Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta
Spanish footballer (born 1993)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Etxeberria (born 6 August 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao.
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Ruiz de Galarreta with Leganés in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Etxeberria[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 1993[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Eibar, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2011 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011 | Basconia | 1 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Bilbao Athletic | 28 | (0) |
| 2011–2016 | Athletic Bilbao | 3 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Mirandés (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | → Zaragoza (loan) | 37 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | → Leganés (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Numancia | 37 | (2) |
| 2017–2018 | Barcelona B | 27 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Las Palmas | 35 | (2) |
| 2019–2023 | Mallorca | 81 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | → Las Palmas (loan) | 33 | (0) |
| 2023– | Athletic Bilbao | 94 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009 | Spain U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2009 | Spain U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2011 | Spain U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012 | Spain U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2025– | Basque Country | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:14, 19 September 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:22, 17 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Born in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, Ruiz de Galarreta joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2003, aged 10.[2] On 14 December 2011, while still considered a youth squad player, he made his debut with the first team, coming on as a substitute for Borja Ekiza in the 88th minute of a 4–2 away loss against Paris Saint-Germain FC in that season's UEFA Europa League;[3] during his first year, however, he almost exclusively played with the reserves in the Segunda División B.
Ruiz de Galarreta made his second appearance for the main squad on 2 August 2012, again in the Europa League but now against NK Slaven Belupo (27 minutes played, 3–1 home win).[4] He played his first La Liga game 17 days later, replacing Gaizka Toquero at half-time of an eventual 3–5 home defeat to Real Betis.[5]
During a match with the B side against Lleida Esportiu on 21 October 2012, Ruiz de Galarreta ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee, being sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.[6][7] For 2013–14 he was loaned to CD Mirandés of Segunda División,[8] where in a home game against CD Numancia on 27 October he suffered the same injury.[9] Previously, on 8 September, he scored his first goal as a senior, the only in the away victory over Real Madrid Castilla.[10]
The following years, Ruiz de Galarreta played with Real Zaragoza[11] and CD Leganés on loan,[12] helping the latter club to achieve a first-ever promotion to the top flight in 2016.[13] He continued to compete in the second division subsequently, representing Numancia,[14] FC Barcelona Atlètic and UD Las Palmas.[15]
On 2 September 2019, Ruiz de Galarreta signed a four-year contract with RCD Mallorca in the top tier, though it was agreed he would remain on loan at Las Palmas for the upcoming season.[16] He achieved another promotion with the former in 2020–21, contributing 29 appearances to this feat.[17]
Ruiz de Galarreta returned to his first club Athletic on 7 June 2023, on a two-year deal.[18] He scored his first goal for them on 5 November, opening a 3–2 away victory over Villarreal CF.[19]
In May 2025, Ruiz de Galarreta extended his contract until 2027.[20]
International career
Ruiz de Galarreta started representing Spain at under-17 level, appearing in 2010 UEFA European Championship qualifiers against Faroe Islands and Romania[21][22] and two friendlies with Portugal.[23] He also played for the under-18s and the under-19s.[24]
Ruiz de Galarreta was called up to the Basque Country national team for a friendly against Palestine on 15 November 2025.[25] He featured the second half of the 3–0 win at the San Mamés Stadium.[26]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2011–12 | Segunda División B | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2011–12 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Mirandés (loan) | 2013–14 | Segunda División | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| Zaragoza (loan) | 2014–15 | Segunda División | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 41 | 1 | |
| Leganés (loan) | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||
| Numancia | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 2 | ||
| Barcelona B | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 27 | 1 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| Las Palmas | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| Las Palmas (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| Mallorca | 2020–21 | Segunda División | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | La Liga | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | La Liga | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| Total | 81 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | ||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2023–24 | La Liga | 29 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25 | La Liga | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| 2025–26 | La Liga | 34 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 2026–27 | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 94 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 126 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 406 | 10 | 22 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 458 | 11 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in La Liga play-offs
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in Supercopa de España
Honours
Athletic Bilbao