Introduction
Ander Iturraspe Derteano (born 8 March 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a defensive midfielder.
Club career
Born in Abadiño, Biscay, Iturraspe joined Athletic Bilbao in 1999, at the age of 10. He spent several seasons in the various junior levels of the club and, in 2007, moved to feeder club CD Basconia in the fourth division.
On 12 March 2008, Iturraspe started for the first team in a 6–1 friendly win against Zalla UC. Towards the end of the league campaign, he also played in exhibition matches with Club Portugalete and Aviron Bayonnais FC.
On 23 June 2008, Iturraspe was officially promoted to the main squad, being issued with the squad number 26. On 14 September he made his La Liga debut, starting in a 0–0 draw at Málaga CF in the same match as another club graduate, Mikel Balenziaga; his second appearance came as a substitute in the club's 2–0 home win against Real Valladolid.
Iturraspe made his second start for Athletic in a Copa del Rey match against Recreativo de Huelva, being replaced at half-time by Pablo Orbaiz. He continued appearing almost exclusively for the reserves until the end of the season, however.
Benefitting from physical problems to veteran Carlos Gurpegui, Iturraspe played in nearly 60 official games in 2011–12 under new manager Marcelo Bielsa. Athletic reached both the UEFA Europa League and the domestic cup finals. At the end of the 2013–14 season, he was voted into the La Liga Team of the Year by the reporters of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional.
International career
Following a strong 2013–14 season, Iturraspe was called up by Spanish national team manager Vicente Del Bosque to his 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making his debut on 30 May in a friendly with Bolivia in Seville where he played the full 90 minutes (2–0 win). However, the following day, he was omitted from the final list.
Personal life
Iturraspe's younger brother, Gorka, also came through Athletic's academy and became a professional in the same position.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 17 August 2017
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Basconia | 2007–08 | 30 | 1 | – | – | – | 30 | 1 | |||
| Total | 30 | 1 | – | – | – | 30 | 1 | ||||
| Bilbao Athletic | 2007–08 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | 26 | 1 | – | – | – | 26 | 1 | ||||
| 2009–10 | 11 | 0 | – | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 1 | – | – | – | 40 | 1 | ||||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | 35 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 0 | – | 58 | 1 | ||
| 2012–13 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | 33 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 38 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 199 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 277 | 3 | |
| Career totals | 269 | 5 | 30 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 339 | 5 | |
Honours
Club
- UEFA Europa League: Runner-up 2011–12
- Copa del Rey: Runner-up 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15
- Supercopa de España: Runner-up 2009
Individual
- La Liga Team of the Year: 2013–14