Agustín Aranzábal

Agustín Aranzábal
Personal information
Full name Agustín Aranzábal Alkorta
Date of birth (1973-03-15) 15 March 1973
Place of birth Bergara, Spain
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Left back
Youth career
1984–1987 Bergara
1987–1992 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Real Sociedad B 34 (7)
1993–2004 Real Sociedad 331 (5)
2004–2007 Zaragoza 31 (0)
2007–2008 Vera 0 (0)
2010 Kitchee 0 (0)
Total 396 (12)
National team
1994–1996 Spain U21 9 (0)
1996 Spain U23 4 (0)
1995–2003 Spain 28 (0)
1995–2003 Basque Country 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Agustín Aranzábal Alkorta (Spanish pronunciation: [aɣusˈtin aɾanˈθaβal alˈkoɾta]; born 15 March 1973) is a Spanish retired 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 official games.[1]

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 1–5 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña. After two seasons playing mainly with the B-side, he went on to be an undisputed first-choice for one full 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 as a backup to Paraguayan Delio Toledo. He retired after a small stint with amateurs CD Vera Puerto de la Cruz in Canary Islands, with ex-Spain international (also a Real Sociedad teammate) Javier de Pedro also starting the campaign but being promptly dismissed.

In early 2010, Kitchee SC from Hong Kong signed Aranzábal alongside compatriot Albert Celades.[2] They both appeared with the club at the 2010 Lunar New Year Cup, a mid-season exhibition tournament.

International career

Aranzábal played 28 times for Spain. His debut was on 7 June 1995 in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier against Armenia in Seville,[3] and he was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000.

Aranzábal also appeared for the quarter-finalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[4]

Personal life

Aranzábal's father, José Agustín, was also a footballer. A midfielder, he too played for Real Sociedad and Spain.[5]

Honours

Club

Zaragoza

International

Spain U21

References

  1. ↑ "Leyendas de la Real Sociedad – Aranzabal" [Real Sociedad legends – Aranzabal] (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  2. ↑ Celades jugará con el Kitchee de Hong Kong (Celades will play with Hong Kong's Kitchee) Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.; Sport, 6 February 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. ↑ “No soy vengativo” (“I do not hold grudges”); Mundo Deportivo, 8 June 1995 (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ Agustín Aranzábal – FIFA competition record (archive)
  5. ↑ Qué fue de... Aranzabal (What happened to... Aranzabal); La Liga, 21 April 2014 (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996 (Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996) Archived 13 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine.; Orgullo Bianconero, 18 June 2013 (in Spanish)
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