![]() Ruiz de Galarreta withLeganés in 2016 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Etxeberria[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1993-08-06)6 August 1993 (age 31)[1] | ||
Place of birth | Eibar, Spain | ||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Athletic Bilbao | ||
Number | 16 | ||
Youth career | |||
2003–2011 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2011 | Basconia | 1 | (0) |
2011–2013 | Bilbao Athletic | 28 | (0) |
2011–2016 | Athletic Bilbao | 3 | (0) |
2013–2014 | →Mirandés (loan) | 11 | (1) |
2014–2015 | →Zaragoza (loan) | 37 | (1) |
2015–2016 | →Leganés (loan) | 20 | (1) |
2016–2017 | Numancia | 37 | (2) |
2017–2018 | Barcelona B | 27 | (1) |
2018–2019 | Las Palmas | 35 | (2) |
2019–2023 | Mallorca | 81 | (0) |
2019–2020 | →Las Palmas (loan) | 33 | (0) |
2023– | Athletic Bilbao | 55 | (1) |
International career | |||
2009 | Spain U16 | 2 | (0) |
2009 | Spain U17 | 4 | (0) |
2011 | Spain U18 | 2 | (0) |
2012 | Spain U19 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:09, 26 May 2025 (UTC) |
Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Etxeberria (born 6 August 1993) is a Spanish professionalfootballer who plays mainly as acentral midfielder forAthletic Bilbao.
Born inEibar,Gipuzkoa, Ruiz de Galarreta joinedAthletic Bilbao's youth system in 2003, aged 10.[2] On 14 December 2011, while still considered a youth squad player, he made his debut with the first team, coming on as asubstitute forBorja Ekiza in the 88th minute of a 4–2 away loss againstParis Saint-Germain F.C. inthat season'sUEFA Europa League;[3] during hisfirst year, however, he almost exclusively played withthe reserves in theSegunda División B.
Ruiz de Galarreta made his second appearance for the main squad on 2 August 2012, again in theEuropa League but now againstNK Slaven Belupo (27 minutes played, 3–1 home win).[4] He played his firstLa Liga game 17 days later, replacingGaizka Toquero athalf-time of an eventual 3–5 home defeat toReal Betis.[5]
During a match with the B side againstLleida Esportiu on 21 October 2012, Ruiz de Galarreta ruptured theanterior cruciate ligament on his left knee, being sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.[6][7] For2013–14 he was loaned toCD Mirandés ofSegunda División,[8] where in a home game againstCD Numancia on 27 October he suffered the same injury.[9] Previously, on 8 September, he scored his first goal as a senior, the only in the away victory overReal Madrid Castilla.[10]
The following years, Ruiz de Galarreta played withReal Zaragoza[11] andCD Leganés on loan,[12] helping the latter club to achieve a first-everpromotion to the top flight in 2016.[13] He continued to compete in the second division subsequently, representing Numancia,[14]FC Barcelona Atlètic andUD Las Palmas.[15]
On 2 September 2019, Ruiz de Galarreta signed a four-year contract withRCD Mallorca in the top tier, though it was agreed he would remain on loan at Las Palmas for theupcoming season.[16] He achieved another promotion with the former in2020–21, contributing 29 appearances to this feat.[17]
Ruiz de Galarreta returned to his first club Athletic on 7 June 2023, on a two-year deal.[18] He scored his first goal for them on 5 November, opening a 3–2 away victory overVillarreal CF.[19]
In May 2025, Ruiz de Galarreta extended his contract until 2027.[20]
Ruiz de Galarreta started representingSpain atunder-17 level, appearing in2010 UEFA European Championshipqualifiers againstFaroe Islands andRomania[21][22] and twofriendlies withPortugal.[23] He also played for theunder-18s and theunder-19s.[24]
Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Bilbao Athletic | 2011–12 | Segunda División B | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||
2012–13 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
Total | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
Athletic Bilbao | 2011–12 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2012–13 | La Liga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||
2013–14 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
2014–15 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
2015–16 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
Mirandés (loan) | 2013–14 | Segunda División | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||
Zaragoza (loan) | 2014–15 | Segunda División | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 41 | 1 | |
Leganés (loan) | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||
Numancia | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 2 | ||
Barcelona B | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 27 | 1 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | |||
Las Palmas | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||
Mallorca | 2020–21 | Segunda División | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||
2021–22 | La Liga | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||
2022–23 | La Liga | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
Total | 81 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | ||
Las Palmas (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||
Athletic Bilbao | 2023–24 | La Liga | 29 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||
2024–25 | La Liga | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
Total | 55 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 1 | ||
Career total | 367 | 9 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 407 | 10 |
Athletic Bilbao