Enrique Royo Herranz (born 14 June 1991) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for UD Logroñés.

Kike Royo
Personal information
Full name Enrique Royo Herranz
Date of birth (1991-06-14) 14 June 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Logroño, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Logroñés
Youth career
Valvanera
Deportivo de La Coruña
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2014 Real Sociedad 0 (0)
2010–2011Logroñés (loan) 0 (0)
2011–2014 Real Sociedad B 52 (0)
2014–2015 Mallorca B 35 (0)
2014 Mallorca 0 (0)
2015–2018 Guijuelo 103 (0)
2018–2021 Badajoz 83 (0)
2021–2022 Sabadell 10 (0)
2022–2023 Badajoz 31 (0)
2023– Logroñés 30 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:53, 12 September 2024 (UTC)

He played for the reserve teams of Real Sociedad and Mallorca early in his career, but never made a first-team appearance. He played 314 games in the third-tier Segunda División B and Primera Federación for five clubs, winning the title and keeping a clean sheet of 901 minutes with Badajoz in 2020–21.

Career

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Early career

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Born in Logroño in La Rioja, Royo played as a youth for local team Valvanera before joining the academy of Deportivo de La Coruña. While there, he idolised first-team goalkeeper Dani Aranzubia, who was from the same city.[1]

Royo came through the youth ranks of Real Sociedad, and was loaned to his hometown team Logroñés and played for the reserve team, both in Segunda División B. He was an unused substitute in La Liga games, with Claudio Bravo starting and Eñaut Zubikarai first in line as replacement.[2] In the 2013–14, he travelled to all the group games against Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayer Leverkusen, being included on the bench in the final game at home to the German side on 10 December.[1]

In August 2014, having terminated his contract at La Real with once season remaining, Royo joined Mallorca B.[3] Having again not advanced past the bench for the first team in the Segunda División, he moved on to fellow third-tier club Guijuelo in July 2015.[4]

Badajoz

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After three regular seasons for the club from the Province of Salamanca, Royo signed for Badajoz in June 2018.[5] In his first season, he kept a clean sheet of 632 minutes, ending in a 1–1 draw at Linense on 10 March.[6] The campaign ended with a loss to Logroñés in the play-off quarter-finals; he saved a penalty in the second leg in his hometown, within the same 24 hours of his second child being born.[7]

Royo signed a one-year contract extension in June 2019.[8] Four months later he added another two seasons to his deal, keeping him at the club until 2022.[9]

In 2020–21, Royo went on another unbeaten run in the second half of the season; on 18 April he reached 730 minutes as his team won the league with a 4–0 victory at San Sebastián de los Reyes.[10] His streak ended at 901 minutes in a 1–1 draw with the same team on 9 May in the last game of the regular season,[11] and his side lost the playoff final by one goal to Amorebieta.[12]

Later career

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Royo reached an agreement in July 2021 to cancel the last year of his contract at Badajoz.[13] He then signed for Sabadell of the new third-tier Primera Federación, replacing Ian Mackay.[14] Under managers Antonio Hidalgo and Pedro Munitis he was second-choice to youngster Emilio Bernad, keeping four clean sheets in ten games; conceding a late winner at home to Andorra on 27 November ended his involvement.[15]

Royo cancelled his contract in Catalonia and returned to Badajoz of the same league.[15] He said that he wanted to retire at the club.[16] His team were relegated in 2022–23 and he returned to Logroñés after 12 years away, with the team now in the fourth-tier Segunda Federación.[17]

Personal life

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Royo's father Salvador played as a forward for Logroñés.[18]

Honours

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Badajoz

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kike Royo, el guardián de la cepa pacense" [Kike Royo, the guardian of the Badajoz turf]. Hoy (in Spanish). 20 February 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  2. ^ Labarga, Nacho (13 April 2014). "Royo, el espejo de Bravo" [Royo, Bravo's mirror]. Marca. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  3. ^ "El Mallorca B ficha al portero Enrique Royo" [Mallorca B sign goalkeeper Enrique Rayo]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). 5 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Kike Royo, nuevo portero para el Guijuelo". La Gaceta de Salamanca (in Spanish). 7 July 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  5. ^ "El Badajoz ficha al portero Kike Royo" [Badajoz sign goalkeeper Kike Royo]. Hoy (in Spanish). 20 June 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ Pérez, Javi (12 March 2019). "Kike Royo abre la puerta 632 minutos después" [Kike Royo opens the door after 632 minutes]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ García Arnáiz, Daniel (3 June 2019). "Kike Royo, una montaña rusa de emociones en solo 24 horas" [Kike Royo, a rollercoaster of emotions in only 24 hours] (in Spanish). Nueve Cuatro Uno. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Kike Royo renueva por el CD Badajoz" [Kike Royo renews for CD Badajoz] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Kike Royo renueva hasta 2022" [Kike Royo renews until 2022]. Hoy (in Spanish). 6 October 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  10. ^ a b Pérez, Javi (19 April 2021). "El Badajoz, campeón 30 años después" [Badajoz, champion after 30 years]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  11. ^ Vela, José Luis (9 May 2021). "El Badajoz está listo para el 'playoff'" [Badajoz are ready for the 'playoff']. El Periódico Extremadura (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  12. ^ Espada, Juanjo (22 May 2021). "El sueño acabó en pesadilla. El Badajoz pierde ante el Amorebieta y dice adiós al ascenso" [The dream ended in a nightmare. Badajoz lose to Amorebieta and say goodbye to promotion] (in Spanish). Canal Extremadura. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  13. ^ "El Badajoz confirma la salida de Kike Royo" [Badajoz confirm Kike Royo's exit]. Hoy (in Spanish). 20 July 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  14. ^ Grossi, Nazareno (3 August 2021). "Kike Royo: "Esperem que ningú s'hagi de recordar de Mackay"" [Kike Royo: "We hope that nobody has to remember Mackay"]. Diari de Sabadell (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  15. ^ a b Figueras, Pere (29 June 2022). "El porter Kike Royo, la primera baixa del CE Sabadell" [Goalkeeper Kike Royo, first to leave CE Sabadell]. Diari de Sabadell (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  16. ^ Rollano, Luis (31 August 2022). "Kike Royo: «Quiero retirarme en el Badajoz»" [Kike Royo: "I want to retire at Badajoz"]. La Crónica de Badajoz (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  17. ^ Moreno, Sergio (6 July 2023). "Kike Royo vuelve a casa y firma por la UD Logroñés" [Kike Royo returns home and signs for UD Logroñés] (in Spanish). Nueve Cuatro Uno. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  18. ^ "El hijo de Salva Royo, portero de la UD Logroñés" [Salva Royo's son, goalkeeper for UD Logroñés]. El Blogroñés (in Spanish). 16 August 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
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