Xabi Prieto

Xabi Prieto

Prieto with Real Sociedad in 2014
Personal information
Full nameXabier Prieto Argarate
Date of birth29 August 1983
Place of birthSan Sebastián, Spain
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Real Sociedad
Number10
Youth career
1997–2002Real Sociedad
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2004Real Sociedad B48(8)
2003–Real Sociedad369(52)
National team
2004–2005Spain U215(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:46, 19 March 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Prieto and the second or maternal family name is Argarate.

Xabier 'Xabi' Prieto Argarate (born 29 August 1983) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Sociedad mainly as a right midfielder.

A player of good dribbling skills, he is also a penalty kick specialist.

Football career

Born in San Sebastián, Prieto made his La Liga debut with hometown's Real Sociedad on 26 October 2003 in a 1–0 home win over Navarrese neighbours CA Osasuna, going on to collect a further eight substitute appearances – seven of them late in the game – during that season. However, on 23 May of the following year, as the league's outcome was already decided, he profitted from his second start to score twice against Real Madrid in a 4–1 away success, one of the goals coming from the penalty spot.[1]

Subsequently Prieto was definitely promoted to the first squad and, in 2005–06, participated in all 38 games and netted nine times, six of them being penalties. In the following season he was also everpresent, but the Basque dropped down to the second division.

Prieto played in 35 matches in the 2009–10 campaign, totalling exactly 3,000 minutes and contributing with seven goals as Real Sociedad returned to the top level after three years. In the first game of the following season, at home against Villarreal CF, he scored the game's only goal, after a backheel pass from newly signed Joseba Llorente.[2]

On 6 January 2013 Prieto netted the first hat-trick of his professional career, but in a 3–4 loss at Real Madrid: he scored once through a penalty and twice after one-on-one situations against Iker Casillas.[3][4] He added a brace on 22 February 2015 in another seven-goal thriller, but now in a 4–3 home win over Sevilla FC.[5]

Club statistics

As of 19 March 2015
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Sociedad 2003–04[6] La Liga 11220—132
2004–05[6] La Liga 23021—251
2005–06[6] La Liga 38900—389
2006–07[6] La Liga 33310—343
2007–08[6] Segunda División 36410—374
2008–09[6] Segunda División 32410—334
2009–10[6] Segunda División 35710—367
2010–11[6] La Liga 37720—397
2011–12[6] La Liga 34242—384
2012–13[6] La Liga 35920—379
2013–14[6] La Liga 302607[lower-alpha 1]0432
2014–15[7] La Liga 253304[lower-alpha 2]3326
Career total 3695225311340558
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

References

  1. ↑ "Real Madrid 1–4 Real Sociedad". ESPN Soccernet. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sociedad make winning return". ESPN Soccernet. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  3. ↑ "Casillas benched again but Madrid win". ESPN FC. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Xabi Prieto, un triplete sin premio" [Xabi Prieto, hat-trick without prize] (in Spanish). Marca. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Real locura" [Royal madness] (in Spanish). Marca. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 "Xabi Prieto: Xabier Prieto Argarate". BDFutbol. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Xabi Prieto". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

External links