Eñaut Zubikarai
Zubikarai with Real Sociedad in 2014
Personal information
Full name Eñaut Zubikarai Goñi[1]
Date of birth (1984-02-26) 26 February 1984[1]
Place of birth Ondarroa, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Aurrerá
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2008 Real Sociedad B 71 (0)
2005–2006 → Eibar (loan) 1 (0)
2008–2015 Real Sociedad 46 (0)
2016 Tondela 5 (0)
2016–2021 Auckland City 59 (0)
Total 182 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eñaut Zubikarai Goñi (born 26 February 1984) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently goalkeeping coach of New Zealand club Auckland City FC.

Club career

Real Sociedad

Born in Ondarroa, Biscay, Zubikarai joined Real Sociedad in 2003 at age 19, being assigned to the B team in Segunda División B. For the 2005–06 season he was loaned to Basque neighbours SD Eibar, but appeared in only one game after suffering a shoulder injury (he suffered another after having returned to his parent club) and also suffered relegation from Segunda División, which triggered thoughts of an early retirement.[2]

After Asier Riesgo moved to Recreativo de Huelva, Zubikarai was definitely promoted to the main squad but, after the former returned from his loan, both battled for second-choice status during the 2009–10 campaign.[3][4] The latter contributed 12 matches as the Txuriurdin returned to La Liga after a three-year absence.[5]

Zubikarai made his debut in the top flight on 10 April 2012 at the age of 28, in a 1–1 home draw against Real Betis.[6] He continued to act as understudy to Claudio Bravo for the duration of his spell,[7] but was Real Sociedad's goalkeeper in the Copa del Rey, notably helping to a semi-final run in 2013–14.[8]

After the Chilean's departure to FC Barcelona in summer 2014, Zubikarai became the starter. However, shortly after conceding four goals in an away fixture against Villarreal CF in December,[9] he lost his position to Gerónimo Rulli.

Zubikarai was released by Real Sociedad on 30 June 2015, after the expiration of his contract.[10] On 20 January of the following year, after several months without a club, he signed a five-month deal with C.D. Tondela from Portugal.[11]

Auckland City

In September 2016, free agent Zubikarai joined Auckland City FC.[12] As part of a stellar defence which saw the team only allow 12 goals during the 2017–18 season as they won the New Zealand Football Championship title, he went 1,404 minutes or 15 games without conceding a goal in all competitions, beginning in the 70th minute of a 1–1 home draw against Southern United FC on 13 January 2018 and ending in the 37th minute of a 2–2 draw to Team Wellington on 29 April in the semi-finals of the OFC Champions League.[13] This exploit constituted the third-longest streak of its kind of all time – behind Mazarópi and Thabet El-Batal – as well as the longest of the 21st century, and of any European goalkeeper.[14][15]

Zubikarai became head goalkeeper coach on 5 October 2020, following the retirement of incumbent Simone Naddi.[16]

Personal life

In the summer of 2011, Hércules CF was on the verge of signing Zubikarai on loan, but pulled out, officially on financial grounds. However, the club reportedly feared public reaction to the signing of a player whose father, Cándido, was affiliated with terrorist organisation ETA, and was sentenced to thirty years in 1989 for the murder of two civil guards.[17][18][19]

Honours

Real Sociedad

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 14 December 2016. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Rodrigálvarez, Eduardo (28 September 2012). "Las siete vidas de Zubikarai" [The seven lives of Zubikarai]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  3. ↑ Ramajo, Roberto (1 April 2010). "Riesgo o Zubikarai: debate abierto para la portería" [Riesgo or Zubikarai: open debate in goal]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  4. ↑ Badallo, Óscar (14 April 2010). "Riesgo volverá a defender la portería txuri urdin tras la lesión de Bravo y la sanción a Zubikarai" [Riesgo will return to txuri urdin goal after Bravo injury and Zubikarai suspension]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  5. 1 2 García, Gregorio (13 June 2010). "El cielo de Primera vuelve a abrirse para la Real Sociedad" [Primera heaven reopens for Real Sociedad]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Campos, Tomás (10 April 2012). "Un pasito más en la dirección correcta" [One small step further in the right direction]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Claudio Bravo: Tenemos mucha confianza en Zubikarai" [Claudio Bravo: We have total confidence in Zubikarai] (in Spanish). Goal. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "No me sorprende la actuación en Copa de Zubikarai" [I am not surprised with Zubikarai's Cup performance]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 17 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  9. ↑ Guerra, Axel (7 December 2014). "La Real Sociedad se diluye en Villarreal" [Real Sociedad come undone in Villarreal]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "Agradecimiento a Dani Estrada y Eñaut Zubikarai" [Thanks to Dani Estrada and Eñaut Zubikarai] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  11. ↑ "Guarda-redes Eñaut Zubikarai assina pelo Tondela" [Goalkeeper Eñaut Zubikarai signs with Tondela] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  12. ↑ Isasa, Xabier (6 September 2016). "Zubikarai se va a las Antípodas" [Zubikarai goes to the Antipodes]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Voerman, Andrew (27 April 2018). "Something has to give for inseparable duo in OFC Champions League semifinal". Stuff. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Ashdown, John; Dart, James (10 February 2009). "How close is Edwin Van der Sar to a new world record?". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  15. ↑ Parcero, Bruno (23 April 2018). "Zubikarai amplía su racha de imbatibilidad hasta los 1.368 minutos" [Zubikarai extends unbeaten streak to 1.368 minutes]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "Simone Naddi departs Auckland City FC". Auckland City. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "El padre del portero de la Real Sociedad está en prisión por participar en el asesinato de dos guardias civiles" [Real Sociedad goalkeeper's father is in prison for taking part in murder of two civil guards] (in Spanish). Periodista Digital. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  18. ↑ Verdú B., P. (4 July 2011). "El Hércules no ficha a un portero de la Real Sociedad por el vínculo de su padre con ETA" [Hércules do not sign Real Sociedad goalkeeper as father has ties with ETA]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  19. ↑ Maiz, Iñigo (27 September 2012). "La accidentada vida de Zubikarai" [Zubikarai's rocky life]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
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