Maite Zubieta
Spanish footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maite Zubieta Aranbarri[a] (born 28 May 2004) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or central defender for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team.
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Zubieta playing for Spain U23, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Maite Zubieta Aranbarri | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 May 2004[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Busturia, Spain[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Positions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Atlético Madrid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Athletic Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Athletic Club C | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | Athletic Club B | 59 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2026 | Athletic Club | 93 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026– | Atlético Madrid | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Spain U17 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Spain U16 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Spain U19 | 17 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Spain U20 | 11 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Spain U23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Spain | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Basque Country | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 July 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 24 July 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Zubieta joined Athletic Club's academy aged 14. After progressing through the ranks (one season in the 'cadet' youth team, half a season with the newly-formed C-team before being assigned to the B-team, two further seasons there), she made her professional debut as a late substitute in a Liga F fixture against Madrid CFF in December 2022, aged 18,[3] and her first start six weeks later in a defeat away to Alhama CF. On the back of her performances she was officially promoted from the reserves to the senior squad in May 2023, and signed a contract extension running to 2025.[4][5] During her debut campaign she was mostly used in her preferred role of central midfield, but at the beginning of the 2023–24 Liga F season she became a regular starter as a central defender, with Athletic enduring an ongoing injury crisis in that position.[6][7]
On 3 July 2026, Zubieta signed a two-year contract with Atlético Madrid.[8]
International career
Having had minimal opportunities to play for younger age groups due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zubieta made her debut for Spain at under-19 level in October 2021 against Portugal. She became a regular in the team and was a member of the squads which won the 2022 Euros in the Czech Republic followed by the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica[4] (alongside clubmates Ane Elexpuru and Clara Pinedo).[9][10] She was still young enough to take part in the 2023 U-19 Euros in Belgium and again returned home with a gold medal,[11] this time accompanied by fellow Athletic players Jone Amezaga and Sara Ortega.[12]
Zubieta made her debut for the senior Spain team in November 2024, as a substitute in a 5–0 friendly victory over South Korea (club teammate Adriana Nanclares also gained a first cap, though as a starter).[13] Her first competitive appearance was also from the bench, in a 1–0 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League defeat away to England in February 2025.[14]
On 10 June 2025, Zubieta was called up to the Spain squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.[15]
She has also been selected for the unofficial Basque Country women's national team which plays only occasionally, making her first appearance in December 2022 against Chile.[16]