Iban Zubiaurre Urrutia (born 22 January 1983) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right-back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Iban Zubiaurre Urrutia | ||
| Date of birth | (1983-01-22) 22 January 1983 (age 39) | ||
| Place of birth | Mendaro, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Real Sociedad | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2005 | Real Sociedad B | 53 | (2) |
| 2004–2005 | Real Sociedad | 14 | (0) |
| 2006–2013 | Athletic Bilbao | 2 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Elche (loan) | 23 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | → Albacete (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → Salamanca (loan) | 33 | (3) |
| 2013 | Racing Santander | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 135 | (6) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999–2000 | Spain U16 | 8 | (0) |
| 2001 | Spain U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2001 | Spain U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2002 | Spain U19 | 5 | (0) |
| 2005 | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zubiaurre was born in Mendaro, Gipuzkoa. After making his Real Sociedad first-team debut during the 2004–05 season, he achieved notoriety as a result of a lawsuit in which his first club prevented him from playing for Athletic Bilbao for 14 months, due to an alleged illegality in his transfer between the two Basque sides.[1]
Zubiaurre, who represented Real Sociedad at youth level, was 'presented' as new Athletic Bilbao player in 2005 by the latter's president Fernando Lamikiz, despite still being under contract.[2] He had no permission to rescind his link, which had a year left to run and a buy-out clause of €33 million (the former club had activated a one-season optional extension to his contract, while the latter asserted that he was a free agent).[3] Real insisted that Athletic pay the entire amount, with the player not being allowed to play professional football during the subsequent legal battle; SCD Durango, a regional club, asked permission to field him, but were denied.[4]
Fifteen months after the lawsuit began, a judge ruled that Athletic had to pay Real Sociedad €5 million,[5] and were granted permission to field Zubiaurre for the 2006–07 campaign. He was presented for a second time at San Mamés Stadium on 16 November 2006, and was given the number 12 shirt.[6]
On 11 February 2007, Zubiaurre played his first La Liga match for Athletic, appearing against Atlético Madrid as a substitute in a 1–0 away defeat.[7] That was to be his only game of the season, in which his team avoided relegation on the very last matchday.
Zubiaurre also only featured once in 2007–08, in a 2–0 loss at Getafe CF on 31 October 2007.[8] After almost two years in the sidelines, he left in order to gain more playing time, joining Segunda División side Elche CF on a season-long loan.[9]
Returned to Athletic for the 2009–10 campaign, Zubiaurre's season input consisted of 15 minutes against FK Austria Wien (3–0 win at home) in the UEFA Europa League group stage.[10] In July 2010 another loan ensued, also in the second tier, as he signed with Albacete Balompié.[11]
Zubiaurre was deemed surplus to requirements in 2011–12 after the appointment of manager Marcelo Bielsa, alongside teammates Koikili and Aitor Ocio. He remained with the team, however.[12]
Zubiaurre was loaned to UD Salamanca in the Segunda División B for the 2012–13 season. He moved to Racing de Santander in August 2013, being waived after only one month and no matches played.[13]
Spain U19