Asier Illarramendi

Asier Illarramendi "Illarra" Andonegi (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈsjeɾ iʎaraˈmendi iˈʎara andoˈneɣi]; born 8 March 1990) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for and captains Real Sociedad as a defensive midfielder.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Illarramendi and the second or maternal family name is Andonegi.

Asier Illarramendi
Illarramendi in 2016
Personal information
Full name Asier Illarramendi Andonegi
Date of birth (1990-03-08) 8 March 1990
Place of birth Mutriku, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Real Sociedad
Number 4
Youth career
Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Real Sociedad B 93 (7)
2010–2013 Real Sociedad 54 (0)
2013–2015 Real Madrid 59 (2)
2015– Real Sociedad 129 (10)
National team‡
2006–2007 Spain U17 12 (0)
2009 Spain U19 1 (0)
2011–2013 Spain U21 16 (0)
2012 Spain U23 2 (0)
2017– Spain 3 (1)
2013– Basque Country 4 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 August 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2018

He developed at Real Sociedad, appearing in 56 competitive matches with the first team and helping them qualify for the Champions League in 2013. He then transferred to Real Madrid for €32.2 million, the most they had ever paid for a Spanish player, returning to his first club for half of that fee two years later.

Illarramendi earned 31 caps for Spain from under-17 to under-23 level, winning the 2013 European Championship with the under-21 side. He made his senior debut in 2017.

Club career

Real Sociedad

A product of local Real Sociedad's youth system, Illarramendi was born in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa, and he spent the vast majority of his first four senior seasons with the B-team,[1] contributing with 27 games and two goals in 2009–10 as the Basques returned to Segunda División B after one year out. On 19 June 2010, in the last day of the Segunda División campaign, as the first team had already sealed promotion to La Liga as champions, he made his first official appearance, in a 1–4 away loss against Elche CF.[2][3]

On 23 January 2011, Illarramendi made his top division debut, in a 1–2 loss at Villarreal CF.[4] The following month, he first appeared as a starter playing the full 90 minutes in another away defeat (1–4 against RCD Espanyol);[5] the bulk of the season was spent, however, with the reserves in level three.

Illarramendi started in all of his 32 league appearances in 2012–13, as Real Sociedad finished fourth and qualified to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in ten years.[6] At the LFP Awards, he was named Breakthrough Player and Best Midfielder.[7]

Real Madrid
Illarramendi in 2013

On 12 July 2013, Illarramendi signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid for a fee of €32.2 million,[8] the highest amount paid by the club for a Spanish player.[9] He made his official debut on 14 September by starting in a 2–2 away draw against Villarreal,[10] and scored his first goal on 18 December in a 2–0 home win over CD Olímpic de Xàtiva for the season's Copa del Rey (also the aggregate score).[11]

Illarramendi netted his first league goal for the Merengues on 22 February 2014, after his long-range effort against Elche was deflected and the hosts won it 3–0.[12] His second came on 5 April, as he scored the first in an eventual 4–0 success at former team Real Sociedad in the 44th minute;[13] he was a regular in the domestic cup campaign, coming on as a late substitute for Ángel Di María in the 2–1 final defeat of FC Barcelona,[14] adding 11 appearances – five starts – in the team's Champions League run but remaining on the bench as they clinched the trophy against Atlético Madrid in the final at the Estádio da Luz.

Illarramendi began his second year with a brief substitute appearance in the 2014 UEFA Super Cup triumph against compatriots Sevilla FC at the Cardiff City Stadium,[15] and was also part of Real Madrid's squad which won the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, playing the entirety of the 4–0 semi-final over against Cruz Azul.[16]

Return to Real Sociedad
Illarramendi in February 2018

On 26 August 2015, Illarramendi returned to Real Sociedad, signing a six-year deal[17][18]– the transfer fee was not officially disclosed by the clubs, but was stated in the media as being between €15–17 million, around half of the figure paid in the opposite direction two years previously.[19] He made his league debut in his second spell three days later, starting and being booked in a 0–0 home draw against Sporting de Gijón.[20] He recorded his first goal for the team in his second spell on 25 October, in a 4–0 win at Levante UD.[21]

In the 2016–17 campaign, Illarramendi had the second-highest number of interceptions across Europe's five major leagues behind only Chelsea's N'Golo Kante.[22] However, he was also noted for his poor disciplinary record, having racked up ten yellow cards by March 2017 including one in each of his four previous games.[23]

Illarramendi scored a career-best seven goals in 2017–18, including braces in home and away victories over Deportivo de La Coruña; he had already exceeded his professional output for his whole career by February with his fifth goal.[24]

On 30 August 2019, Illarramendi suffered a broken fibula in a Basque derby match against Athletic Bilbao;[25] it was presumed the injury would keep him out for a few months, but it was found he required surgery to his shin and ankle ligaments, and he did not feature again prior to the season being halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. The delay seemed to have given him time to return before its conclusion, but in June 2020 he suffered a further muscle injury on the training ground, and made no further appearances in the campaign.[26]

International career

Illarramendi helped Spain reach the final of the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, featuring in all games but one. He missed one of the penalties in the final shootout, which allowed Nigeria to lift the trophy.[27]

