# Iñigo Calderón

Íñigo Calderón Zapatería (born 4 January 1982) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back, currently head coach of EFL League One club Bristol Rovers.
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.

## Playing career
### Spain

Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Basque Country, Calderón started his professional career with Alicante in the 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 Alavés (he had already represented its C and B sides early in his career), playing 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 campaign. 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 victory), 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Calderón's offer of a new contract at Brighton was withdrawn after he agreed to join League One rivals Southampton in May 2010.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 agreed to a new three-year deal, with manager Gus Poyet claiming "Calde is a quality player and was always our first-choice right-back...".
In the 2010–11 season, Calderón scored eight goals, 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, keeping him at the Falmer Stadium 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 career

On 9 July 2016, aged 34, free agent Calderón joined Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis Famagusta on a one-year contract. On 19 July 2017, he switched to the Indian Super League with Chennaiyin.

## Coaching career
### Beginnings

During the later years of his career, Calderón secured a UEFA Pro Licence, before returning to his former club Alavés as assistant manager to the reserves following his retirement. He went back to Brighton & Hove Albion in June 2023, being named under-18 head coach.

### Bristol Rovers

On 26 December 2024, Calderón was appointed manager of League One side Bristol Rovers on a two-and-a-half year deal. Having watched a 3–1 away defeat against Exeter City from the stands on the day of his appointment, his first match in charge was a 3–0 defeat at Stevenage, with his team ending the calendar year in 20th position; 2025 saw an upturn in form however, with thirteen points from the first eight matches including vital wins over fellow strugglers Cambridge United, Peterborough United and Burton Albion, and the manager talked of the importance of helping erase the negative atmosphere that surrounded the club at the time of his appointment.

## Personal life

Calderón has a master's degree in sport psychology. He is also a qualified teacher.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Alavés B | 2000–01 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Alavés B | 2001–02 | Segunda División B | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Alavés B | 2002–03 | Segunda División B | 35 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | 1 |
| Alavés B | 2003–04 | Segunda División B | 33 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | 0 |
| Alavés B | Total | Total | 71 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 71 | 1 |
| Alicante | 2004–05 | Segunda División B | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Alicante | 2005–06 | Segunda División B | 31 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 38 | 5 |
| Alicante | 2006–07 | Segunda División B | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| Alicante | Total | Total | 84 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 0 | 99 | 6 |
| Alavés | 2007–08 | Segunda División | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Alavés | 2008–09 | Segunda División | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 1 |
| Alavés | Total | Total | 52 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 55 | 1 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2009–10 | League One | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2010–11 | League One | 44 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 8 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2011–12 | Championship | 32 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 4 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2012–13 | Championship | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2013–14 | Championship | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 2 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2014–15 | Championship | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 4 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2015–16 | Championship | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Total | 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 | 20 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 3 |
| Chennaiyin | 2018–19 | Indian Super League | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Chennaiyin | Total | Total | 32 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 4 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 465 | 32 | 30 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 521 | 34 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in promotion play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in Football League Trophy

## Managerial statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Managerial record by team and tenure :
| Team | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Team | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win % |
| Bristol Rovers | 26 December 2024 | Present | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 035.29 |
| Total | Total | Total | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 035.29 |

## 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