Beñat Etxebarria

Beñat Etxebarria Urkiaga (Basque: [beɲat etʃeβari.a uɾki.aɣa], Spanish: [beˈɲat etʃeβaˈri.a wɾˈkjaɣa]; born 19 February 1987), known mononymously as Beñat, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

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

Beñat
Beñat with Athletic Bilbao in 2014
Personal information
Full name Beñat Etxebarria Urkiaga[1]
Date of birth (1987-02-19) 19 February 1987[2]
Place of birth Igorre, Spain[2]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
1997–1998 Arratia
1998–2005 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Basconia 21 (3)
2006–2008 Bilbao Athletic 75 (5)
2006–2009 Athletic Bilbao 1 (0)
2008–2009 → Conquense (loan) 34 (6)
2009–2010 Betis B 34 (3)
2010–2013 Betis 105 (14)
2013–2020 Athletic Bilbao 181 (6)
2020–2021 Macarthur 22 (1)
Total 473 (38)
International career
2004–2005 Spain U17 5 (0)
2012 Spain 4 (0)
2011–2014 Basque Country 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He spent the better part of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 242 competitive matches and scoring 11 goals while winning the 2015 Supercopa de España. In La Liga, he also represented Betis.

Beñat earned four caps for the Spain national team.

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Beñat was born in Igorre, Biscay. Coming through Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth ranks at Lezama, he played his first three years with both the third team, CD Basconia, and the reserve side.

On 29 October 2006, he appeared in his first – and only – La Liga game, which consisted of six minutes against CA Osasuna in a 1–1 away draw after replacing another youth product, Francisco Yeste.[3]

Betis
Etxeberria training with Betis in 2010

In 2008–09, Beñat played with UB Conquense in Segunda División B,[4] after which he was released by Athletic. In the summer he signed with Real Betis, but spent his first season with the reserves also in the third tier.[5]

Beñat made his debut for Betis' main squad on 29 August 2010, playing 20 minutes in the 4–1 home win against Granada CF and being involved in the play that led to Salva Sevilla's goal.[6] Three days later he scored in his first start, a 2–1 home victory over UD Salamanca in the Copa del Rey.[7] In the league campaign he contributed 36 matches (30 starts, 2.521 minutes of action) as the Andalusians returned to the top flight after three years, netting four times.[8]

On 2 May 2012, Beñat scored twice for his fifth and sixth goals of the season, in a 2–1 defeat of Sevilla FC for the local derby. The winner came in the 90th minute.[9]

Beñat scored the game's only goal in a 1–0 home win over Real Madrid on 24 November 2012, with a shot from outside the 18-yard box in the 17th minute.[10] He finished the campaign with 34 games, four goals and seven assists,[11] helping the club finish seventh and qualify to the UEFA Europa League.[12]

Athletic return

Beñat returned to Athletic Bilbao in June 2013, signing a five-year contract for a reported fee of €8 million.[13] On 16 September, he took the first touch at the new San Mamés Stadium against RC Celta de Vigo and scored the 3–2 winner; he was substituted to a standing ovation, and dedicated his performance to his grandparents.[14]

On 14 April 2016, Beñat was the only player to miss in a penalty shootout against compatriots Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.[15] Following the appointment of manager José Ángel Ziganda for the 2017–18 season, he began featuring less regularly.[16][17]

In July 2020, Athletic confirmed that Beñat's contract would not be extended beyond that summer, although the departure was delayed beyond its usual June expiry after the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. His contribution (along with long-serving colleague Mikel San José, also leaving in similar circumstances)[18][19] was acknowledged at the last home fixture on 16 July 2020 in an empty San Mamés[20]– he was in the matchday squad but did not leave the bench, with his last appearance five months earlier;[21][22] he had been involved in the side's run to the Spanish Cup final, but the circumstances of the delay and the end of his spell at the club meant he would have no opportunity to take part in the decisive match.

