Dani Aranzubia

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Aranzubia and the second or maternal family name is Aguado.

Daniel Aranzubia Aguado (born 18 September 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is the current goalkeeper coach of Amorebieta.

Dani Aranzubia

Aranzubia in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Daniel Aranzubia Aguado[1]
Date of birth	(1979-09-18) 18 September 1979 (age 45)[1]
Place of birth	Logroño, Spain
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Amorebieta (goalkeeper coach)
Youth career
1993–1994	Loyola
1994–1997	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Athletic Bilbao B	70	(0)
1997–1998	Basconia	31	(0)
2000–2008	Athletic Bilbao	162	(0)
2008–2013	Deportivo La Coruña	178	(1)
2013–2014	Atlético Madrid	1	(0)
Total		442	(1)
International career
1995–1996	Spain U16	3	(0)
1998–1999	Spain U20	9	(0)
1999–2001	Spain U21	17	(0)
2000	Spain U23	6	(0)
2004	Spain	1	(0)
Medal record Representing  Spain Men's Football 2000 Sydney Team Competition FIFA World Youth Championship Winner 1999 Nigeria
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

He appeared in 303 La Liga matches over 13 seasons, with Athletic Bilbao – in whose youth system he grew – Deportivo and Atlético Madrid. With the second club, he scored one goal in the competition.

Aranzubia represented Spain at Euro 2004.

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Born in Logroño, La Rioja, but nonetheless a product of Athletic Bilbao's famed youth academy at Lezama,^[2] Aranzubia made his first-team debut on 10 June 2001 in a 1–3 home derby loss against Real Sociedad.^[3] After two seasons as backup to Iñaki Lafuente, he emerged as the side's undisputed starter,^[4] helping them qualify for the UEFA Cup in 2004 while extending his contract a further four years.^[5]

Following additional struggles for first-choice duties with Lafuente in the 2005–06 campaign,^[4] Aranzubia was definitely deemed surplus to requirements by the Basques due to the emergence of Gorka Iraizoz, not appearing even when the first-choice was severely injured during 2007–08 (Athletic received veteran Armando on loan from Cádiz CF, and he became the starter).^[6]

Deportivo

On 13 July 2008, Aranzubia joined Deportivo de La Coruña on a three-year deal,^[7] helping the Galicians to the UEFA Intertoto Cup and starting throughout the entire season, save one match due to suspension. On 2 October, he saved three penalties in a shootout against SK Brann in a UEFA Cup first round 2–0 home win, with Depor thus reaching the group stage.^[8]

Aranzubia missed the first six games of the 2010–11 campaign due to injury,^[9] but again finished as a starter. On 20 February 2011, he scored with his head through a 95th-minute corner kick as his team managed a 1–1 draw at UD Almería,^[10] becoming the first goalkeeper in La Liga history to score from open play.^[11]

Atlético Madrid

In August 2013, Aranzubia signed for Atlético Madrid as a backup to Thibaut Courtois.^[12] He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League on 11 December 2013 shortly after his 34th birthday, saving a penalty from FC Porto's Josué in a 2–0 group stage home victory.^[13]

As the Belgian was unavailable due to injury, Aranzubia first played in the league with the Colchoneros on 8 February 2014, being sent off in the last minutes of a 2–0 loss at Almería after fouling Jonathan Zongo in the box.^[14] He finished his spell at the Vicente Calderón Stadium with five competitive appearances.^[15]

International career

Aranzubia made his only appearance for Spain on 5 June 2004, in a friendly with Andorra at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. He came on as a substitute for Santiago Cañizares, who had already replaced Iker Casillas, at the hour-mark,^[16] after having been selected as third-choice for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament.^[17]

Previously, Aranzubia helped the nation to win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship and finish runners-up at the 2000 Summer Olympics, starting in both finals.^[18][19][20]

Coaching career

On 21 June 2016, Aranzubia was hired as a goalkeeper coach for SD Amorebieta under manager Aitor Larrazábal.^[21] Three years later, in the same capacity, he joined his former teammate Joseba Etxeberria's staff at Athletic Bilbao B.^[22]

Aranzubia returned to Amorebieta in summer 2023, in the same role.^[23]

Career statistics

^[24][25]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Athletic Bilbao	2000–01	La Liga	2	0	4	0	0	0	6	0
	2001–02		8	0	8	0	0	0	16	0
	2002–03		25	0	2	0	0	0	27	0
	2003–04		34	0	0	0	0	0	34	0
	2004–05		37	0	1	0	4	0	42	0
	2005–26		18	0	2	0	0	0	20	0
	2006–07		28	0	0	0	0	0	28	0
	2007–08		10	0	6	0	0	0	16	0
	Total		162	0	23	0	4	0	189	0
Deportivo	2008–09	La Liga	37	0	0	0	10	0	47	0
	2009–10		36	0	0	0	0	0	36	0
	2010–11		32	1	0	0	0	0	32	1
	2011–12	Segunda División	38	0	0	0	0	0	38	0
	2012–13	La Liga	35	0	0	0	0	0	35	0
	Total		178	1	0	0	10	0	188	1
Atlético Madrid	2013–14	La Liga	1	0	3	0	1	0	5	0
	Total		1	0	3	0	1	0	5	0
Career total			341	1	26	0	15	0	382	1

Honours

Aranzubia with Deportivo in 2008

Basconia

• Tercera División: 1997–98^[26]

Deportivo

• Segunda División: 2011–12^[27]

Atlético Madrid

• La Liga: 2013–14^[15]
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2013–14^[25]

Spain U20

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 1999^[18]

Spain U23

• Summer Olympics silver medal: 2000^[20]