Last Updated on September 10, 2026 by Gabriel

Àlex Calatrava Torrado, better known in football simply as Cala, is a Spanish attacking midfielder and winger whose long journey through the lower divisions eventually took him to RCD Espanyol and La Liga. Born on June 22, 2000, Cala spent years moving through different Catalan clubs before representing Atlético de Madrid B, CD Castellón and eventually Espanyol.
Throughout that journey, Cala has repeatedly emphasized the importance of his family. His father was himself a footballer and played as a goalkeeper as high as Segunda B, while the entire family helped Àlex pursue his career by taking him to training sessions and matches when professional football still seemed a distant dream.
Despite speaking warmly about his relatives, Cala has kept most of their personal identities private. His father’s name, his mother’s name, possible siblings and details about his romantic life have not been reliably established in major public sources.
Who Is Cala’s Girlfriend?
As of now, Àlex Calatrava has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend or partner through reliable mainstream football reporting.
Recent interviews with Cala have explored his childhood, his difficult route through lower-league football, his studies, employment outside the game and his relationship with his family, but they have not identified a romantic partner.
There may be photographs or claims circulating on social media, but these are not sufficient to establish someone as Cala’s girlfriend. Unless the Espanyol player publicly discusses his relationship or a dependable source confirms it, his romantic status should be regarded as private.
Is Cala Married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Cala is married.
No established interview or club profile currently identifies a wife, and there has been no widely reported wedding involving the Espanyol attacker.
This does not necessarily mean that Cala is single. It simply means that he has chosen not to make this area of his personal life part of his public football profile.
Does Cala Have Children?
There is currently no dependable public information confirming that Àlex Calatrava has children.
Cala has not publicly announced the birth of a son or daughter, and recent profiles covering his personal journey to La Liga do not identify him as a father.
Without direct confirmation, claims that Cala has children would therefore be speculative.
Who Are Cala’s Parents?
The names of Àlex Calatrava’s parents have not been reliably disclosed in the major interviews currently available. However, Cala has spoken clearly about the enormous importance of his family during his football development.
When Espanyol presented him as a new signing in July 2026, the attacker thanked his family for supporting him throughout a career that required patience and perseverance. He recalled that his relatives had taken him to as many matches as possible long before he was playing in professional stadiums.
His father had an especially direct connection to football because he had previously played the game himself.
Who Is Cala’s Father?
Cala’s father is a former football goalkeeper. Although his name has not been established in the strongest available public sources, Àlex has revealed several important details about his playing career and influence.
Speaking to La Vanguardia in August 2026, Cala said that his father reached Segunda B, which was for many years the third tier of Spanish football. He also said his father represented clubs including Cerdanyola.
That football background meant Cala grew up with a parent who understood both the opportunities and difficulties involved in trying to build a career in the sport.
How Did Cala’s Father Help His Football Career?
Cala has credited his father with supporting him from childhood, particularly during periods when his future in football was uncertain.
His father regularly took him to football grounds and training sessions. Cala recalled that he would also push him to improve whether things were going well or badly.
That support became particularly important when Cala was playing outside professional football. His father continued travelling with him, including journeys connected with his time at clubs such as Costa Brava and his development around Catalonia.
Cala has said that this encouragement helped him continue pursuing football instead of giving up when his career was progressing much more slowly than those of many other professional players.
Was Cala’s Father a Professional Footballer?
Cala’s father played competitive senior football as a goalkeeper and reached Segunda B. However, publicly available reporting does not provide a sufficiently complete career record to determine whether football was his full-time profession throughout that period.
What is firmly established is that his experience at a high level of Spanish football allowed him to provide his son with practical support and perspective during Àlex’s development.
Who Is Cala’s Mother?
Cala’s mother has not been publicly identified by name in reliable mainstream interviews or official club profiles.
She has remained outside the football spotlight even as her son’s profile has grown following his performances for Castellón and subsequent move to Espanyol.
There is evidence that Cala’s family regularly attended his matches, and one public account from his Castellón period mentioned a supporter being seated beside his mother at an away match. However, no dependable source provides enough information about her name, occupation or personal background.
For that reason, those details should remain private rather than being filled with information from unverified social-media accounts.
Does Cala Have Brothers or Sisters?
As of now, there is no reliable public information confirming whether Àlex Calatrava has brothers or sisters.
