Dani Mallo


Daniel 'Dani' Mallo Castro is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
The better part of his senior career was played at Deportivo, where he served almost exclusively as third-choice in the first team, and Girona. Over eight seasons, he appeared in 152 matches in Segunda División.

Club career

Born in Cambre, Galicia, Mallo spent most of his career as third-string goalkeeper with local Deportivo de La Coruña, having a loan stint at second division team Elche CF in the 2003–04 season. He first appeared with the main squad of the former on 4 May 2003, playing 20 minutes in a 5–0 home triumph over Recreativo de Huelva.
Released by Deportivo, Mallo joined Portugal's S.C. Braga for 2006–07. Because of injury to first-choice Paulo Santos, he started the first half of the following campaign, also featuring for the club in the Portuguese and UEFA Cups.
In late January 2009, after having spent the first months of the new season training separately, Mallo joined Falkirk until the end of the season. He played in the Scottish Cup final, also helping the side to the semi-finals in the domestic League Cup and a final maintenance in the Scottish Premier League; despite these achievements, he did not sign a new contract and left the club on 27 June, stating he needed to move on.
In July 2009, Mallo turned down a move to join former manager John Hughes at Hibernian FC, opting to return to Spain and sign with Girona FC in the country's second level. In his first year he deputised for former FC Barcelona's Albert Jorquera, and he played understudy to Roberto Santamaría in the following campaign, becoming first-choice subsequently.
On 30 June 2016, after a further three years in division two, with CD Lugo and Albacete Balompié, being relegated in the last one, 37-year-old moved to the Indian Super League, joining three compatriots at Atlético de Kolkata.

Personal life

Cambre's municipal ground was named after Mallo.