Igor Gabilondo Explained

Igor Gabilondo
Fullname:Igor Gabilondo del Campo
Birth Date:10 February 1979
Birth Place:San Sebastián, Spain
Height:1.850NaN0
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Añorga
Youthyears2:1993–1997
Youthclubs2:Real Sociedad
Years1:1997–2000
Years2:2000–2006
Caps2:129
Goals2:13
Years3:2006–2012
Caps3:147
Goals3:20
Years4:2012
Caps4:6
Goals4:0
Totalcaps:282
Totalgoals:33
Nationalyears1:2002–2011
Nationalcaps1:12
Nationalgoals1:1

Igor Gabilondo del Campo (born 10 February 1979) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a left midfielder.

He played mainly for Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao (six seasons apiece) during his career, amassing La Liga totals of 276 games and 33 goals.[1]

Club career

Gabilondo was born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa. A product of Real Sociedad's youth system, he appeared sparingly for the first team in his first two seasons as a professional but went on to become an important element for the Basque club,[2] scoring five La Liga goals in 33 games in the 2003–04 campaign.[3]

In 2006, Gabilondo moved to local rivals Athletic Bilbao on a free transfer,[4] producing roughly the same numbers in his first two seasons (59 matches and seven goals).[3] On 7 April 2007, he scored the game's only goal in a home win against Valencia CF.[5]

Gabilondo was used sparingly in 2008–09,[6] but the 30-year-old regained his importance the following year, netting three times during the season, two of those coming in 4–1 home victories over CD Tenerife and UD Almería[7] [8] – his side finished eighth.

In 2010–11, veteran Gabilondo was regularly used by Athletic Bilbao, alternating between the starting XI and the substitutes' bench. He equalled a career-best five goals, either from free kicks or long-distance shots,[9] [10] [11] [12] also scoring in a 2–0 home defeat of AD Alcorcón in that campaign's Copa del Rey (3–0 on aggregate).[13] In what proved to be his final season at the San Mamés Stadium, he featured 21 times in all competitions but only completed 90 minutes on two occasions. His most significant involvement was opening the scoring with a volley in the 2–0 win over Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League;[14] they reached the final of that competition, in which he was an unused substitute (as was the case in the decisive match in the domestic cup, both matches ending in 3–0 losses).[15] [16]

On 10 July 2012, aged 33, Gabilondo moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for one year with an option for a further season with AEK Larnaca FC in the Cypriot First Division and rejoining his former Athletic teammate Ander Murillo.[17] He left shortly after, however, with injuries and recently becoming a father cited as the reasons.[18]

International career

On 28 December 2011, Gabilondo equalled Julen Guerrero as the most capped played in the history of the Basque Country regional team. The match against Tunisia was his 12th appearance with the Euskal Herriko Selekzioa.[19] [20]

Personal life

Gabilondo's father José Manuel and his uncle Francisco Javier were both footballers, spending their careers mostly in the Segunda División B.

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

Notes and References

  1. News: Athletic Club-Real Sociedad: jugadores en los dos bandos. Athletic Club-Real Sociedad: players on both sides. Diario AS. Spanish. 9 May 2014. 13 July 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170828143148/https://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/05/09/album-02/1399644404_476184.html. 28 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Gabilondo gets Real deal. UEFA. 26 June 2003. 13 October 2023.
  3. News: Gabilondo cumplirá ante el Atlético 250 partidos en Primera. Gabilondo will reach 250 games in Primera against Atlético. El Correo. Spanish. 25 January 2011. 13 October 2023.
  4. News: Los otros realistas que acabaron en el Athletic. The other realistas who ended up at Athletic. El Correo. Spanish. 2 July 2015. 16 December 2017.
  5. Web site: Athletic Bilbao 1–0 Valencia. ESPN Soccernet. 7 April 2007. 25 July 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20130102225740/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/204059?cc=5739. 2 January 2013.
  6. News: El mejor Gabilondo. The best Gabilondo. El Correo. Javier. Ortiz de Lazcano. Spanish. 16 January 2009. 20 March 2018.
  7. Web site: El Athletic golea y el Zaragoza se hunde. Athletic rout and Zaragoza sink. RTVE. Spanish. 21 February 2010. 20 March 2018.
  8. News: Javi Martínez, genio de San Mamés. Javi Martínez, wizard of San Mamés. El País. Eduardo. Rodrigálvarez. Spanish. 12 April 2010. 20 March 2018.
  9. Web site: Valencia 2–1 Athletic Bilbao. ESPN Soccernet. 2 October 2010. 10 March 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629001059/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=302130&cc=5739. 29 June 2011.
  10. Web site: Bilbao ease past Getafe. https://web.archive.org/web/20101105012158/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=301851&cc=5739. dead. November 5, 2010. ESPN Soccernet. 31 October 2010. 10 March 2011.
  11. Web site: Bilbao pick up away win. ESPN Soccernet. 18 December 2010. 10 March 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101223094350/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=302170&cc=5739. 23 December 2010.
  12. Web site: Gabilondo, zurda gran reserva. Gabilondo, vintage ("reserva" also meaning "substitute" in Spanish) lefty. Fútbol Primera. Francisco. Ortí. Spanish. 30 September 2011. 20 March 2018.
  13. News: El Athletic, sin problemas. Athletic, no problems. El País. Spanish. 11 November 2010. 20 March 2018.
  14. Web site: Athletic attacking prowess puts paid to PSG. UEFA. Paul. Bryan. 29 September 2011. 13 April 2021.
  15. News: Europa League: Radamel Falcao's Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao. The Guardian. Jonathan. Wilson. 9 May 2012. 13 April 2021.
  16. News: Barcelona end Guardiola era with Copa del Rey win over Athletic Bilbao. The Guardian. Sid. Lowe. 26 May 2012. 13 April 2021.
  17. News: Igor Gabilondo jugará en Chipre. Igor Gabilondo will play in Cyprus. Marca. Rafa. Beato. Spanish. 10 July 2012. 25 July 2012.
  18. News: Igor Gabilondo abandona el fútbol chipriota por motivos personales. Igor Gabilondo quits Cypriot football for personal reasons. El Diario Vasco. Spanish. 29 January 2013. 13 April 2021.
  19. News: Esqueleto rojiblanco. Red-and-white skeleton. Deia. Aner. Gondra. Spanish. 29 December 2011. 11 November 2017. dead. https://archive.today/20130408013512/http://www.deia.com/2011/12/29/deportes/futbol/esqueleto-rojiblanco. 8 April 2013.
  20. News: Sin gol. No goal. Mundo Deportivo. Carlos. Zaballa. Spanish. 29 December 2011. 16 February 2013.

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