Kike Royo Explained

Kike Royo
Full Name:Enrique Royo Herranz
Birth Date:14 June 1991
Birth Place:Logroño, Spain
Height:1.83 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:Logroñés
Clubnumber:1
Youthclubs1:Valvanera
Youthclubs2:Deportivo de La Coruña
Years1:2010–2014
Clubs1:Real Sociedad
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2010–2011
Clubs2:Logroñés (loan)
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2011–2014
Clubs3:Real Sociedad B
Caps3:52
Goals3:0
Years4:2014–2015
Clubs4:Mallorca B
Caps4:35
Goals4:0
Years5:2014
Clubs5:Mallorca
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:2015–2018
Clubs6:Guijuelo
Caps6:103
Goals6:0
Years7:2018–2021
Clubs7:Badajoz
Caps7:83
Goals7:0
Years8:2021–2022
Clubs8:Sabadell
Caps8:10
Goals8:0
Years9:2022–2023
Clubs9:Badajoz
Caps9:31
Goals9:0
Years10:2023–
Clubs10:Logroñés
Caps10:33
Goals10:0
Club-Update:18:11, 27 October 2024 (UTC)

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

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

Early career

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

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

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

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

Honours

Badajoz

2020–21[10]

Notes and References

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