Borja Ekiza
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Ekiza in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Borja Ekiza Imaz | ||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1988[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain[1] | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2002 | Txantrea | ||
| 2002–2006 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2008 | Basconia | 41 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Bilbao Athletic | 36 | (1) |
| 2011–2014 | Athletic Bilbao | 67 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Eibar | 15 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Zirka | 10 | (1) |
| 2017–2018 | Omonia | 6 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Enosis Neon | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Txantrea | 14 | (0) |
| Total | 190 | (3) | |
| International career | |||
| 2011–2013 | Basque Country | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Borja Ekiza Imaz (born 6 March 1988) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.
Athletic Bilbao
Born in Pamplona, Ekiza arrived at Athletic Bilbao's youth system at the age of 14, being eligible to represent the Basque through his Navarrese roots. He spent his first two senior seasons with CD Basconia, the club's third team.[2][3]
Subsequently, Ekiza played with the reserves in the Segunda División B, being sparingly used over two years. On 8 January 2011, after a string of injuries to the defensive sector in the first team awarded him with promotion to the main squad,[4] he made his La Liga debut in a 1–1 away draw against Málaga CF, playing the full 90 minutes;[5] he finished his first top-flight campaign established in the starting XI, beating competition from seasoned veterans Fernando Amorebieta, Aitor Ocio and Ustaritz and being booked only once.[6]
Ekiza lost his starting spot to Aymeric Laporte and Carlos Gurpegui in 2013–14 due to repeated injuries,[7] and only appeared once in the league during the season, 37 minutes in a 2–1 win at Real Valladolid.[8] On 31 July 2014, he terminated his contract with the Lions[9] and signed a two-year deal with fellow top-tier side SD Eibar hours later.[10]
Later years
On 21 July 2017, Cypriot First Division club AC Omonia announced the signing of Ekiza from Ukraine's FC Zirka Kropyvnytskyi.[11] Two years later, following a spell in the same country and league with Enosis Neon Paralimni FC, the 31-year-old announced his retirement from football.[7]
In the summer of 2021, after two years of inactivity, Ekiza joined local amateurs UDC Txantrea alongside his former Athletic teammate (youth and senior) Adrien Goñi.[12]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Basconia | 2006–07 | 18 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | 23 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 0 | |||
| Total | 41 | 0 | – | – | 41 | 0 | |||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2008–09 | 14 | 1 | – | – | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | 14 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 36 | 1 | – | – | 36 | 1 | |||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2010–11 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 67 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 82 | 0 | |
| Eibar | 2014–15 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 13 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 15 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | 20 | 1 | ||
| Zirka | 2016–17 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 11 | 1 | |
| Omonia | 2017–18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 1 | |
| Enosis Neon | 2018–19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 176 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 197 | 4 | |