Aitor Elizegi facts for kids

Aitor Elizegi Alberdi (born 27 June 1966) is a Spanish businessman and a talented chef. He is well-known for being the president of the football club Athletic Bilbao. He held this important role from 2018 to 2022.

Aitor Elizegi's Life Story

Early Life and Love for Football

Aitor Elizegi was born in 1966 in Santutxu, a neighborhood in Bilbao, Spain. From a young age, he was a big fan of Athletic Bilbao. He became an official member of the club when he was 25 years old. This shows his deep connection to the team.

A Career in Cooking

Elizegi started his journey in the cooking world in 1987. Just one year later, he won the Spanish Chefs Championship. This was a big achievement early in his career. In 2000, he received the Basque Gastronomy Award. He won this award for being the best restaurateur at his Gaminiz restaurant.

As of 2019, Elizegi runs several popular Basque restaurants in Bilbao. Some of his famous places include Txocook, Bascook, and Basquery. He is known for his delicious food and successful businesses.

Becoming President of Athletic Bilbao

On 27 December 2018, Aitor Elizegi took on a new challenge. He won the election to become the president of Athletic Bilbao. He succeeded Josu Urrutia, who was the previous president. Elizegi won by a very small number of votes. He beat Alberto Uribe-Echevarría by only 85 votes. Uribe-Echevarría had been the treasurer under the former president.

First Actions as President

One of Elizegi's first big decisions as president was to change the club's sporting director. He replaced José María Amorrortu, who had been in the role for a long time. Elizegi brought in Rafael Alkorta and Andoni Ayarza. Both of them were former players for Athletic Bilbao. This change was something he had promised during his election campaign.

Leaving the Presidency

Aitor Elizegi served as president for four years. At the end of his term in 2022, he decided not to run for re-election. Jon Uriarte was then chosen to take over as the new president of Athletic Bilbao.

Aitor Elizegi's Political Views

Aitor Elizegi is a member of the Basque Nationalist Party. This party focuses on the interests of the Basque Country. He supports Basque nationalism, which means he believes in the unique identity and culture of the Basque people. He also supports the idea of an independent Basque Country.

Elizegi has publicly shared his wish for a Basque Country national football team. He hopes this team could join UEFA. UEFA is the main organization for football in Europe. This would allow the Basque team to compete in international matches.

See also

In Spanish: Aitor Elizegi para niños