Aritz Solabarrieta Aranzamendi (born 22 July 1983) is a Spanish retired Association football, footballer who played mainly as a Midfielder#Wide midfielder, right midfielder, currently a Manager (association football), manager.

Playing career

Club

Born in Ondarroa, Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country and a product of Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth ranks at Lezama Facilities, Lezama, Solabarrieta played only one full season for its first team, 2004–05 La Liga, 2004–05, helping with 11 matches as the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque finished ninth. His La Liga debut came on 13 November 2004 in a 2–1 home win against Villarreal CF, as he came on as a Substitute (association football), substitute for Andoni Iraola in injury time. After a loan with neighbours SD Eibar of Segunda División, which 2005–06 Segunda División, ended in relegation, Solabarrieta was released by the ''Lions'' in December 2006 and resumed his career in the Segunda División B, starting with Atlético Madrid B. He retired in June 2015 at the age of nearly 32, after two years with amateurs CD Aurrerá Ondarroa in his hometown.

International

Solabarrieta won 16 Cap (sport), caps for Spain national youth football team (disambiguation), Spain at youth level, including two for the Spain national under-21 football team, under-21 side. His first appearance for the latter occurred on 17 August 2004, as he featured 22 minutes in a 1–1 Exhibition game, friendly draw in France national under-21 football team, France.

Coaching career

After his playing days ended, Solabarrieta embarked on a career as a coach. In 2016, he was appointed as manager of Athletic Bilbao's ''Cadete A'' youth team. The following year, he moved to control the ''Juvenil A'' squad. Due to a combination of a disappointing campaign for the CD Basconia farm team coached by Ander Alaña and Solabarrieta's good work with the youths, the two men swapped roles within the club's structure for 2018–19. However, he was soon promoted again when Gaizka Garitano, coach of the Reserve team, reserve side, was selected to take the helm of the senior team in December 2018, in turn leaving a vacancy at Athletic Bilbao B which Solabarrieta was nominated to fill. Solabarrieta signed as coach of third-tier Racing de Santander on 21 December 2020.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Spain U17 *UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup: 2001 UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup, 2001 Spain U19 *UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, 2002

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Solabarrieta, Aritz 1983 births Living people People from Ondarroa Footballers from Biscay Spanish men's footballers Men's association football midfielders La Liga players Segunda División players Segunda División B players Tercera División players CD Basconia footballers Athletic Bilbao B footballers Athletic Bilbao footballers SD Eibar footballers Atlético Madrid B players Real Jaén footballers CF Palencia footballers UD Melilla footballers Sestao River Club footballers Spain men's youth international footballers Spain men's under-21 international footballers Spanish football managers Segunda División B managers Tercera División managers CD Basconia managers Athletic Bilbao B managers Racing de Santander managers Athletic Bilbao non-playing staff