Dani Aranzubia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dani Aranzubia

Aranzubia in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Daniel Aranzubia Aguado
Date of birth	(1979-09-18) 18 September 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Logroño, Spain
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Amorebieta (goalkeeper coach)
Youth career
1993–1994	Loyola
1994–1997	Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Athletic Bilbao B	70	(0)
1997–1998	Basconia	31	(0)
2000–2008	Athletic Bilbao	162	(0)
2008–2013	Deportivo La Coruña	178	(1)
2013–2014	Atlético Madrid	1	(0)
Total		442	(1)
International career
1995–1996	Spain U16	3	(0)
1998–1999	Spain U20	9	(0)
1999–2001	Spain U21	17	(0)
2000	Spain U23	6	(0)
2004	Spain	1	(0)
Medal record Representing  Spain Men's Football Silver 2000 Sydney Team Competition FIFA World Youth Championship Winner 1999 Nigeria
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel Aranzubia Aguado, born on September 18, 1979, is a Spanish former professional footballer. He was a talented goalkeeper and is now a coach for goalkeepers at Amorebieta.

He played in 303 matches in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. He played for 13 seasons with three different teams: Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo, and Atlético Madrid. While playing for Deportivo, he even scored one goal!

Aranzubia also played for the Spanish national team in the Euro 2004 tournament.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Athletic Bilbao

Dani Aranzubia was born in Logroño, La Rioja. He grew up in the famous youth academy of Athletic Bilbao called Lezama. He played his first game for the main team on June 10, 2001. It was a home game against Real Sociedad, which Athletic Bilbao lost 1–3.

For two seasons, Dani was the backup goalkeeper to Iñaki Lafuente. But then, he became the main goalkeeper for the team. In the 2003–04 season, he helped his team qualify for the UEFA Cup. He also signed a new contract for four more years.

Later, Dani faced more competition for the starting spot, especially with the rise of another great goalkeeper, Gorka Iraizoz. Even when the main goalkeeper was injured in the 2007–08 season, Dani didn't play much. Athletic Bilbao brought in an experienced goalkeeper named Armando to be the starter instead.

Time with Deportivo

On July 13, 2008, Dani Aranzubia joined Deportivo de La Coruña with a three-year contract. He helped the team from Galicia qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup. He was the starting goalkeeper for almost the entire season, missing only one game due to a suspension.

On October 2, he showed his amazing skills by saving three penalties in a shootout against SK Brann. This helped Depor win 2–0 at home in the UEFA Cup first round and move on to the group stage.

Dani missed the first six games of the 2010–11 season because of an injury. However, he returned and finished the season as the starting goalkeeper. On February 20, 2011, he made history! He scored a goal with his head from a corner kick in the 95th minute of the game. This helped his team get a 1–1 draw against UD Almería. He was the first goalkeeper in La Liga history to score a goal during open play!

Playing for Atlético Madrid

In August 2013, Dani Aranzubia signed with Atlético Madrid. He joined as a backup goalkeeper to the talented Thibaut Courtois. He made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League on December 11, 2013, shortly after his 34th birthday. In that game, he saved a penalty from FC Porto's Josué in a 2–0 home victory during the group stage.

When the main goalkeeper, Courtois, was injured, Dani played his first league game for Atlético Madrid on February 8, 2014. However, he was sent off (given a red card) in the last minutes of the game after fouling Jonathan Zongo. Atlético Madrid lost that game 2–0 to Almería. Dani played a total of five official games for Atlético Madrid.

International Appearances

Dani Aranzubia played only one game for the Spanish national team. This happened on June 5, 2004, in a friendly match against Andorra at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. He came into the game as a substitute for Santiago Cañizares, who had already replaced Iker Casillas. Dani played for the last half hour of the game. He was chosen as the third-choice goalkeeper for the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament.

Before that, Dani helped Spain win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. He also helped the team finish as runners-up (second place) at the 2000 Summer Olympics in football. He was the starting goalkeeper in both of those final matches.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Dani Aranzubia started a new career as a coach.

• On June 21, 2016, he became a goalkeeper coach for SD Amorebieta. He worked under manager Aitor Larrazábal.
• Three years later, he joined his former teammate Joseba Etxeberria's coaching staff at Athletic Bilbao B, also as a goalkeeper coach.
• In the summer of 2023, Dani returned to Amorebieta in the same role as a goalkeeper coach.

Career Statistics

Awards and Achievements

Aranzubia with Deportivo in 2008

Dani Aranzubia won several awards and championships during his football career:

With Basconia

• Tercera División: 1997–98 (a Spanish football league title)

With Deportivo

• Segunda División: 2011–12 (another Spanish football league title)

With Atlético Madrid

• La Liga: 2013–14 (Spain's top football league title)
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2013–14 (finished second in Europe's biggest club competition)

With Spain U20 National Team

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 1999 (won the world championship for players under 20)

With Spain U23 National Team

• Summer Olympics silver medal: 2000 (won a silver medal at the Olympic Games)

See also

In Spanish: Dani Aranzubia para niños