Cala frequently uses the general term “family” when discussing the people who helped him throughout his career, but the strongest interviews available do not identify any sibling by name or relationship.
It would therefore be inaccurate to describe him either as an only child or as having a specific number of siblings without additional evidence.
Cala’s Family Support During His Difficult Football Years
The importance of Cala’s family becomes clearer when considering how unusual his route to La Liga was.
Instead of moving directly from a major academy into professional football, Cala represented numerous clubs during his development, including Damm, Barcelona’s youth setup, Sant Andreu, Horta, Parets, Sants and Costa Brava.
When his youth career ended, there was no guarantee that football would provide him with a living. Cala combined playing in the lower divisions with studying industrial engineering and working outside football.
He has revealed that he worked overnight shifts at Primark while studying in the morning and training in the afternoon. Sometimes the demanding schedule meant going into football commitments with very little rest.
During this period, family support was particularly significant because there was no certainty that his sacrifices would eventually lead to a professional career.
How Cala Went From Lower-League Football to La Liga
Cala’s persistence eventually produced results. After spells with Parets, Sants and Costa Brava, he joined Atlético de Madrid B in January 2022.
Being part of Atlético’s structure represented an important change. Cala later explained that this was when he genuinely began believing that he could reach professional football because he was training within the environment of a major club.
He progressed with Atlético’s reserve side and was even involved around the senior team before leaving for CD Castellón in 2024.
Castellón proved to be the club where Cala’s attacking qualities became particularly visible. Across two seasons, he developed into one of the team’s most influential players.
Cala’s Family and His Move to Espanyol
In July 2026, Cala completed a transfer from Castellón to RCD Espanyol, signing a contract until June 30, 2031.
The move was significant because it finally offered him the opportunity to play regularly in Spain’s top division after spending years climbing through the football pyramid.
During his presentation, Cala made sure to mention his family. He thanked them for always being there and for taking him to matches throughout his childhood and early career.
His comments showed that reaching La Liga was not viewed solely as an individual achievement. It was also the result of years of support from the relatives who continued helping him when football offered little financial security or certainty.
How His Father Influenced Cala’s Mentality
Having a father who had already experienced competitive football appears to have helped Cala understand the need for persistence.
Àlex has explained that his father did not simply congratulate him when things went well. He also demanded more from him and continued pushing him during difficult periods.
Cala developed a similar demanding mentality himself. Looking back on his path to Espanyol, he has repeatedly emphasized that he refused to give up even when coaches gave him fewer opportunities or when he had to combine football with work and education.
His father’s encouragement therefore became one part of the mentality that allowed him to progress from regional football all the way to La Liga.
Cala’s Private Life Away From Football
Despite his growing profile, Cala remains comparatively private about life outside football.
His recent interviews have concentrated on the unusual path he followed to become a professional, rather than romantic relationships or celebrity life.
This privacy means that considerably more is known about the footballing influence of his father than about his mother, possible siblings or partner.
For a family profile, the distinction is important: information that Cala has personally confirmed can be reported confidently, while details that remain private should not be guessed from surnames, photographs or unverified online biographies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cala’s Family
What is Cala’s real name?
Cala’s full name is Àlex Calatrava Torrado. He was born on June 22, 2000, and plays for RCD Espanyol.
Who is Cala’s girlfriend?
Cala has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend or romantic partner through a reliable source. His current relationship status remains private.
Is Cala married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Àlex Calatrava is married.
Does Cala have children?
No publicly verified source currently confirms that Cala has a son or daughter.
Who are Cala’s parents?
The names of Cala’s parents have not been reliably disclosed. However, he has frequently thanked his family for supporting his football career from childhood.
Was Cala’s father a footballer?
Yes. Cala has confirmed that his father was a goalkeeper who reached Segunda B and played for teams including Cerdanyola.
How did Cala’s father help his career?
His father regularly drove him to training sessions and football grounds and continued supporting and demanding more from him during difficult periods in the lower divisions.
Who is Cala’s mother?
His mother’s name and profession have not been publicly established by dependable sources.
Does Cala have siblings?
There is currently no reliable information confirming whether Cala has brothers or sisters.
Why is Àlex Calatrava called Cala?
“Cala” is the shortened football nickname derived from his surname, Calatrava. It is the name by which he is commonly known within football and appears on his Espanyol shirt.

Gabriel Lucio is a football analyst covering La Liga, focusing on match analysis, tactical trends, and the race for domestic and European positions.
