Agustín Aranzábal
Personal information
Full name Agustín Aranzábal Alkorta[1]
Date of birth (1973-03-15) 15 March 1973[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)
*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. 1 2 3 4 "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. 1 2 3 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.
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