Iván Campo

Iván Campo Ramos (born 21 February 1974) is a Spanish former professional footballer. Originally a centre-back, he featured in a defensive midfield role in the later years of his career.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Campo and the second or maternal family name is Ramos.

Iván Campo
Campo in 1996
Personal information
Full name Iván Campo Ramos
Date of birth (1974-02-21) 21 February 1974
Place of birth San Sebastián, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Youth career
Logroñés
Alavés
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 Alavés 45 (2)
1995–1997 Valencia 25 (1)
1995–1996 → Valladolid (loan) 24 (2)
1997–1998 Mallorca 33 (1)
1998–2003 Real Madrid 60 (1)
2002–2003 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 31 (2)
2003–2008 Bolton Wanderers 141 (11)
2008–2009 Ipswich Town 17 (1)
2009–2010 AEK Larnaca 8 (0)
Total 384 (21)
National team
1998–2000 Spain 4 (0)
2000–2006 Basque Country 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played for Real Madrid and four other teams in his country, and is also remembered for his spell in England with Bolton Wanderers.

Campo represented Spain in the 1998 World Cup.

Club career

Spain

Born in San Sebastián, Basque Country, Campo started his career at Deportivo Alavés of Segunda División B. He stayed there for two and a half years, signing with Valencia CF who immediately loaned him for the rest of the season to Real Valladolid, which he helped narrowly avoid relegation from La Liga.[1]

Subsequently, Campo returned to Valencia only to be released, joining recently promoted team RCD Mallorca. In the Balearic Islands, he formed a formidable partnership with Marcelino Elena (later of Newcastle United), as they finished fifth in 1997–98.[1]

In 1998, Campo signed with Real Madrid, and contributed to the 1999–2000 conquest of the UEFA Champions League, playing the full 90 minutes in the final against former club Valencia.[2]

Bolton Wanderers

After falling out of favor at Real, Campo was sent to Bolton Wanderers on a one-year loan in August 2002.[3] Following the 2002–03 campaign he was expected to return to the Spanish capital, but unexpectedly signed a three-year permanent deal with the English club, deciding he preferred living in Bolton.[4]

On 19 August 2006, in the first match of the new season, Campo scored a long-range drive which caught Tottenham Hotspur and England's Paul Robinson off-guard and flew into the bottom corner of the net.[5][6] In a post-match interview, his boss Sam Allardyce admitted Bolton's goal of the season competition may have already been decided[6] by the "wonder strike".[5]

Campo fitted in well with Bolton's style of play, but also topped the charts for most red and yellow cards received of any player in the Premier League in 2006–07.[7] In May 2008, he was not offered a new contract by manager Gary Megson and left the team.[8]

Shortly before the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, Campo wrote a letter to the Bolton supporters expressing his regret at not having been able to bid the club a proper farewell, and the letter appeared on a website run by Sky Sports presenter Guillem Balagué.[9] He eventually played in a testimonial match at the Reebok Stadium, in honour of teammate Jussi Jääskeläinen.

Ipswich Town

On 11 August 2008, Campo signed for Ipswich Town in the Football League Championship after passing a medical.[10] He scored his first goal against Barnsley in a 3–0 win,[11] but after only featuring in roughly a third of the league's matches for the club, the 35-year-old was released by manager Roy Keane at the end of the season.[12]

Later years

In December 2009, Campo joined Cypriot Second Division side AEK Larnaca FC. He retired in June of the following year aged 36, having appeared in 124 Spanish first division games in seven years and 194 competitive matches for Bolton.[13]

International career

Campo played four times with Spain, his debut coming on 25 March 1998 in a 4–0 friendly win over Sweden, in Vigo.[14] He was picked for the squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, with the national team exiting in the group stage.

Other ventures

Campo featured in a Spanish TV advert for a fruit drink. In the advert two men take off their shirts to reveal tattoos of Campo's head on their chests.[15]

An Indie band from Preston, England have named themselves Ivan Campo. They featured as part of an interview given by Charlie Webster for a BBC News report after the player signed for Ipswich.[16][17]

Honours

Real Madrid

Bolton Wanderers

References
  1. "Iván Campo, aquel central melenudo que jugó en el Alavés" [Iván Campo, that hairy stopper who played in Alavés] (in Spanish). Vavel. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. "Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia". The Guardian. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. Bolton seal Campo deal; BBC Sport, 31 August 2002
  4. "Campo signs for Bolton". BBC Sport. 18 July 2003. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  5. McKenzie, Andrew (19 August 2006). "Bolton 2-0 Tottenham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. Instone, David (20 August 2006). "Bolton Wanderers 2 Tottenham 0: Campo sets Spurs off on wrong foot". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. English Premier League – Player Discipline – 2006/2007; at ESPN Soccernet
  8. Campo goes as Bolton release trio; BBC Sport, 17 May 2008
  9. An open letter to the fans of Bolton Wanderers by Ivan Campo; Guillem Balagué, 5 June 2008
  10. Campo completes move to Ipswich; BBC Sport, 11 August 2008
  11. "Ipswich 3–0 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  12. Seven players released by Ipswich; BBC Sport, 8 May 2009
  13. "Former Ipswich Town defender Ivan Campo wants Bolton job". Green 'Un 24. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  14. "La selección va que chuta" [National team are a real craze] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 26 March 1998. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  15. The Ivan Campo Appreciation Society: Exhibit B Archived 2 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine; Manny Road, 3 August 2008
  16. Campo settling in at Ipswich; BBC, 30 October 2008
  17. The Ivan Campo Appreciation Society: Exhibit C; Manny Road, 20 August 2008
  18. "Boro lift Carling Cup". BBC Sport. 29 February 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
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