Mikel Aranburu
Personal information
Full name Mikel Aranburu Eizagirre
Date of birth (1979-02-18) 18 February 1979
Place of birth Azpeitia, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Lagun Onak
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1999 Real Sociedad B 88 (10)
1997–2012 Real Sociedad 402 (31)
Total 490 (41)
International career
2002–2011 Basque Country 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mikel Aranburu Eizagirre (born 18 February 1979) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He spent his entire career with Real Sociedad, appearing in 427 official matches for the club and scoring 32 goals.[1][2]

Club career

Born in Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, Aranburu made his professional debut aged 18, in the last round of 1996–97 against CD Logroñés, courtesy of manager Javier Irureta. From his fourth season onwards he became a full member of the main squad, being essential as the Basques finished second in La Liga in 2002–03 by contributing 34 games and two goals.[3]

Aranburu was seriously injured in 2005–06, and returned to major action only to see Real be relegated the following year, the first time in four decades.[3] He continued to be an important first-team member during the Segunda División campaigns, appearing in 35 matches in 2009–10 to help the Txuriurdin to return to the top flight after three years.[4]

In 2010–11, Aranburu was once again first-choice, partnering Diego Rivas in central defensive midfield in most of the games. He equalled a career-best five goals,[3] including two in a 4–0 away win over Getafe CF – he only played five minutes in the match[5]– and the all-important last-minute winner at home against Real Zaragoza in the 36th round (2–1),[6] as the side narrowly retained their league status.[3]

Honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Una vida en la Real" [A lifetime with Real] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Leyendas de la Real Sociedad – Aranburu" [Real Sociedad legends – Aranburu]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hernández, Iñigo (11 November 2015). "Leyendas de la Real Sociedad: Mikel Aranburu" [Real Sociedad legends: Mikel Aranburu] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 García, Gregorio (13 June 2010). "El cielo de Primera vuelve a abrirse para la Real Sociedad" [Primera heaven reopens for Real Sociedad]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "Four-star Sociedad batter Getafe". ESPN Soccernet. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  6. ↑ "Aranburu the hero for Sociedad". ESPN Soccernet. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
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