on a three-year contract, taking the number 17 shirt for a club now adding a defender whose career has taken him from Madrid's academies to England, the Netherlands and back through Spanish football's second tier.