Mikel Balenziaga

Mikel Balenziaga

Personal information
Full name	Mikel Balenziaga Oruesagasti
Date of birth	29 February 1988 (1988-02-29)
Place of birth	Zumarraga, Spain
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Valladolid
Number	24
Youth career
	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2006–2008	Real Sociedad B	53	(0)
2008–	Athletic Bilbao	25	(0)
2009–2010	→ Numancia (loan)	26	(0)
2011–2012	→ Valladolid (loan)	7	(0)
National team
2007	Spain U19	5	(0)
2008	Spain U21	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Balenziaga and the second or maternal family name is Oruesagasti.

Mikel Balenziaga Oruesagasti (born 29 February 1988 in Zumarraga, Gipuzkoa) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Valladolid as a left defender.

Club career

Balenziaga started his football grooming at Real Sociedad, playing some matches with its B team in the third division. However, in 2008–09, he switched to neighbours Athletic de Bilbao.

Initially thought of as a member of Bilbao Athletic, Balenziaga quickly beat competition from veterans Koikili and Javier Casas to become the undisputed first-choice left back for the vast majority of the season, making his first-team debut on 14 September 2008 at Málaga CF, a 0–0 draw. Another club graduate, Ander Iturraspe, also made his first top flight appearance in the match.

In July 2009, Athletic bought Xabier Castillo from neighbours Real Sociedad, and Balenziaga, seeing his first-team chances for the upcoming season dim, accepted a loan move to CD Numancia, freshly relegated.

External links

• Valladolid official profile (Spanish)
• Athletic Bilbao profile
• BDFutbol profile
• Transfermarkt profile