Gorka Iraizoz

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Iraizoz's path to becoming Athletic Bilbao's undisputed starter began after a significant stint abroad. Arriving at RCD Espanyol in July 2002, he spent two seasons with the B side and had a loan spell at SD Eibar before making his La Liga debut on 21 December 2005 against Deportivo de La Coruña. Although he was second choice behind Carlos Kameni during the 2006–07 season, he shined in the UEFA Cup run to the final, notably excelling in the quarter-final second leg away to S.L. Benfica (a 0–0 draw, winning 3–2 on aggregate). During his time in Barcelona, he also learned to speak fluent Catalan. His return to Athletic Bilbao on 7 August 2007 for €4.6 million marked a turning point; however, a severe injury sidelined him for the second part of that campaign, allowing Armando to take his place until June 2008.

In Their Own Story

The defining moments of Iraizoz's career were filled with high stakes and dramatic saves. On 16 January 2010, his player-of-the-match performance helped Athletic hold an early home lead against Real Madrid, where he constantly denied efforts from Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo. He stood between the posts during the Copa del Rey finals lost to FC Barcelona in both 2009 and 2012. A particularly memorable incident occurred in the opening match of the 2014–15 season at Málaga CF, where Iraizoz appeared to score a last-minute equaliser with a header, only for it to be disallowed, apparently incorrectly. Despite these challenges, he secured his place in history by helping defeat FC Barcelona 5–1 on aggregate in the 2015 Supercopa de España. After losing his starting place to Kepa Arrizabalaga, the 36-year-old left Athletic Bilbao at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Reader's Guide

Gorka Iraizoz's career spanned two decades, with the majority spent at Athletic Bilbao where he made 392 official games. He began his journey at local club UDC Chantrea before joining the Basque Country system. His professional path included a crucial period at RCD Espanyol (2002–2007), where he gained La Liga experience and excelled in European competition, before returning to Bilbao as a €4.6 million signing in 2007. He later joined Girona FC on 14 June 2017 for a two-year deal, serving mostly as backup to Yassine Bounou until the club's relegation at the end of the 2018–19 season. Post-retirement at age 38, he worked with Barakaldo's youths and first team before becoming an assistant at Gernika Club and SD Logroñés under Aitor Larrazábal. In May 2024, he was named head coach of the Segunda Federación club Gernika.

Did You Know?

• Iraizoz learned to speak fluent Catalan during his time at RCD Espanyol.
• He scored a disallowed last-minute equaliser with a header in the opening match of the 2014–15 season against Málaga CF.
• At age 36, he lost his starting place to Kepa Arrizabalaga before leaving Athletic Bilbao at the end of the 2016–17 season.
• He never earned any caps for Spain at any level but did feature for the unofficial Basque Country regional team.
• In May 2024, he was named head coach of Gernika after his former assistant role under Aitor Larrazábal.