Iñigo Lekue
Spanish footballer (born 1993)
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Iñigo Lekue Martínez (Basque: [iɲiɣo lekue maɾtines̻]; Spanish: [ˈiɲiɣo ˈlekwe maɾˈtineθ]; born 4 May 1993) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right or left-back.
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Lekue in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Iñigo Lekue Martínez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 May 1993[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Full-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2012 | Danok Bat | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Basconia | 34 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | Bilbao Athletic | 60 | (1) |
| 2015–2026 | Athletic Bilbao | 212 | (3) |
| Total | 306 | (4) | |
| International career | |||
| 2025 | Basque Country | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Developed at Athletic Bilbao, he represented that club for 11 seasons, making 282 appearances while winning the Supercopa de España twice and also the 2023–24 Copa del Rey.[3]
Club career
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Born in Bilbao, Basque Country, Lekue graduated from Danok Bat CF's youth system.[4] In summer 2012 he moved to Athletic Bilbao, and made his debut as a senior with the farm team in the Tercera División.[5]
On 21 June 2013, Lekue was promoted to the reserves in the Segunda División B.[6] On 29 June 2015, after being an ever-present figure during the side's promotion to Segunda División after a 19-year absence,[7] he was promoted to the main squad in La Liga.[8]
Lekue made his official debut with the first team on 15 August 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute for fellow youth graduate Sabin Merino in a 4–0 home rout of FC Barcelona in the Supercopa de España.[9][10] He made his first league appearance 15 days later, being taken off at half-time in a 2–0 loss at neighbouring SD Eibar.[11]
Lekue scored his first senior goal on 21 December 2015, equalising for the reserves in a 1–1 home draw against CD Lugo.[12] The following 3 April he scored for the first time in the top flight, opening a 1–1 draw with Granada CF at the San Mamés Stadium.[13] On 8 June 2016, he agreed to a contract extension until 2019.[14]
On 24 November 2016, Lekue netted his first European goal to win a UEFA Europa League group match 3–2 at home to US Sassuolo Calcio.[15] In January 2018, he extended his contract to 2023.[16] He missed most of the 2018–19 season with back issues,[17] returning as a late substitute on 16 March in a 2–0 home win over Atlético Madrid.[18]
Lekue played rarely under Gaizka Garitano, and looked for a new club in the January 2021 transfer window, but was reinstated by new manager Marcelino García Toral and won another Super Cup that month, again against Barcelona.[19] That April, he was involved in two Copa del Rey finals in one month, losing both to Real Sociedad and Barcelona respectively; he took part in the latter 4–0 defeat as a half-time substitute.[20]
In 2022–23, due to injuries to Yuri Berchiche and Mikel Balenziaga, Lekue featured frequently. In April, during his own recovery, he prolonged his contract to 2025.[21]
Lekue made his 250th appearance for Athletic on 1 December 2024, in the 2–1 away victory against Rayo Vallecano.[22][23] His 200th in the top division came the following 18 May, again as a starter, in the 1–0 win at Valencia CF.[24][25]
On 11 May 2026, the 33-year-old Lekue announced his retirement at the end of the season.[26] He played his last match 12 days later, a 4–2 loss away to Real Madrid.[27][28][29]
International career
On 22 May 2016, Lekue was called up to the Spain national team by manager Vicente del Bosque, after Jonny withdrew due to "personal reasons".[30] He received his maiden callup to the Basque Country regional side for a friendly against Palestine on 15 November 2025;[31][32] the 32-year-old then took part in the 3–0 win in Bilbao.[33]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Basconia | 2012–13 | Tercera División | 34 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2013–14 | Segunda División B | 26 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | 31 | 0 | — | — | 6[a] | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||||
| 2015–16 | Segunda División | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 60 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 66 | 1 | ||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2015–16 | La Liga | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| 2016–17 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5[b] | 1 | — | 31 | 3 | |||
| 2017–18 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12[b] | 0 | — | 46 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 27 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||||
| 2024–25 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 212 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 282 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 306 | 4 | 33 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 382 | 5 | ||
- Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in Supercopa de España
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
