Gorka Iraizoz
Spanish footballer (born 1981)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gorka Iraizoz Moreno (born 6 March 1981) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently a manager.
|
Iraizoz with the Basque Country in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gorka Iraizoz Moreno[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1981[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain[1] | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Chantrea | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2000 | Basconia | 20 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Bilbao Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 2001 | → Gernika (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Gernika | 36 | (0) |
| 2002–2004 | Espanyol B | 59 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Espanyol | 23 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → Eibar (loan) | 41 | (0) |
| 2007–2017 | Athletic Bilbao | 315 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Girona | 16 | (0) |
| Total | 524 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006–2016 | Basque Country | 12 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2022–2023 | Gernika (assistant) | ||
| 2024 | Logroñés (assistant) | ||
| 2024–2025 | Gernika | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He spent most of his 20-year senior career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 392 official games.[2] In La Liga he also represented Espanyol and Girona, winning the 2006 Copa del Rey with the first club.
Club career
Early career and Espanyol
Iraizoz was born in Pamplona, Navarre and raised in nearby Ansoáin.[3][4] After beginning his football career with local club UDC Chantrea,[5] he moved to the Basque Country with Athletic Bilbao, serving stints with affiliates CD Basconia and Bilbao Athletic.[6]
Arriving at RCD Espanyol in July 2002, Iraizoz spent two seasons with its B side, also having a loan spell at SD Eibar in the Segunda División.[7] He made his La Liga debut on 21 December 2005, in a 2–1 away win against Deportivo de La Coruña.[8] He was second choice behind Carlos Kameni for the 2006–07 season,[9] but was the regular in the team's run to the final of the UEFA Cup,[10][11] notably excelling in the quarter-final second leg away to S.L. Benfica (0–0 draw, 3–2 on aggregate).[12][13]
During his time in Barcelona, Iraizoz learned to speak fluent Catalan.[7]
Athletic Bilbao
On 7 August 2007, Iraizoz signed for Athletic Bilbao for €4.6 million, returning to the club he spent one-and-a-half seasons with,[14] this time as the undisputed starter.[15] However, due to a severe injury, he was left out of the squad for the second part of the campaign,[16] and his place (and shirt number) was taken by 37-year-old Armando, signed from Cádiz CF until June 2008.[17]
Iraizoz rarely missed a league game the following years.[18] On 16 January 2010, his Player of the match performance helped the team hold on to its early home lead against Real Madrid, constantly denying Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo's efforts.[19][20] Additionally, he was in goal during the 2009[21] and 2012 finals[22] of the Copa del Rey lost to FC Barcelona,[23] and also helped defeat that opponent 5–1 on aggregate in the 2015 Supercopa de España for his only accolade at the San Mamés Stadium.[24][25]
In the opening match of 2014–15, at Málaga CF, Iraizoz appeared to score a last-minute equaliser with a header, but the goal was disallowed, apparently incorrectly.[26] Having lost his starting place to Kepa Arrizabalaga, at the end of the 2016–17 season Athletic announced that the 36-year-old would be leaving the club at the end of his contract.[27][4]
Girona
On 14 June 2017, Iraizoz agreed to a two-year deal at Girona FC, promoted to the top flight for the first time ever.[28] He spent most of his spell at the Estadi Montilivi as backup to Yassine Bounou.[29][30]
Iraizoz left the club at the end of the 2018–19 campaign, which ended in relegation.[31]
International career
Iraizoz never earned any caps for Spain at any level. He did feature for the unofficial Basque Country regional team.[32][33]
Coaching career
After retiring aged 38, Iraizoz later worked as manager of Barakaldo's youths, goalkeeper coach of its first team and assistant at Gernika Club and SD Logroñés under former Athletic player Aitor Larrazábal. After the latter became Gernika's sporting director in May 2024, he named him head coach at the Segunda Federación side;[34][35] he avoided relegation in the last match of his sole season, then left.[36]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2000–01[38] | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Gernika (loan) | 2000–01[38] | Segunda División B | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Gernika | 2001–02[38] | Segunda División B | 36 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| Espanyol B | 2002–03[38] | Segunda División B | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2003–04[38] | Segunda División B | 30 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 59 | 0 | — | — | — | 59 | 0 | |||||
| Espanyol | 2002–03[38] | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04[38] | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2005–06[38] | La Liga | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07[38] | La Liga | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 | ||
| Eibar (loan) | 2004–05[38] | Segunda División | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | |
| Athletic Bilbao | 2007–08[38] | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09[38] | La Liga | 36 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 45 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10[38] | La Liga | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12[c] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 51 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[38] | La Liga | 37 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12[38] | La Liga | 37 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 15[c] | 0 | — | 61 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13[38] | La Liga | 35 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 0 | — | 42 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14[38] | La Liga | 33 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||||
| 2014–15[38] | La Liga | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8[d] | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16[38] | La Liga | 37 | 0 | — | — | 2[b] | 0 | 39 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17[38] | La Liga | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||
| Total | 315 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 392 | 0 | ||
| Girona | 2017–18[38] | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19[38] | La Liga | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 504 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 66 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 617 | 0 | ||
- Includes appearance in Supercopa de España
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League