Fernando Amorebieta

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Amorebieta and the second or maternal family name is Mardaras.
Fernando Amorebieta
Fernando Amorebieta.png
Amorebieta in action for Fulham in 2014.
Personal information
Full name Fernando Gabriel Amorebieta Mardaras[1]
Date of birth (1985-03-29) 29 March 1985 (age 36)[2]
Place of birth Cantaura, Venezuela[2]
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1995–1996 Colegio San Miguel
1996–2003 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Basconia 26 (1)
2004–2005 Bilbao Athletic 35 (1)
2005–2013 Athletic Bilbao 195 (3)
2013–2016 Fulham 44 (2)
2015 → Middlesbrough (loan) 4 (0)
2015–2016 → Middlesbrough (loan) 13 (0)
2016–2017 Sporting Gijón 27 (0)
2017–2018 Independiente 11 (0)
2019–2020 Cerro Porteño 11 (0)
National team
2004 Spain U19 4 (0)
2007–2011 Basque Country 4 (0)
2011–2015 Venezuela 15 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:26, 14 April 2020 (UTC)

Fernando Gabriel Amorebieta Mardaras (born 29 March 1985) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender.

He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 253 competitive matches over eight La Liga seasons and scoring four goals.[3][4] He also competed professionally in England (with Fulham and Middlesbrough), Argentina and Paraguay.

Internationally, Amorebieta played for Spain (where he spent most of his early life) at youth level, but later decided to represent his country of birth Venezuela as a senior, appearing for the nation at the 2015 Copa América.

Club career[]

Athletic Bilbao[]

Born in Cantaura, Anzoátegui, Venezuela, Amorebieta joined Athletic Bilbao in 1996, aged 11; he met the club's eligibility standards having been raised in the Basque town of Iurreta and through his parents, both of whom hailed from the region.[5] After progressing through the ranks – alongside Fernando Llorente[6]– including CD Basconia (the farm team) and Bilbao Athletic (the reserves), he made his first-team debut in 2005–06, becoming first choice in the subsequent La Liga seasons.

Amorebieta played a total of 47 official matches in 2009–10, helping Athletic reach the round of 32 in the UEFA Europa League as well as an eighth-place finish in the league; he collected 18 yellow cards in the process, being sent off twice.[7]

Amorebieta began the 2012–13 campaign nursing a pubalgia ailment,[8] and was later involved in a dispute over the extension of his contract.[9][10]

Fulham[]

On 15 April 2013, Amorebieta signed a four-year deal with Fulham on a free transfer effective as of 1 July.[11] The Premier League club officially announced him on 22 May,[12] and he made his debut on 14 September, coming on as a substitute for Kieran Richardson in a 1–1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at Craven Cottage.[13]

Amorebieta was sent off on 22 March 2014 for conceding a penalty with a foul on David Silva in an eventual 5–0 defeat at Manchester City.[14] He scored his first goal in English football on 26 April, netting his team's second in an eventual 2–2 home draw with Hull City.[15] He made 26 competitive appearances in his debut season, which ended with relegation.[16]

On 6 March 2015, after returning from three months out injured,[16] Amorebieta was sent off in Fulham's 1–5 home loss by AFC Bournemouth for bringing down Callum Wilson.[17] On the 25th, he was loaned to fellow Championship side Middlesbrough until the end of the campaign, with left-back James Husband moving in the opposite direction.[16] He scored his first goal for the side on 8 May, replacing Lee Tomlin after 73 minutes and netting a last-minute winner for a 2–1 away win over Brentford in the play-off semi-finals;[18] he was unused in the final at Wembley Stadium, a 0–2 defeat to Norwich City.[19]

On 28 August 2015, Amorebieta returned to the Riverside Stadium for the entirety of the season, with Husband again being lent to Fulham for a month as part of the deal.[20] On 1 February of the following year, however, he was recalled.[21]

Sporting Gijón[]

Amorebieta returned to Spain and its top division on 22 July 2016, after agreeing to a three-year contract at Sporting de Gijón.[22] He made his debut on 21 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 home victory against former club Athletic.[23]

Later years[]

On 10 July 2017, following Sporting's relegation, Amorebieta moved to Argentina and joined Club Atlético Independiente.[24] In January 2019, the free agent agreed to a two-year deal at Cerro Porteño of the Paraguayan Primera División.[25]

International career[]

Spain[]

Amorebieta was part of the Spanish under-19 squad that won the UEFA European Championship in 2004.[26] In August 2008, he was called up by new senior team manager Vicente del Bosque for a friendly against Denmark,[27] but did not leave the bench.