Illarramendi played 16 times for the under-21s, in two years. He represented them at the 2013 UEFA European Championship in Israel, being first-choice as the nation won the competition and being selected in the team of the tournament.[28]

Manager Julen Lopetegui first called up Illarramendi for the senior side in March 2017, ahead of a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel and a friendly with France.[29] Additionally, he played for the Basque XI from 2013 onwards, scoring to open a 3–1 win over FIFA member Tunisia at the San Mamés Stadium on 30 December 2016.[30]

Illarramendi made his debut for Spain on 7 June 2017, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 friendly draw to Colombia in Murcia.[31][32] He scored his first goal on 9 October of that year, netting the game's only in Israel for the World Cup qualifying campaign.[33]

Career statistics

Club
As of 26 July 2020[34][35]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other1 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Sociedad B 2007–08 70—70
2008–09 312—310
2009–10 272—272
2010–11 283—283
Total 937—937
Real Sociedad 2009–10 1000—10
2010–11 3000—30
2011–12 18000—180
2012–13 32020—340
Totals 54020—560
Real Madrid 2013–14 29291110—493
2014–15 300207020410
Total 59211118020903
Real Sociedad 2015–16 33120—351
2016–17 34150—391
2017–18 3670080—447
2018–19 23130—261
2019–20 3000—30
Total 1291010080—14710
Career total 335192312602038620

1 Includes Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

International goals
As of 9 October 2017 (Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Illarramendi goal)[33]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.9 October 2017Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel Israel1–01–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Real Madrid[36]

International

Spain U21

Individual

References
  1. "Zubieta garantiza un futuro prometedor" [Zubieta guarantees a promising future]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 16 June 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. "Jorge Molina marca los cuatro goles y acaba 'pichichi' de la división de plata" [Jorge Molina scores all four goals to end silver division 'pichichi']. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 20 June 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  3. "Ojo a Illarra y a Albistegi" [Keep your eye on Illarra and Albistegi]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 20 June 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  4. "Rossi shines in Yellow Submarine victory". ESPN Soccernet. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  5. "Espanyol rally to beat Real". ESPN Soccernet. 2 March 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  6. "La Real Sociedad tampoco falla ante el Sevilla F.C." [Real Sociedad do not fail against Sevilla F.C. as well] (in Spanish). Viva Fútbol. 19 May 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  7. "Messi, mejor delantero y mejor jugador; Cristiano, jugador más valioso" [Messi, best forward and best player; Cristiano, most valuable player] (in Spanish). La Liga. 2 December 2013. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  8. "Real Madrid reveal €32.19 million Illarra fee". Goal. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  9. "Producto nacional a precio 'galáctico'" [National product at 'galactic' prices]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 13 July 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  10. "Bale's debut goal not enough". ESPN FC. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  11. "El Madrid cumple con su tarea" [Madrid do their job]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  12. "Pleno sin Cristiano" [Three for three without Cristiano]. Marca (in Spanish). 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  13. "El Madrid sigue al rebote" [Madrid still on the rebound]. Marca (in Spanish). 5 April 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  14. White, Jim (17 April 2014). "Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 1, Copa del Rey final: match report as Gareth Bale scores wonder winner". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  15. Phillips, Rob (12 August 2014). "Super Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice in Real Madrid win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  16. "Cruz Azul 0–4 Real Madrid". BBC Sport. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  17. "La Real ficha a Illarra" [Real sign Illarra] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  18. "Official announcement: Illarramendi". Real Madrid. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  19. "Illarra arrives in San Sebastián to complete La Real move". Diario AS. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  20. "Ni con Illarramendi" [Not even with Illarramendi] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  21. "Levante 0–4 Real Sociedad: David Moyes' morale boost". Sport. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  22. "How Chelsea's N'Golo Kante compares to Europe's best midfielders". Sky Sports. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  23. "La fiebre amarilla de Asier Illarramendi" [Asier Illarramendi's yellow fever]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 13 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  24. Badallo, Óscar (5 February 2018). "El Illarramendi con más gol" [Illarramendi with more goals]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  25. "LaLiga: Illarramendi to have surgery on broken fibula and faces two months out". Marca. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  26. "Illarramendi's season expected to be over after Real Sociedad training injury". MSN. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  27. "Spain-Nigeria 0:0 a.e.t. 0:3 PSO". FIFA. 9 September 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  28. "Thiago leads all-star squad dominated by Spain". UEFA. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  29. "Iker Casillas out of Spain squad, Deulofeu and Illarramendi in". Diario AS. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  30. "La Euskal Selekzioa derrota a Túnez y se toma la revancha de 2011" [The Basque team defeat Tunisia and avenge 2011] (in Spanish). EITB. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  31. "Illarramendi por fin debuta con España" [Illarramendi finally makes Spain debut]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  32. "Morata no pierde el tiempo" [Morata does not waste time]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  33. "Un golazo de Illarra premia a España" [Illarra wonder goal rewards Spain]. Marca (in Spanish). 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  34. "Illarramendi". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  35. Asier Illarramendi at ESPN FC
  36. "Illarra – Asier Illarramendi Andonegi". Real Madrid. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
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