Xabier Etxeita

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Etxeita and the second or maternal family name is Gorritxategi.
Xabier Etxeita
Personal information
Full name Xabier Etxeita Gorritxategi
Date of birth (1987-10-31) 31 October 1987
Place of birth Zornotza, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Athletic Bilbao
Number 16
Youth career
Amorebieta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Amorebieta
2006–2009 Bilbao Athletic 66 (7)
2008–2010 Athletic Bilbao 17 (1)
2010 → Cartagena (loan) 14 (0)
2010–2013 Elche 97 (5)
2013– Athletic Bilbao 57 (2)
National team‡
2015– Spain 1 (0)
2014– Basque Country 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 16 May 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2015

Xabier Etxeita Gorritxategi (born 31 October 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao mainly as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Zornotza, Biscay, Etxeita was a product of Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth ranks, Lezama. His first three games with the first team, all in 2008–09's La Liga, were not without incidents: in his first, a 2–0 home win against neighbours CA Osasuna on 16 November 2008,[1] he subbed in for injured Ustaritz, being sent off in the following against CD Numancia (same venue and result).[2] On 21 December, he replaced Ander Murillo who also retired before half-time due to injury, in a 1–0 success at Real Betis;[3] during the season, however, he was mainly registered with the B-side.

In the very last days of the 2010 January transfer window, Etxeita moved on a five-month loan to FC Cartagena in the second division.[4] On 16 July 2010 he left Athletic and signed with another club in that level, Elche CF, quickly going on to establish himself in the starting XI.

On 4 June 2013, after contributing with 40 games and four goals[5][6][7][8] as the Valencian Community team returned to the top level after more than 20 years, Etxeita returned to Athletic Bilbao on a free transfer.[9] He only made his official debut on 7 April of the following year,[10] playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away win over Levante UD.[11]

Etxeita scored his first competitive goal for Athletic on 25 October 2014, netting the only in a league fixture at UD Almería.[12] His second came on 4 March of the following year, as he helped to a 2–0 win over RCD Espanyol in Barcelona to make his team reach the final of the Copa del Rey for the first time in three years.[13]

International career

Etxeita received his first call up to the senior Spanish team in October 2015.[14] He gained his first cap on the 12th, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win in Ukraine – the last round, the nation had already secured the first position in its group – for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers.[15]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References

  1. ↑ Athletic 2 – Osasuna 0; Athletic Bilbao, 16 November 2008
  2. ↑ Athletic 2 – Numancia 0; Athletic Bilbao, 30 November 2008
  3. ↑ Betis 0 – Athletic 1; Athletic Bilbao, 21 December 2008
  4. ↑ El Cartegena [sic] cierra la cesión de Etxeita (Cartegena closes Etxeita loan); Marca, 26 January 2010 (Spanish)
  5. ↑ 3–1: El Elche completa pleno de triunfos ante un rival que no inquietó (3–1: Elche goes three for three against unassuming rival); Mundo Deportivo, 1 September 2012 (Spanish)
  6. ↑ El Elche ratifica su liderato tras ganar al Almería (1–0) (Elche confirms first place after beating Almería (1–0)); El Mundo, 16 December 2012 (Spanish)
  7. ↑ La estrategia del líder destroza al Sabadell (Leader's strategy rips Sabadell apart); Marca, 6 January 2013 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ El líder se estrella en la mano de Máyor (Leader crushes against Máyor's hand); Marca, 20 January 2013 (Spanish)
  9. ↑ El Elche confirma que Etxeita regresa al Athletic (Elche confirms Etxeita returns to Athletic); Deia, 4 June 2013 (Spanish)
  10. ↑ Etxeita sale a escena ocho meses después (Etxeita jumps the stage eight months later); Marca, 6 April 2014 (Spanish)
  11. ↑ Bilbao strengthen grip on top four; ESPN FC, 7 April 2014
  12. ↑ Etxeita da aire al Athletic (Etxeita lets Athletic breathe); Marca, 25 October 2014 (Spanish)
  13. ↑ Como manda la tradición (Will of tradition); Marca, 4 March 2015 (Spanish)
  14. ↑ "Del Bosque reinforces Spain after injury setbacks". Goal.com. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Debutant Gaspar earns Spain victory in Ukraine". UEFA.com. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
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