Diego Calderón facts for kids
Calderón with Barcelona SC in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diego Armando Calderón Espinoza | ||
| Date of birth | October 26, 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Quito, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left-back, Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2005 | LDU Quito | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2012 | LDU Quito | 210 | (4) |
| 2006 | → Deportivo Azogues (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2013 | Colorado Rapids | 4 | (0) |
| 2014 | LDU Quito | 12 | (0) |
| 2015 | Barcelona SC | 13 | (0) |
| 2016 | Zacatepec | 29 | (2) |
| 2017 | Deportivo Cuenca | 3 | (0) |
| 2017 | Aucas | 22 | (2) |
| 2018–2019 | Alianza Cotopaxi | 32 | (1) |
| 2019 | Club Unibolivar | 5 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 2011–2012 | Ecuador | 5 | (0) |
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Diego Armando Calderón Espinoza (born October 26, 1986) is a former professional footballer from Ecuador. He played as a defender, usually as a left-back or centre-back. Diego is well-known for his time with LDU Quito. He helped them win the 2008 Copa Libertadores, which was a huge moment for Ecuadorian football.
Contents
Diego Calderón's Football Journey
Starting with LDU Quito
Diego Calderón began his football career with LDU Quito. This is a very famous club in Ecuador. He joined their youth team in 2003 and then moved up to the main senior team in 2005.
Winning the Copa Libertadores
In 2008, Calderón was a key player for LDU Quito in the Copa Libertadores. This is the biggest club football tournament in South America. He played excellent defense, helping his team against many tough opponents.
However, he got injured during the Round of 16 games. Another player, Renán Calle, took his place for the rest of the tournament. Even with his injury, his team made history! LDU Quito became the first team from Ecuador to win the Copa Libertadores.
Playing in the FIFA Club World Cup
After their big win, LDU Quito went on to play in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. Diego Calderón was back and became a regular starter again. He played in both of LDU Quito's matches.
First, they beat Pachuca 2–0 in the semifinals. Then, they played against the famous English team, Manchester United, in the final. LDU Quito lost the final 1–0, but Diego and his teammates played very well throughout the whole tournament.
Moving to Other Clubs
In 2013, Diego was loaned to the Colorado Rapids in the United States. He had knee surgery, which meant he missed a lot of that season. After that, he played for several other clubs. These included Barcelona SC in Ecuador and Zacatepec in Mexico. He also played for Deportivo Cuenca and Aucas back in Ecuador.
Achievements and Trophies
Diego Calderón won many important trophies during his career:
- Serie A (3): 2005 Apertura, 2007, 2010
- Copa Libertadores (1): 2008
- Copa Sudamericana (1): 2009
- Recopa Sudamericana (2): 2009, 2010
Deportivo Azogues
- Serie B (1): 2006 E1
