Off the wire
• Nepal quake death toll climbs to 5,844  • Documentary highlights Sino-Africa cultural integration screened in Nairobi  • Air France-KLM reports less loss in Q1  • New pair of pandas arrive in Macao  • Zambia to host Land-Locked Developing Countries Conference  • 2 soldiers, 1 civilian killed in northern Mali  • Africa Focus: AU renews appeal for dialogue, restraint in Burundi  • Nokia suffers poor Q1 profitability  • China Voice: U.S. reanimates the ghosts of Japan's ugly past  • China warns steel bar makers of EU anti-dumping probe  
You are here: 　 Home

Athletic Club legend Iraola to leave at end of the season

Xinhua, April 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

Athletic Club Bilbao captain Andoni Iraola confirmed on Thursday that he was leaving the club after spending his entire career playing for them.

The 32-year-old, who will be 33 in the first week of June, made the announcement at a press conference alongside club President, Josu Urrutia, the club technical staff and the first team player.

"I have been 16 years at the club and 12 in the first team. I have had good and bad times, but I am very happy and proud of my trajectory until now," he said.

Iraola, who is the fourth highest appearance maker at the club, commented that he had taken the decision because "every year it is harder to respond to expectations and the hopes that people put on you. It is a great responsibility to play for Athletic and it is never easy to take this kind of decision."

Iraola thus brings the curtain down on a career which has so far seen him make 502 first team appearances for the club, as well as a further 75 appearances for Bilbao Athletic, the club's B-team and 35 more for Athletic's third team, Basconia.

His long career also saw him earn seven caps for Spain and it is generally acknowledged that had he played for a higher profile club such as Barcelona or Real Madrid that number would have been considerably higher.

Fittingly Iriola's last appearance for Athletic Club will be in the final of the Copa del Rey which Athletic will dispute against FC Barcelona in Barca's Camp Nou Stadium on May 30.

"The chance to play my last game in the Cup final is incredible and it would be exception to be able to finish with a title," he said. Endit