Urko Vera
Spanish footballer (born 1987)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urko Vera Mateos (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈuɾko ˈβeɾa];[a] born 14 May 1987) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a centre-forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Urko Vera Mateos[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 14 May 1987[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Barakaldo, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1997 | Santutxu | ||
| 1997–1999 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| 2001–2003 | Lezama | ||
| 2003–2006 | Santutxu | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Santutxu | 16 | (8) |
| 2007–2008 | Laudio | ? | (10) |
| 2008–2009 | Portugalete | ? | (6) |
| 2009–2010 | Eibar B | ? | (14) |
| 2010 | Eibar | 3 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Lemona | 18 | (13) |
| 2011 | Bilbao Athletic | 7 | (1) |
| 2011 | Athletic Bilbao | 5 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Hércules | 31 | (11) |
| 2012–2013 | Ponferradina | 14 | (2) |
| 2013 | Alcorcón | 7 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Eibar | 31 | (5) |
| 2014–2015 | Mirandés | 38 | (17) |
| 2015 | Jeonbuk Hyundai | 6 | (0) |
| 2016 | Osasuna | 19 | (3) |
| 2016–2017 | Huesca | 14 | (1) |
| 2017 | Mirandés | 16 | (5) |
| 2017–2019 | CFR Cluj | 17 | (5) |
| 2018 | → Astra Giurgiu (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | Oldham Athletic | 10 | (2) |
| 2020 | Guijuelo | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Portugalete | 7 | (0) |
| 2021–2025 | Santutxu | 40+ | (12+) |
| Total | 313+ | (118+) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Barakaldo, Biscay, Vera played mostly amateur football until the age of 23, having represented Basque giants Athletic Bilbao as a youth from ages 10 to 12. During his spell at SD Lemona, he earned part of his wage by taking the team's kits to the laundry.[3]
In the last minutes of the 2011 January transfer window, after impressing with Lemona in Segunda División B (the club was coached by legendary Athletic player Aitor Larrazábal), Vera transferred to Athletic on a one-and-a-half-year contract and was assigned to the reserve side, Bilbao Athletic.[4] He made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 5 February, coming on as a substitute for Iker Muniain for the final 15 minutes of a 3–0 home win against Sporting de Gijón.[5]
On 14 March 2011, again from the bench, Vera scored his only goal for the club and in the top flight, heading home in injury time in a 2–2 draw at Getafe CF.[6][3] After being released, he resumed his career in the Segunda División, appearing for five sides in four years, including CD Mirandés[7] for whom he netted 20 times in all competitions.[8][9]
Vera signed with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC in the K League 1 in late July 2015.[10] On 10 January 2016, he returned to his country and joined CA Osasuna in the second division.[11]
On 19 August 2016, Vera agreed to a one-year deal at SD Huesca, still in the second tier.[12] He left by mutual consent and, the following January, returned to Mirandés.[13]
On 18 May 2017, Vera moved to Romania with CFR Cluj.[14] In January 2019, following a short loan spell at FC Astra Giurgiu also in the country's Liga I,[15] he signed with English League Two club Oldham Athletic.[16] His contract at the latter was mutually terminated on 24 January 2020,[17] and he returned to the Spanish lower leagues shortly after with CD Guijuelo.[18]
Vera returned to his native region on 28 August 2020, with the 33-year-old agreeing to a deal at third-tier Club Portugalete.[19] He retired in June 2025, his last employers being his first, Santutxu FC.[20][21]
Honours
Eibar
Jeonbuk Hyundai
CFR Cluj