Venezuela[]

As early as 2006, Amorebieta expressed his interest in playing for the Venezuela national team.[28] However, according to FIFA rules at the time, he should have switched his affiliation prior to the age of 21, having previously played for Spain's youth sides;[29] FIFA removed the rule in 2009,[30] and talks between the player and the Venezuelan Football Federation resumed.

Finally, on 2 September 2011, Amorebieta made his senior debut in a friendly with Argentina, a 1–0 loss in Kolkata.[31] On 11 October, against the same opponent but for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, he scored in a 1–0 home win, which signified Venezuela's first-ever win against the Albiceleste in the tournament.[32]

Amorebieta was included in the squad for the 2015 Copa América, where he was sent off in the team's 1–0 defeat to Peru in the group stage for a stamp on Paolo Guerrero.[33] He retired from international football that November.[34]

Basque Country[]

Amorebieta also appeared in four matches for the Basque Country national team (a non-FIFA affiliate), debuting against Venezuela in San Cristóbal, Táchira on 20 June 2007. The friendly match, a 4–3 Basque victory, was the grand opening for the 43,000 all-seated Pueblo Nuevo Stadium, after two years of construction for the 2007 Copa América.[35]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of 14 April 2020[36][37][38][39]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other[40] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Basconia 2003–04 Tercera División 26 1 – – – 26 1
Bilbao Athletic 2004–05 Segunda División B 24 1 – – – 24 1
2005–06 Segunda División B 11 0 – – – 11 0
Total 35 1 – – – 35 1
Athletic Bilbao 2005–06 La Liga 15 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 19 0
2006–07 La Liga 27 0 1 0 – – 28 0
2007–08 La Liga 34 0 6 1 – – 40 1
2008–09 La Liga 29 0 7 0 – – 36 0
2009–10 La Liga 34 0 2 0 11 0 0 0 47 0
2010–11 La Liga 17 0 0 0 – – 17 0
2011–12 La Liga 28 3 8 0 14 0 – 50 3
2012–13 La Liga 11 0 2 0 4 0 – 17 0
Total 195 3 28 1 31 0 0 0 254 4
Fulham 2013–14 Premier League 23 1 3 0 – 0 0 26 1
2014–15 Championship 7 1 1 0 – 0 0 8 1
2015–16 Championship 14 0 0 0 – 0 0 14 0
Total 44 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 48 2
Middlesbrough 2014–15 Championship 4 0 0 0 – 1 1 5 1
2015–16 Championship 13 0 3 0 – 0 0 16 0
Total 17 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 21 1
Sporting Gijón 2016–17 La Liga 27 0 0 0 – 27 0
Independiente 2017–18 Argentine Primera División 11 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 22 0
Cerro Porteño 2019 Paraguayan Primera División 8 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 15 0
2020 Paraguayan Primera División 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 0
Total 11 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 21 0
Career total 366 7 35 1 52 0 1 1 453 9

International goals[]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 October 2011 José Antonio Anzoátegui, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela  Argentina 1–0 1–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification[32]

Honours[]

Club[]

Athletic Bilbao

Independiente

International[]

