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Drake CallenderAmerican football player
Date of Birth: 07.10.1997
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Cleden Manuel Calender is an American soccer goalkeeper who currently plays for Inter Miami CF. His football journey began with youth teams Cap United and Placer United. From 2013 to 2016, he honed his skills at the San Jose Earthquakes Academy.
College Career
In 2016, Calender enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he pursued a degree in Jurisprudence. Simultaneously, he played for the California Golden Bears soccer team. During his college years, he played in 54 NCAA Division I matches, including 16 clean sheets. In 2019, he was also listed with the USL League Two club San Francisco Glens but did not appear in any games.
Professional Club Career
On November 12, 2019, Inter Miami CF, a newcomer to Major League Soccer (MLS), acquired Calender's rights from the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and potential General Allocation Money up to $150,000 if certain milestones were met. The club signed him as a Homegrown Player on December 23.
Calender made his professional debut on May 7, 2021, with Inter Miami's USL League One affiliate, Fort Lauderdale CF, against Union Omaha. His MLS debut for Inter Miami came on March 19, 2022, against FC Cincinnati. After Nick Marsman sustained an injury in late April, Calender became the club's starting goalkeeper and retained his place in the starting lineup.
In the 2022 season, Calender was named to the MLS Team of the Week three times and was nominated for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, finishing third in voting. On February 14, 2023, he extended his contract with Inter Miami through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026.
On August 19, in the 2023 Leagues Cup Final, Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC in a penalty shootout. Calender saved two penalties and converted the winning penalty, earning him the tournament's Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Most Valuable Player awards.
International Career
In March 2021, Calender participated in a training camp with the United States U-23 team. On April 12, 2023, he received his first call-up to the senior United States national team for a training camp ahead of a friendly against Mexico. He was an unused substitute in the match and went on to win the 2022/23 CONCACAF Nations League. Calender was included in the 64-player preliminary roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup but was not named to the final 23-man squad.
