Daniel Aranzubia Aguado (born 18 September 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and the goalkeeper coach of Athletic Bilbao B.
He appeared in 303 La Liga matches during 13 seasons, with Athletic Bilbao – in whose youth system he grew – Deportivo and Atlético Madrid. With the second club, he scored one goal in the competition.
Aranzubia represented Spain at Euro 2004.
Born in Logroño, La Rioja, but nonetheless a product of Athletic Bilbao's famed youth academy at Lezama, Aranzubia made his first-team debut on 10 June 2001 in a 1–3 home derby loss against Real Sociedad.[1] After two seasons as backup to Iñaki Lafuente, he emerged as the side's undisputed starter,[2] helping them qualify to the UEFA Cup in 2004 while extending his contract a further four years.[3]
After additional struggles for first-choice duties with Lafuente in the 2005–06 campaign,[2] Aranzubia was definitely deemed surplus to requirements by the Basques after the emergence of Gorka Iraizoz, not appearing even when the first-choice was severely injured during 2007–08 (Athletic received veteran Armando on loan from Cádiz CF, and he became the starter).[4]
On 13 July 2008, Aranzubia joined Deportivo de La Coruña on a three-year deal,[5] helping the Galicians to the UEFA Intertoto Cup and starting throughout the entire season, save one match due to suspension. On 2 October, he saved three penalties in a shootout against SK Brann in a UEFA Cup first round 2–0 home win, with Depor thus reaching the group stage.[6]
Aranzubia missed the first six games of the 2010–11 campaign due to injury,[7] but again finished as a starter for Deportivo. On 20 February 2011, he scored with his head after a 95th-minute corner kick as his team managed a 1–1 draw at UD Almería,[8] becoming the first goalkeeper in La Liga history to score from open play.[9]
In August 2013, Aranzubia signed for Atlético Madrid as a backup to Thibaut Courtois.[10] He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League on 11 December 2013 shortly after his 34th birthday, saving a penalty from FC Porto's Josué in a 2–0 group stage home victory.[11]
As the Belgian was unavailable due to injury, Aranzubia first played in the league with the Colchoneros on 8 February 2014, being sent off in the last minutes of a 0–2 loss at Almería after fouling Jonathan Zongo in the box.[12] He finished his spell at the Vicente Calderón Stadium with five competitive appearances.
Aranzubia made his only appearance for Spain on 5 June 2004, in a friendly match with Andorra at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. He came on as a substitute for Santiago Cañizares, who had already replaced Iker Casillas, at the hour-mark,[13] after having been selected as third-choice for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament.[14]
Previously, Aranzubia helped the nation win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship and finish runner-up at the 2000 Summer Olympics, starting in both finals.[15][16]
In the summer of 2016, Aranzubia was hired as a goalkeeper coach for SD Amorebieta under manager Aitor Larrazábal.[17] Three years later, in the same capacity, he joined his former teammate Joseba Etxeberria's staff at Athletic Bilbao B.[18]
Basconia
Deportivo
Atlético Madrid
Spain U20
Spain U23