Spain U19

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Barclays Premier League squad numbers 2013/14". Premier League. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Fernando Amorebieta". Eurosport. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Amorebieta cumplió su partido 200 con el Athletic" [Amorebieta played 200th match with Athletic] (in Spanish). La Vinotinto. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  4. ^ "El Fulham confirma el fichaje del defensa Fernando Amorebieta por cuatro temporadas" [Fulham confirm signing of defender Fernando Amorebieta for four seasons]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 22 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  5. ^ Fain Binda, Raúl (9 May 2012). "¿Por qué en el Athletic de Bilbao solo juegan vascos?" [Why do Athletic Bilbao play with Basques only?] (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  6. ^ Gómez Peña, J. (1 March 2012). "Amistoso entre Llorente y Amorebieta" [Friendly between Llorente and Amorebieta]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  7. ^ Martínez, Endika (12 November 2011). "Amorebieta se vuelve 'loco' con los grandes" [Amorebieta goes 'crazy' with big clubs]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  8. ^ "Fútbol.– Amorebieta (Athletic), cuatros semanas de baja tras ser operado con éxito de sus molestias de pubalgia" [Football.– Amorebieta (Athletic), four weeks out after successful pubalgia surgery] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  9. ^ Artetxe, José Luis (19 December 2012). "Amorebieta: lo tomas o lo dejas" [Amorebieta: take it or leave it]. Deia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  10. ^ Rodríguez Viñas, Sergio (30 January 2013). "Urrutia: 'Ya no hay oferta por Amorebieta'" [Urrutia: 'We no longer have an offer for Amorebieta']. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  11. ^ Tighe, Sam (15 April 2013). "Scouting Fernando Amorebieta: Fulham's reported new signing". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Amorebieta arrives". Fulham F.C. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  13. ^ Abraham, Tim (14 September 2013). "Fulham 1–1 West Brom". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  14. ^ "Premier League: Manchester City thrash Fulham 5–0 as Yaya Toure nets hat-trick". Sky Sports. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  15. ^ Oliver, Pete (26 April 2014). "Fulham 2–2 Hull City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  16. ^ a b c "Middlesbrough sign Amorebieta as Husband joins Fulham". BBC Sport. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  17. ^ "Fulham 1–5 AFC Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  18. ^ Stevens, Rob (8 May 2015). "Brentford 1–2 Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  19. ^ Shepka, Phil (25 May 2015). "Middlesbrough 0–2 Norwich". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Fernando Amorebieta: Fulham defender joins Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  21. ^ "Fernando Amorebieta leaves Boro and returns to Fulham". Middlesbrough F.C. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  22. ^ "Amorebieta es ya jugador del Sporting" [Amorebieta is already a Sporting player] (in Spanish). Sporting Gijón. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  23. ^ Cuenca, Nika (21 August 2016). "El Sporting despacha a un Athletic atolondrado" [Sporting get rid of dazed Athletic]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  24. ^ "Amorebieta ya es jugador del Independiente de Avellaneda" [Amorebieta is already an Independiente de Avellaneda player]. El Comercio (in Spanish). 10 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Amorebieta ficha por el Cerro Porteño paraguayo" [Amorebieta signs for Paraguay's Cerro Porteño] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  26. ^ a b "FOTOS CON HISTORIA: 2004, cuando la Sub-19 abrió el camino a la Absoluta" [HISTORIC PHOTOS: 2004, when the Under-19s paved the way for the A-team] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  27. ^ "Amorebieta e Iraola, sorpresas en la lista de Del Bosque" [Amorebieta and Iraola, surprises in Del Bosque's list]. Marca (in Spanish). 14 August 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  28. ^ "Fernando Amorebieta dispuesto a jugar ya con Venezuela" [Fernando Amorebieta willing to play for Venezuela immediately]. Marca (in Spanish). 19 December 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  29. ^ "Fernando Amorebieta no podrá jugar con la selección de Venezuela como quería" [Fernando Amorebieta will not be able to play with Venezuela national team as he intended]. Marca (in Spanish). 19 January 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  30. ^ "Age limit on players switching nations is removed". ESPN Soccernet. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  31. ^ "Amorebieta debuta con Venezuela" [Amorebieta makes Venezuela debut]. Marca (in Spanish). 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  32. ^ a b "Venezuela hizo historia a costa de una desorientada y cansada Argentina" [Venezuela made history at the expense of dizzy and tired Argentina]. La Capital (in Spanish). 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  33. ^ "Claudio Pizarro goal pushes Peru past 10-man Venezuela". ESPN FC. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  34. ^ "Venezuela: Salomon Rondon and squad in quit threat to board". BBC Sport. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  35. ^ "Euskadi venció a Venezuela con goles de Gabilondo, Aduriz y Etxeberria" [Basque Country beat Venezuela with goals from Gabilondo, Aduriz and Etxeberria]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 21 June 2007. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  36. ^ Fernando Amorebieta at Athletic Bilbao
  37. ^ Fernando Amorebieta at ESPN FC
  38. ^ Fernando Amorebieta at Soccerway
  39. ^ Fernando Amorebieta at Soccerbase
  40. ^ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup, English Football League play-offs, FIFA Club World Cup.
  41. ^ "Independiente é campeão em cima do Flamengo e cala o Maracanã" [Independiente top Flamengo to become champions and silence the Maracanã]. Gazeta Esportiva (in Portuguese). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2018.

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