Antonio Caballero (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Antonio Caballero

| image =

| full_name = Antonio Jesús Caballero Ramírez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|1|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Martos, Spain

| height = 1.75 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = UD Logroñés

| clubnumber = 18

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Jaén

| youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Martos

| youthyears3 = 2012–2013 | youthclubs3 = Séneca

| years1 = 2013–2014 | clubs1 = Martos | caps1 = 32 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2014 | clubs2 = Lucena | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2014–2015 | clubs3 = Martos | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2015 | clubs4 = Ciudad Torredonjimeno | caps4 = 12 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2015–2016 | clubs5 = Mancha Real | caps5 = 17 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2016–2017 | clubs6 = Elche B | caps6 = 48 | goals6 = 4

| years7 = 2017 | clubs7 = Elche | caps7 = 3 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2017–2018 | clubs8 = Rápido Bouzas | caps8 = 37 | goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2018–2019 | clubs9 = Castellón | caps9 = 34 | goals9 = 2

| years10 = 2019–2020 | clubs10 = Badajoz | caps10 = 26 | goals10 = 2

| years11 = 2020–2021 | clubs11 = Mirandés | caps11 = 22 | goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2021–2022 | clubs12 = UCAM Murcia | caps12 = 15 | goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2022–2023 | clubs13 = San Fernando | caps13 = 31 | goals13 = 0

| years14 = 2023 | clubs14 = Córdoba | caps14 = 17 | goals14 = 0

| years15 = 2023–2024 | clubs15 = Cornellà | caps15 = 37 | goals15 = 2

| years16 = 2024– | clubs16 = UD Logroñés | caps16 = 5 | goals16 = 1

| club-update = 13 October 2024

| ntupdate =

}}

Antonio Jesús Caballero Ramírez ({{IPA|es|anˈtonjo kaβaˈʎeɾo}}; born 6 January 1994) is a Spanish footballer who plays for UD Logroñés as a midfielder.{{Soccerway|antonio-jesus-caballero-ramirez/348293}}

Club career

Born in Martos, Jaén, Andalusia, Caballero made his senior debut with Martos CD in the 2013–14 season, in Tercera División. On 3 July 2014 he moved to Segunda División B side Real Balompédica Linense,{{cite web|url=http://www.diariodecadiz.es/deportes/perla-Balona_0_821917992.html|title=Una perla para la Balona|trans-title=A pearl for the Balona|publisher=Diario de Cádiz|language=es|date=3 July 2014|accessdate=16 April 2017}} but on 28 August he joined fellow league team Lucena CF after cutting ties with the former.{{cite web|url=http://www.lucenahoy.com/articulo/deportes/el-lucena-amplia-su-plantilla-con-el-medio-caballero-y-vence-por-0-3-al-almodovar/20140828082624005836.html|title=El Lucena CF amplía su plantilla con el medio Caballero y vence por 0–3 al Almodóvar del Río|trans-title=Lucena CF extend their squad with midfielder Caballero and defeat Almodóvar del Río by 0–3|publisher=Lucena Hoy|language=es|date=28 August 2014|accessdate=16 April 2017}}

After being rarely used, Caballero left Lucena and returned to Martos on 28 December 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.palabradefutbol.com/2014/12/23/caballero-regresa-al-martos-cd-como-refuerzo-de-invierno/|title=Caballero regresa al Martos CD como refuerzo de invierno|trans-title=Caballero returns to Martos CD as a winter addition|publisher=Palabra de Fútbol|language=es|date=23 December 2014|accessdate=16 April 2017}} The following 7 February, however, he signed for UD Ciudad de Torredonjimeno, both in the fourth division.{{cite web|url=http://jaenenjuego.es/index.php/futbol/1-andaluza-grupo-iii/4926-el-torredonjimeno-ficha-a-caballero-y-pierde-a-vicente|title=El Torredonjimeno ficha a Caballero y pierde a Vicente|trans-title=Torredonjimeno sign Caballero and lose Vicente|publisher=Jaén en Juego|language=es|date=7 February 2015|accessdate=16 April 2017}}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On 25 June 2015, he agreed to a contract with Atlético Mancha Real.{{cite web|url=http://www.palabradefutbol.com/2015/06/25/caballero-miguel-rubio-y-angel-fichan-por-el-atletico-mancha-real/|title=Caballero, Miguel, Rubio y Ángel fichan por el Atlético Mancha Real|trans-title=Caballero, Miguel, Rubio and Ángel sign for Atlético Mancha Real|publisher=Palabra de Fútbol|language=es|date=25 June 2015|accessdate=16 April 2017}}

On 20 January 2016 Caballero joined Elche CF, being assigned to the reserves still in the fourth tier.{{cite web|url=http://www.elchecf.es/noticia/el-elche-ilicitano-incorpora-a-antonio-caballero|title=El Elche Ilicitano incorpora a Antonio Caballero|trans-title=Elche Ilicitano sign Antonio Caballero|publisher=Elche CF|language=es|date=20 January 2016|accessdate=16 April 2017}} On 15 April of the following year he made his first team debut, coming on as a second-half substitute for Armando in a 1–3 Segunda División home loss against CD Numancia.{{cite web|url=http://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/2017/04/15/58f24264e2704e166c8b4606.html|title=Sábado de resurrección numantina en el Martínez Valero|trans-title=Saturday of resurrection numantina at the Martínez Valero|publisher=Marca|language=es|date=15 April 2017|accessdate=16 April 2017}}

Caballero left the Franjiverdes in July 2017, and subsequently represented third division sides Rápido de Bouzas, CD Castellón and CD Badajoz, reaching the play-offs with the latter. On 21 August 2020, he agreed to a deal with CD Mirandés in the second tier.{{cite web|url=https://www.cdmirandes.com/noticia/antonio-caballero-fichaje-para-la-medular-rojilla|title=Antonio Caballero, fichaje para la medular rojilla|trans-title=Antonio Caballero, signing for the midfield rojillo|publisher=CD Mirandés|language=es|date=21 August 2020|accessdate=21 August 2020}}

On 26 July 2021, free agent Caballero agreed to a contract with Primera División RFEF side UCAM Murcia CF.{{cite web|url=https://www.ucamdeportes.com/ucamcf/noticias/caballero-refuerza-la-medular-universitaria|title=Caballero refuerza la medular universitaria|trans-title=Caballero bolsters the university's midfield|publisher=UCAM Murcia|language=es|date=26 July 2021|accessdate=12 August 2021}}

Personal life

Caballero's younger brother Raúl is also a footballer.{{cite web|url=https://www.deportedelaisla.com/2022-07-05/san-fernando-cd/raul-caballero-brasileno-marcelo-son-refuerzos-ataque-san-fernando-cd|title=Raúl Caballero y el brasileño Marcelo son refuerzos para el ataque del San Fernando CD|trans-title=Raúl Caballero and the Brazilian Marcelo are additions for the attack of San Fernando CD|publisher=Deporte de la Isla|language=es|date=5 July 2022|accessdate=11 July 2022}} A forward, he played for Córdoba CF and UD Almería as a youth.