Agustín Aranzábal

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

Agustín Aranzábal
Personal information
Full name Agustín Aranzábal Alkorta[1]
Date of birth (1973-03-15) 15 March 1973 (age 51)[1]
Place of birth Bergara, Spain[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
1984–1987 Bergara
1987–1991 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1994 Real Sociedad B 90 (14)
1993–2004 Real Sociedad 322 (5)
2004–2007 Zaragoza 31 (0)
2007–2008 Vera 0 (0)
2010 Kitchee 0 (0)
Total 443 (19)
International career
1994–1996 Spain U21 9 (0)
1996 Spain U23 4 (0)
1995–2003 Spain 28 (0)
1995–2003 Basque Country 8 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Runner-up 1996 Spain
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Agustín Aranzábal Alkorta (Spanish pronunciation: [aɣusˈtin aɾanˈθaβal alˈkoɾta]; born 15 March 1973) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

His main asset was his crossing ability, and he played almost exclusively with Real Sociedad, which he represented for more than ten years, appearing in 353 competitive matches.[2]

Aranzábal was also a Spanish international, and played for the country in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Club career

Aranzábal was born in Bergara, Gipuzkoa. A product of Basque Country giants Real Sociedad's youth system, he first appeared with the main squad on 21 February 1993, in a 5–1 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña. After three full seasons with the reserves, he went on to be an undisputed first-choice for one decade, for instance playing 32 games for the 2002–03 runners-up.

In July 2004, still in La Liga, Aranzábal moved to Real Zaragoza, where he was used mainly as a backup to Paraguayan Delio Toledo.[3] He retired after a small stint with amateur side CD Vera in the Canary Islands, with ex-Spain international (also a Real Sociedad teammate) Javier de Pedro also starting the campaign but being promptly dismissed.[4]

In early 2010, Kitchee SC from Hong Kong signed Aranzábal alongside compatriot Albert Celades. They both appeared with the club at the 2010 Lunar New Year Cup, a mid-season exhibition tournament.[5]

International career

Aranzábal earned 28 caps for Spain.[6] His debut was on 7 June 1995 in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier against Armenia in Seville,[7] and he was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000.[8][6]

Aranzábal also appeared for the quarter-finalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[9][6]

Personal life

Aranzábal's father, José Agustín, was also a footballer. A midfielder, he too played for Real Sociedad and Spain.[10]

Honours

Spain U21

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Agustín ARANZABAL Alkorta". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Leyendas de la Real Sociedad – Aranzabal" [Real Sociedad legends – Aranzabal]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Agustín Aranzabal persigue la continuidad" [Agustín Aranzabal looking for continuity]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 21 July 2006. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  4. ^ Urgull, Joseba (14 September 2007). "De Pedro y Aranzabal buscan una segunda juventud en el Vera tinerfeño de Preferente" [De Pedro and Aranzabal in search of second youth at Tenerife-based Vera of Preferente]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Celades jugará con el Kitchee de Hong Kong" [Celades will play with Hong Kong's Kitchee]. Sport (in Spanish). 6 February 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c López, Karel (21 May 2018). "Los últimos mundialistas de la Real Sociedad con la selección española" [The last Real Sociedad men in a World Cup with the Spanish national team]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  7. ^ Ortiz, Fabián (8 June 1995). ""No soy vengativo"" ["I do not hold grudges"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  8. ^ Segurola, Santiago (28 May 2000). "Camacho convoca a Casillas y Gerard" [Camacho calls Casillas and Gerard]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Décimos Juegos Olímpicos del fútbol español" [Tenth Olympic Games of Spanish football]. Marca (in Spanish). 22 June 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Qué fue de... Aranzabal" [What happened to... Aranzabal] (in Spanish). La Liga. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996" [Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996] (in Spanish). Orgullo Bianconero. 18 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.