Aritz Solabarrieta

Aritz Solabarrieta Aranzamendi (born 22 July 1983) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a right midfielder, currently a manager.

Club
Born in Ondarroa, Basque Country and a product of Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth ranks at Lezama, Solabarrieta played only one full season for its first team, 2004–05, helping with 11 matches as the Basque finished ninth. His La Liga debut came on 13 November 2004 in a 2–1 home win against Villarreal CF, as he came on as a substitute for Andoni Iraola in injury time.

After a loan with neighbours SD Eibar of Segunda División, which ended in relegation, Solabarrieta was released by the Lions in December 2006 and resumed his career in the Segunda División B, starting with Atlético Madrid B. He retired in June 2015 at the age of nearly 32, after two years with amateurs CD Aurrerá Ondarroa in his hometown.

International
Solabarrieta won 16 caps for Spain at youth level, including two for the under-21 side. His first appearance for the latter occurred on 17 August 2004, as he featured 22 minutes in a 1–1 friendly draw in France.

Coaching career
After his playing days ended, Solabarrieta embarked on a career as a coach. In 2016, he was appointed as manager of Athletic Bilbao's Cadete A youth team. The following year, he moved to control the Juvenil A squad.

Due to a combination of a disappointing campaign for the CD Basconia farm team coached by Ander Alaña and Solabarrieta's good work with the youths, the two men swapped roles within the club's structure for 2018–19. However, he was soon promoted again when Gaizka Garitano, coach of the reserve side, was selected to take the helm of the senior team in December 2018, in turn leaving a vacancy at Athletic Bilbao B which Solabarrieta was nominated to fill.

Solabarrieta signed as coach of third-tier Racing de Santander on 21 December 2020.

Honours
Spain U17
 * UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup: 2001

Spain U19
 * UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2002