| Alex Padilla | |
| Full Name: | Alejandro Padilla Pérez |
| Birth Date: | 1 September 2003 |
| Birth Place: | Zarautz, Spain |
| Height: | 1.90 m |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
| Currentclub: | Athletic Bilbao |
| Clubnumber: | 26 |
| Youthclubs1: | Zarautz |
| Youthyears2: | 2019–2021 |
| Youthclubs2: | Athletic Bilbao |
| Years1: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs1: | Basconia |
| Caps1: | 24 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2022–2024 |
| Clubs2: | Bilbao Athletic |
| Caps2: | 51 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2024– |
| Clubs3: | Athletic Bilbao |
| Caps3: | 1 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2021–2022 |
| Nationalteam1: | Spain U19 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2024– |
| Nationalteam2: | Mexico U23 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 20:15, 15 August 2024 (UTC) |
Alejandro "Álex" Padilla Pérez (born 1 September 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao. Born in Spain, he plays for the Mexico national under-23 team.
Padilla was born in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country to a Spanish father (from Bergara) and a Mexican mother,[1] [2] At three months old, he moved with his parents to his mother's hometown of Camargo, Chihuahua and lived there until age 7.[3]
Padilla joined Athletic Bilbao's Lezama Facilities in 2019, from hometown side CD Zarautz.[4] He made his senior debut with the farm team CD Basconia on 15 September 2021, starting in a 2–2 Tercera División RFEF away draw against CD Anaitasuna.
Promoted to the reserves in Primera Federación ahead of the 2022–23 season, Padilla first appeared with the side on 28 August 2022, starting in a 2–1 home loss to CF La Nucía. In 2023, he was called up to the pre-season with the main squad.[5] [6]
Due to injuries to Unai Simón and Julen Agirrezabala in the summer of 2024, Padilla was the candidate to step into the first team for the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He appeared in several pre-season matches, including the second half of a 3–2 loss against Aston Villa, and made his La Liga debut as a starter against Getafe at San Mamés on 15 August 2024; he made several saves, including from Carles Aleñá in a one-on-one situation, and was not at fault for the goal his side conceded in a 1–1 draw.[7] [8]
On 2 September 2021, Padilla made his debut for the Spain U19's, coming on as a half-time substitute for Alejandro Iturbe in a 5–1 win against Mexico.
In November 2021, Padilla was included for Spain’s squad for the qualifying matches of the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.He started and played the full 90 minutes against Azerbaijan, as his side cruised to a 6–0 win, qualifying for the elite round. In the elite round, Padilla had played the full matches over Austria and Poland, suffering a 2–2 and 3–3 draw and finishing second behind Austria, thus failing to qualify for the final tournament.
In March 2024, Padilla was called up by the Mexico national under-23 team.[3] On 22 March, Padilla made his debut for Mexico in a 2–4 defeat against Argentina.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Basconia | 2021–22 | Tercera Federación | 24 | 0 | — | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2022–23 | Primera Federación | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Segunda Federación | 26 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 51 | 0 | — | — | — | 51 | 0 | ||||||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2024–25 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 0 | |||