Mikel Balenziaga
Mikel Balenziaga Oruesagasti (; ; born 29 February 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Primera Federación club Deportivo de La Coruña. He spent the better part of his career with Athletic Bilbao, totalling 321 appearances and winning two Supercopa de España. Club career Born in Zumarraga, Gipuzkoa, Balenziaga started his football grooming at Real Sociedad, playing two full seasons with their B team in the Segunda División B. However, in 2008–09, he switched to neighbours Athletic Bilbao. Initially thought of as a member of the reserves, Balenziaga quickly beat competition from veterans Koikili and Javier Casas to become the undisputed first choice for the vast majority of the campaign, making his first-team debut on 14 September 2008 in a 0–0 away draw against Málaga CF; another club graduate, Ander Iturraspe, also made his first La Liga appearance in that game. In July 2009, Athletic bought Xabi Castillo from neighbours Real Sociedad and Balenziaga, seeing his chances for the upcoming season dim, accepted a loan move to CD Numancia, recently relegated from the top division. He transferred to Segunda División side Real Valladolid on a three-year contract in the summer of 2011, after making only one official appearance for the Lions during 2010–11's top tier. After two solid years in Castile and León – Valladolid were promoted in 2011–12 via the play-offs and comfortably survived in the top flight the following campaign– Balenziaga returned to Athletic for 2013–14 to challenge for a first-team spot under new manager Ernesto Valverde. He scored his first ever goal as a professional on 24 September 2016, helping the hosts to defeat Sevilla FC 3–1 in the domestic league. Balenziaga left the San Mamés Stadium at the end of his contract in 2023, aged 35, having played more than 300 times for the club across his two spells (a farewell ceremony after the last home fixture of the season was somewhat spoiled by the match result, a late defeat to already-relegated Elche CF which badly weakened their European qualification chances). International career Balenziaga appeared once for the Spain under-21 team, playing 58 minutes in a 4–1 friendly away loss to Portugal on 18 November 2008. He also featured for the unofficial Basque Country regional side. Career statistics Honours Athletic Bilbao Supercopa de España: 2015, 2020–21 Copa del Rey runner-up: 2008–09, 2014–15, 2019–20, 2020–21 Notes References External links 1988 births Living people People from Goierri Spanish men's footballers Footballers from Gipuzkoa Men's association football defenders La Liga players Segunda División players Segunda División B players Primera Federación players Real Sociedad B footballers Athletic Bilbao footballers CD Numancia players Real Valladolid players Deportivo de La Coruña players Spain men's youth international footballers Spain men's under-21 international footballers Basque Country men's international footballers