Xabier Etxeita

Xabier Etxeita Gorritxategi (Basque: [ʃaβier etʃeita]; Spanish: [ʃaˈβjeɾ eˈtʃejta]; born 31 October 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Getafe CF mainly as a centre back.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Etxeita and the second or maternal family name is Gorritxategi.
Xabier Etxeita
Etxeita with Athletic Bilbao in 2018
Personal information
Full name Xabier Etxeita Gorritxategi
Date of birth (1987-10-31) 31 October 1987
Place of birth Amorebieta, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Getafe
Number 4
Youth career
Amorebieta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Amorebieta
2006–2009 Bilbao Athletic 66 (7)
2008–2010 Athletic Bilbao 17 (1)
2010 → Cartagena (loan) 14 (0)
2010–2013 Elche 97 (5)
2013–2019 Athletic Bilbao 89 (3)
2018–2019 → Huesca (loan) 31 (4)
2019– Getafe 27 (0)
National team‡
2015– Spain 1 (0)
2014– Basque Country 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 February 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 December 2016

Club career

Born in Amorebieta-Etxano, Biscay, Etxeita finished his development within Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth academy at Lezama, after playing with hometown club SD Amorebieta. His first three games with the first team of the former, all in 2008–09's La Liga, were not without incidents: in his first, a 2–0 home win against neighbours CA Osasuna on 16 November 2008,[1] he subbed in for injured Ustaritz, being sent off in the following against CD Numancia (same venue and result).[2] On 21 December, he replaced Ander Murillo who also retired before half-time due to injury, in a 1–0 away victory over Real Betis.[3] During the season, however, he was mainly registered with the B side.

In the last days of the 2010 January transfer window, Etxeita moved on a five-month loan to FC Cartagena of the second division.[4] On 16 July 2010 he left Athletic and signed with another club at that level, Elche CF, quickly going on to establish himself in the starting XI.

On 4 June 2013, after contributing 40 games and four goals[5][6][7][8] as the Valencian Community team returned to the top flight after more than 20 years, Etxeita returned to Athletic Bilbao on a free transfer.[9] He only made his official debut on 7 April of the following year,[10] featuring the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away win over Levante UD.[11]

Etxeita scored his first competitive goal for Athletic on 25 October 2014, the only in a league fixture at UD Almería.[12] His second came on 4 March of the following year, as he helped to a 2–0 defeat of RCD Espanyol in Barcelona to make his team reach the final of the Copa del Rey for the first time in three years;[13] he played the entire decisive match, a 1–3 loss to FC Barcelona,[14] and also started both legs of the subsequent edition of the Supercopa de España against the same opponent, which was won 5–1 on aggregate and brought a first trophy for the player.[15][16]

On 24 July 2018, Exteita was loaned to fellow top division side SD Huesca for one year.[17] In August 2019, the free agent left the San Mamés Stadium and signed a two-year contract with Getafe CF of the same tier.[18]

International career

Etxeita received his first call up to the senior Spain team in October 2015.[19] He earned his first cap on the 12th, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win in Ukraine – the last round, the nation had already secured the first position in its group – for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers.[20]

He also featured for the unofficial Basque Country regional side.[21]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References
  1. Athletic 2 – Osasuna 0; Athletic Bilbao, 16 November 2008
  2. Athletic 2 – Numancia 0; Athletic Bilbao, 30 November 2008
  3. Betis 0 – Athletic 1; Athletic Bilbao, 21 December 2008
  4. El Cartegena [sic] cierra la cesión de Etxeita (Cartagena close Etxeita loan); Marca, 26 January 2010 (in Spanish)
  5. 3–1: El Elche completa pleno de triunfos ante un rival que no inquietó (3–1: Elche go three for three against unassuming rival); Mundo Deportivo, 1 September 2012 (in Spanish)
  6. El Elche ratifica su liderato tras ganar al Almería (1–0) (Elche confirm first place after beating Almería (1–0)); El Mundo, 16 December 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. La estrategia del líder destroza al Sabadell (Leaders' strategy rips Sabadell apart); Marca, 6 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  8. El líder se estrella en la mano de Máyor (Leaders crash against Máyor's hand); Marca, 20 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  9. El Elche confirma que Etxeita regresa al Athletic (Elche confirm Etxeita returns to Athletic); Deia, 4 June 2013 (in Spanish)
  10. Etxeita sale a escena ocho meses después (Etxeita jumps the stage eight months later); Marca, 6 April 2014 (in Spanish)
  11. Bilbao strengthen grip on top four; ESPN FC, 7 April 2014
  12. Etxeita da aire al Athletic (Etxeita lets Athletic breathe); Marca, 25 October 2014 (in Spanish)
  13. Como manda la tradición (Will of tradition); Marca, 4 March 2015 (in Spanish)
  14. "Lionel Messi double gives Barcelona Cup final win over Athletic Bilbao". The Guardian. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  15. "Athletic Bilbao 4–0 Barcelona: Aduriz hits hat-trick in Supercopa shocker". Goal. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  16. "Barcelona lose Super Cup final to Athletic Bilbao". BBC Sport. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  17. "El defensa Etxeita llega cedido al Huesca" [Defender Etxeita arrives on loan at Huesca] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  18. "Etxeita ficha por dos temporadas con el Getafe" [Etxeita signs for two seasons with Getafe] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  19. "Del Bosque reinforces Spain after injury setbacks". Goal. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  20. "Debutant Gaspar earns Spain victory in Ukraine". UEFA. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  21. "Catalunya 0–1 Euskal Selekzioa" [Catalonia 0–1 Basque XI] (in Spanish). Basque Football Federation. 26 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  22. "Acta del partido celebrado el 14 de agosto de 2015, en Bilbao" [Minutes of the match held on 14 August 2015, in Bilbao] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
    "Acta del partido celebrado el 17 de agosto de 2015, en Barcelona" [Minutes of the match held on 17 August 2015, in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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