 Orbaiz as anAthletic Bilbao player (2008) | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1979-02-06)6 February 1979 (age 46) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1996 | Osasuna[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Osasuna B | 27 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Osasuna | 69 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2000–2012 | Athletic Bilbao | 263 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | →Olympiacos (loan) | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Rubin Kazan | 23 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Valle de Egüés | ? | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 406 | (18) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Spain U17 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Spain U18 | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Spain U20 | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Spain U21 | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Spain | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Navarre | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Basque Country | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka (born 6 February 1979) is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played as adefensive midfielder.
After starting out withOsasuna, he went on to play 11 years inLa Liga withAthletic Bilbao,[3] appearing in a total of 318 competitive matches and scoring 13 goals.
Born inPamplona, Orbaiz began his career at hometown'sCA Osasuna,[2] exclusively playing in thesecond division with the team and contributing with 29 appearances and one goal inhis final season as theNavarrese returned toLa Liga after a six-year absence.
After that he moved to neighboursAthletic Bilbao, where he was a very important midfield element from the start. In the2004–05 campaign he played 35 league matches and scored three goals, adding eightappearances in theUEFA Cup. However, he also suffered very serious knee injuries in2002–03 and2006–07, only taking part in a combined 14 games.[4][5]
In the2009–10 season, Orbaiz continued to be an automatic first-choice when healthy. However, during one month (February–March 2010), he wassent off twice for dangerous challenges – both of which resulted in two-match bans – atVillarreal CF (2–1 loss)[6] and at home againstGetafe CF (2–2, he also scored the opener in the latter game).[7] Forthe following campaign he was promoted asteam captain, after the departures ofJoseba Etxeberria andFrancisco Yeste.[8]
In late August 2011, after anotherseason of regular use by managerJoaquín Caparrós – 26 games, 1,675 minutes – as Athletic once againqualified for the Europa League, 32-year-old Orbaiz was loaned toOlympiacos F.C. in Greece, joining a host of compatriots at thePiraeus club, including managerErnesto Valverde.[9] He won the domesticdouble and was able to realise his ambition to play in theUEFA Champions League, making fourgroup stage appearances.[3]
Orbaiz was released by Bilbao afterwards, signing for one season withFC Rubin Kazan and reuniting with compatriot and former Olympiacos teammateIván Marcano.[10]
Orbaiz made his debut withSpain on 21 August 2002 in atestimonial match forFerenc Puskás againstHungary,[11] representing the nation in a further three matches. Previously, he helpedthe under-20s win the1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.[12]
Athletic Bilbao
Olympiacos
Spain U20
