Unai Aguirre
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Unai Aguirre Rubio |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Born | 14 July 2002 Barcelona, Spain |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Water polo |
Unai Aguirre Rubio[a][1] (born 14 July 2002) is a Spanish water polo goalkeeper who plays for CN Atlètic-Barceloneta and the Spain men's national water polo team. He is generally considered one of the best water-polo goalkeepers in the world.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Aguirre debuted internationally for Spain at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, serving as a backup goalkeeper.[8] Since then, he has become Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper, leading them to multiple international titles.
At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Aguirre helped Spain claim the gold medal in a penalty shootout against Italy. He was named the tournament's Best Goalkeeper, becoming the first Spanish male player to receive this honor.[9] In 2023, Aguirre repeated his success at the 2023 Men's Water Polo World Cup, again earning the Best Goalkeeper award after making 16 saves in the final against Greece.[10]
At the 2024 European Water Polo Championship in Zagreb, Aguirre led Spain to their first European title since 2020. His performance in the semifinal against Italy – which included several acrobatic saves and a critical penalty block – was described as "an exhibition of reflexes and composure."[11] Notably, Aguirre scored a rare goalkeeper goal from his own goal line during a group-stage match against Montenegro at the 2024 European Championship, catching the opposing goalkeeper off guard.[12]
Playing style
Aguirre is celebrated for his agility, mental toughness, and ability to perform under pressure. He has been praised for his "spectacular foot saves" and vocal leadership in the pool.[13]
