Alexander MartÃÂn Callens AsÃÂn (born 4 May 1992) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Super League Greece club AEK Athens and the Peru national team.
Born in Callao, Callens played youth football with Sport Boys. He made his professional debut on 18 April 2010 in a 3âÂÂ1 loss at León de Huánuco in the Peruvian Primera División, and scored his first goal on 19 June in another away defeat, 2âÂÂ1 against Inti Gas Deportes.
Callens signed a two-year contract with Real Sociedad from Spain in August 2011, being assigned to the reserves. He went on to spend several Segunda División B seasons with the latter.
On 4 December 2014, Callens made his debut with the first team, featuring the entire second half of the 0âÂÂ0 draw at Real Oviedo in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey. On 6 June 2015, he was released.
On 10 August 2015, Callens joined Segunda División side CD Numancia on a one-year deal. He scored his first goal in the league the following 16 January, in a 2âÂÂ0 away win over Albacete Balompié.
On 23 January 2017, Callens terminated his contract and joined New York City FC shortly after. He scored his first goal in the Major League Soccer on 3 June, helping the hosts to beat Philadelphia Union 2âÂÂ1.
Callens converted his attempt in the penalty shootout victory against the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup 2021 on 11 December, closing the 4âÂÂ2 score at Providence Park. On 14 September 2022, he scored from open play to open an eventual 2âÂÂ0 defeat of Atlas F.C. in the Campeones Cup.
Callens returned to Spain in the 2023 January transfer window, on a two-and-a-half-year deal at Girona FC. He played his first match in La Liga on 10 February, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for Bernardo Espinosa in an eventual 2âÂÂ0 away loss to Cádiz CF.
On 8 September 2023, Callens was loaned to Super League Greece club AEK Athens FC. In June 2024, he signed a permanent two-year contract.
Callens won his first cap for Peru on 17 April 2013, replacing Orlando Contreras in the 74th minute of a 0âÂÂ0 friendly draw with Mexico held in San Francisco. He scored his first goal for his country on 9 September 2014 in another exhibition game, opening the 2âÂÂ0 win over Qatar.
Callens was part of the squads at the 2019 and 2021 Copa América tournaments, making five appearances in the latter for the fourth-placed team.
In June 2018, Callens earned a U.S. green card, which qualified him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.
New York City FC