Mikel González
González training with Real Sociedad (2010)
Personal information
Full name Mikel González de Martín Martínez
Date of birth (1985-09-24) 24 September 1985
Place of birth Mondragón, Spain
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Real Sociedad B 55 (0)
2005–2017 Real Sociedad 282 (4)
2017–2018 Zaragoza 27 (1)
2018–2023 AEK Larnaca 111 (3)
International career
2007–2016 Basque Country 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:08, 6 July 2023 (UTC)

Mikel González de Martín Martínez (born 24 September 1985) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central defender.

He spent most of his professional career with Real Sociedad, playing 299 competitive games and scoring six goals.

Club career

Real Sociedad

A product of Real Sociedad's youth ranks, González was born in Arrasate-Mondragón, Gipuzkoa,[1] and he made his first-team debut on 17 September 2005 in a 5–2 away loss against RCD Mallorca.[2] He went on to collect only two more La Liga appearances during that season.

With the Basque team in Segunda División, González became an undisputed starter, appearing in 35 games in the 2009–10 campaign as Real returned to the top flight after a three-year absence[3] and contributing one goal, in a 2–1 home victory over Villarreal CF B.[4] He added 32 matches – 30 starts – the following year as the club retained its league status, but somewhat lost his importance in the squad following the January 2011 signing of Norwegian Vadim Demidov and the emergence of youth product Iñigo Martínez.[5]

González returned to starting duties in the following seasons,[6] alongside Martínez: he started in all his 34 league appearances in 2012–13 in more than 3.000 minutes of action, scoring against Rayo Vallecano (4–0, at home)[7] and Valencia CF (5–2 away win)[8] as the Txuriurdin finished fourth and returned to the UEFA Champions League after one full decade.

González made his debut in the Champions League on 17 September 2013, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–2 group phase home loss to FC Shakhtar Donetsk.[9] He added a further four games in that stage of the competition, as his team ranked last.

In April 2017, by now a backup member of the squad, González made what was calculated to be his 300th appearance for Real Sociedad. It was his final match serving the club, with his contract not renewed on its expiry the following month.[10]

Zaragoza

On 29 August 2017, free agent González signed a two-year deal with Real Zaragoza in the second division.[11] He scored his first and only goal for the Aragonese – play-offs notwithstanding[12]– on 2 October, helping the visitors draw 2–2 at Real Oviedo.[13]

González terminated his contract on 8 July 2018.[14]

AEK Larnaca

On 3 July 2018, the 32-year-old González moved abroad for the first time in his career and joined Cypriot First Division club AEK Larnaca FC on a one-year contract.[15]

Honours

Real Sociedad

AEK Larnaca

References

  1. ↑ Zabala, Jon (22 September 2017). "Mondragón, una 'fábrica' de defensas txuriurdines" [Mondragón, a 'factory' of txuriurdin defenders]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "Arango fulmina a la Real con un 'hat trick'" [Arango obliterates Real with a hat-trick]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 18 September 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "2–0. La Real Sociedad gana al Celta y asciende como campeón de Segunda" [2–0. Real Sociedad beat Celta and promote as Segunda champions]. La Información (in Spanish). 13 June 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "La Real, a las puertas de Primera División tras ganar al Villarreal B" [Real, at the doors of Primera División after defeating Villarreal B]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 30 May 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Melero, Germán (3 September 2011). "Ansotegi resta importancia a su cambio de rol" [Ansotegi downplays his change of role]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  6. ↑ López, Ángel (13 March 2012). "Se busca sustituto para Mikel González" [Replacement for Mikel González wanted]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Sociedad stun Vallecano". ESPN FC. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Sociedad hit Valencia for five". ESPN FC. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  9. ↑ Hunter, Graham (17 September 2013). "Teixeira on target as Shakhtar ruin Real's night". UEFA. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Badallo, Óscar (30 April 2017). "Mikel González: 300 partidos y adiós a la Real Sociedad" [Mikel González: 300 matches and goodbye to Real Sociedad]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Principio de acuerdo para la incorporación del futbolista Mikel González" [Agreement in principle for the addition of footballer Mikel González] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  12. ↑ Giménez, Paco (9 June 2018). "Increíble eliminación del Real Zaragoza tras caer 1–2 ante el Numancia" [Incredible Real Zaragoza elimination after falling 1–2 to Numancia]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  13. ↑ "Oviedo y Zaragoza empatan en un vibrante partido en el Carlos Tartiere" [Oviedo and Zaragoza draw in exciting match at the Carlos Tartiere] (in Spanish). La Liga. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  14. ↑ "Fin de la relación contractual con el futbolista Mikel González" [End of contractual relationship with the footballer Mikel González] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 8 July 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "Mikel González deja el Zaragoza y ficha por el AEK Larnaca" [Mikel González leaves Zaragoza and signs for AEK Larnaca]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  16. ↑ Xarilaou, Xaris. "Cyprus – List of Super Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
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