Macarthur

Beñat moved abroad for the first time at the age of 33, joining Australian A-League newcomers Macarthur FC on 13 November 2020.[23] Both he and his compatriot and former Athletic teammate Markel Susaeta retired at the end of the campaign, aged 34.[24]

International career

Beñat played with the Spanish youth teams at under-17 level. He made his debut for the full side on 26 May 2012, playing 45 minutes in a 2–0 friendly win with Serbia in St. Gallen[25] and thus becoming the first Betis player since Juanito to don the national team shirt, nearly four years later.[26]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bilbao Athletic 2005–06[27] Segunda División B 160———160
2006–07[27] Segunda División B 293———293
2007–08[27] Segunda División B 302———302
Total 755———755
Athletic Bilbao 2006–07[27] La Liga 10———10
Conquense (loan) 2008–09[27] Segunda División B 34611——357
Betis B 2009–10[27] Segunda División B 343———343
Betis 2010–11[27] Segunda División 36461——425
2011–12[27] La Liga 35610——366
2012–13[27] La Liga 34460——404
Total 10514131——11815
Athletic Bilbao 2013–14[27] La Liga 23140——271
2014–15[27] La Liga 282709[lower-alpha 1]0—442
2015–16[27] La Liga 3615012[lower-alpha 2]22[lower-alpha 3]0553
2016–17[27] La Liga 321106[lower-alpha 2]100392
2017–18[27] La Liga 240108[lower-alpha 2]000330
2018–19[27] La Liga 27121––292
2019–20[27] La Liga 11031––141
Total 18162323532024111
Macarthur 2020–21[28] A-League 22100—20241
Career total 452353743534052842
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[29]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain 201240
Total40

Honours

Betis

Athletic Bilbao

References
  1. "Beñat Etxebarria". Athletic Bilbao. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  2. "Beñat Etxebarria". Eurosport. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. "Osasuna 1–1 Athletic Bilbao". ESPN Soccernet. 29 October 2006. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  4. "El Conquense consigue la segunda cesión rojiblanca: Beñat" [Conquense get second red-and-white loan: Beñat]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 July 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  5. "El Betis ficha a Beñat (Athletic) y Regino (San Fernando) para el filial" [Betis sign Beñat (Athletic) and Regino (San Fernando) for reserves] (in Spanish). Join Futbol. 7 July 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  6. Moreno, José Luis (29 August 2010). "El nuevo Betis se ceba con el Granada" [New Betis do what they want with Granada]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  7. "El Betis se aferra a la Copa" [Betis hold on to Cup]. Marca (in Spanish). 2 September 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  8. Pineda, Rafael (26 June 2013). "Beñat vuelve a casa" [Beñat returns home]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  9. "Sevilla let Euro hopes slip". ESPN Soccernet. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  10. "Betis stun Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  11. Artetxe, José Luis (27 June 2013). "Beñat garantiza un plus de calidad" [Beñat guarantees leap in quality]. Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  12. Baena, Juanjo (2 December 2013). "Pepe Mel, de la cima a la sima en poco más de tres años" [Pepe Mel, from the summit to the pit in little more than three years]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  13. "Signing of Beñat Etxebarria". Athletic Bilbao. 26 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  14. Lowe, Sid (17 September 2013). "Athletic Bilbao's intoxicating spirit remains despite move next door". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  15. Aitken, Nick (14 April 2016). "Shoot-out agony for Athletic as Sevilla dream on". UEFA. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  16. Ruiz, P. (25 September 2017). "¿Qué ocurre con Beñat?" [What's happening with Beñat?]. Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  17. Río, Endika (13 October 2017). "Beñat, el Athletic te necesita" [Beñat, Athletic need you]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  18. "San José and Beñat will not continue at Athletic Club". Athletic Bilbao. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  19. "Rain of criticism of San José and Beñat for announcing only in Basque their departure from Athletic". Explica. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  20. "Inside: The tribute to Beñat and San José". Athletic Bilbao. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  21. "Beñat sufre una sobrecarga muscular" [Beñat with muscle overload]. Estadio Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  22. Ortiz de Lazcano, Javier (16 July 2020). "El último partido para San José y Beñat en San Mamés" [The last match for San José and Beñat at San Mamés]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  23. Jackson, Ed (13 November 2020). "'Played on some of football's greatest stages' – Macarthur land former Spain international". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  24. "Beñat & Susaeta announce retirement". Macarthur FC. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  25. Villalobos, Fran (26 May 2012). "Adrián está listo para la Eurocopa" [Adrián is ready for Euro]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  26. Díaz, Luis Alberto (26 May 2012). "Beñat toma el testigo de Juanito en La Roja" [Beñat takes over for Juanito in La Roja]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  27. "Beñat: Beñat Etxebarría Urkiaga". BDFutbol. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  28. Beñat Etxebarria at WorldFootball.net
  29. "Beñat". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  30. Sevillano, Jesús (12 May 2011). "Un ascenso de portería a portería" [A promotion from goal to goal]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  31. "Athletic Bilbao hold off Barcelona to claim Spanish Super Cup". The Guardian. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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