Ismael Urzaiz

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Ismael Urzaiz
Personal information
Full name Ismael Urzaiz Aranda
Date of birth October 7, 1971
Place of birth Tudela, Navarre, Spain
Position Forward
Club information
Current club Athletic Bilbao
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1989-91
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-		 Real Madrid B
Real Madrid
Albacete Balompié
Celta de Vigo
Real Madrid B
Rayo Vallecano
UD Salamanca
RCD Espanyol
Athletic Bilbao		 10 (5)
0 (0)
11 (5)
6 (1)
26 (7)
20 (1)
21 (3)
41 (13)
334 (117)
National team**
1996-2001
1997-2005		 Spain 25 (8)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of August 10 2006.
** National team caps and goals correct
as of August 10 2006.

Ismael Urzaiz Aranda (born October 7, 1971, Tudela, Navarre) is a Basque Spanish footballer who currently plays as a forward for Athletic Bilbao. He has also played for Spain and the Euskadi XI. Urzaiz began his career as a youth player with Real Madrid. Despite being a successful youth international, he failed to establish himself in the first team and spent most of his time at Real playing for Real Madrid B or out on loan. After leaving Real in 1993, he gained a reputation as a journeyman forward with only a modest strike-rate. However in 1996, after a successful spell at RCD Espanyol, he signed for Athletic Bilbao, his seventh La Liga club, and was called up by Spain.

Contents

[edit] Real Madrid

Urzaiz began his professional career at Real Madrid B, making his debut in the Segunda División in 1989. During his time at Real Madrid he did not make any La Liga appearances. However in 1990 he did play one game for them against Odense BK in the European Cup. He spent the 1991/92 season on loan at Albacete Balompié, making his debut in the Primera División when he came on as a substitute in a game against Athletic Bilbao in October 1991. He then started the 1992/93 season on loan at Celta de Vigo but returned to Real Madrid B before the season ended.

[edit] Journeyman Professional

Urzaiz left Real permanently in 1993 and during the following three seasons played for three different clubs - Rayo Vallecano, UD Salamanca and RCD Espanyol. He helped UD Salamanca win promotion to the Primera División in 1994/95, scoring twice as they beat Albacete Balompié 5-0 in a play-off. The following season he joined RCD Espanyol and had the best season in his career so far. His 13 goals, including a hat-trick against Rayo Vallecano, helped Espanyol finish a respectable fourth in La Liga.

[edit] Athletic Bilbao

The form of a revived Urzaiz attracted interest and in the summer of 1996 he joined Athletic Bilbao. In ten seasons at Athletic he has scored 117 goals in 334 La Liga appearances. During the 1997/98 season he helped Athletic finish second in La Liga, leading to qualification for the UEFA Champions League. In various European competitions, he played a further 10 games and scored 1 goal for Athletic in the UEFA Champions League.

[edit] International Career

Urzaiz played for Spain as a youth international and helped them win the European Under-17 Football Championship in Denmark in 1988. He also scored 4 goals at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal in 1991. On October 10, 1996 Urzaiz made his debut for the senior Spain team in a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic. Over the next three years he made only three more appearances and failed to score. However he emerged as the hero as Spain qualified for Euro 2000, scoring six goals in three games. This included two against Austria and a hat-trick against Cyprus. He scored a further two in a friendly against Poland and went onto represent Spain at Euro 2000. After 25 caps and 8 goals, he made his last appearance for Spain in a friendly against England in 2001. Between 1997 and 2005, Urzaiz also made 7 appearances for the Euskadi XI and scored twice in a 3-2 win over Morocco in 2000.

[edit] Honours

Spain U-17



Athletic Bilbao - Current Squad

1 Lafuente | 2 Expósito | 3 Casas | 4 Ustaritz | 5 Amorebieta | 6 Sarriegi | 7 Tiko | 8 Garmendia | 9 Llorente | 10 Yeste | 11 Gabilondo | 13 Aranzubia | 14 Prieto | 15 Iraola | 16 Orbaiz | 17 Etxeberria | 18 Gurpegi | 19 Murillo | 20 Urzaiz | 21 Dañobeitia | 22 Iturriaga | 23 Aduriz | 24 Martinez


[edit] External links

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