Xabi Irureta

Not to be confused with Javier Irureta.
Xabi Irureta
Personal information
Full name Xabier Iruretagoiena Arantzamendi
Date of birth (1986-03-21) 21 March 1986
Place of birth Ondarroa, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Zaragoza
Number 1
Youth career
Real Unión
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Real Unión 2 (0)
2006–2007 Aurrerá Ondarroa
2007–2009 Eibar B 48 (0)
2009–2016 Eibar 205 (0)
2016– Zaragoza 0 (0)
National team‡
2014– Basque Country 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 May 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 January 2015
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Iruretagoiena and the second or maternal family name is Arantzamendi.

Xabier 'Xabi' Iruretagoiena Arantzamendi (born 21 March 1986), commonly known as Irureta, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Zaragoza as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Born in Ondarroa, Biscay, Irureta made his senior debuts with local Real Unión in the 2005–06 season, in Segunda División B. In the 2006 summer, he moved to amateurs CD Aurrerá Ondarroa also in his native Basque Country.

In July 2007, Irureta joined SD Eibar, being initially assigned to the reserves in Tercera División.[1] He played his first match as a professional on 30 May 2009, starting in a 0–3 away loss against Xerez CD for the Segunda División championship,[2] and appeared in a further three matches during the campaign as the Armeros suffered relegation after ranking in 21st position.

Irureta was definitely promoted to the main squad in July 2009,[3] being named first-choice ahead of Zigor Goikuria. In 2012–13, he appeared in 46 matches (34 in the league, 4126 minutes of action) to help Eibar return to the second tier after a four-year absence.

On 20 February 2014, Irureta signed a new two-year deal with the club,[4] which was promoted to La Liga for the first time ever. He made his debut in the competition on 24 August, aged 28, starting in a 1–0 home success against Real Sociedad.[5]

On 20 July 2016, free agent Irureta signed a two-year deal with Real Zaragoza in the second level.[6]

References

  1. ↑ La permanencia y que algún jugador suba al primer equipo, objetivos del Eibar B (Survival and promotion of the odd player to the first team, Eibar B's objectives); El Correo, 5 August 2007 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ El Xerez se paseó y acaricia el ascenso a Primera división (Xerez went sightseeing and nears promotion to Primera); Marca, 30 May 2009 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ «Lo mejor de los porteros del Eibar es su gran predisposición al trabajo» («The best of Eibar's goalkeepers is their willingness to work»); El Correo, 30 July 2009 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Xabi Irureta renueva por dos temporadas (Xabi Irureta renews for two seasons); SD Eibar, 20 February 2014 (Spanish)
  5. ↑ Lara seals dream start for Eibar; ESPN FC, 24 August 2014
  6. ↑ Xabi Irureta defenderá la portería zaragocista (Xabi Irureta will defent the zaragocista goal); Real Zaragoza, 20 July 2016 (Spanish)
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