Daniel Vivian (footballer)

Daniel Vivian Moreno (born 5 July 1999) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.

Club career
Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Basque Country (to a father from Vilardevós in the province of Ourense, and a mother from Talavera de la Reina in the province of Toledo), Vivian represented CD San Viator, Deportivo Alavés, CD Lakua and CD Ariznabarra before joining Santutxu FC in 2015. He was assigned to Santutxu's Juvenil C squad, managed by Ibai Gómez. In June 2016, he moved to Athletic Bilbao, being initially a member of CD Basconia, the club's farm team in Tercera División.

Vivian made his senior debut on 27 August 2016, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Bermeo FT. He made his debut with the reserves on 15 October of the following year, starting in a 4–1 Segunda División B home routing of Peña Sport.

On 11 August 2020, Vivian renewed his contract until 2023 and was definitely promoted to the first team in La Liga. The following day, however, he was loaned to Segunda División side CD Mirandés for the 2020–21 season. Vivian made his professional debut for Mirandés on 13 September 2020, starting in a 0–0 home draw against AD Alcorcón. He scored his first goal as a professional the following 12 February, in a 3–3 home draw against Girona FC, and ended the campaign as a starter after contributing with 32 appearances.

On 16 August 2021, he made his La Liga debut with Athletic, in a goalless draw against Elche at the Estadio Martínez Valero. On 11 September, he scored his first goal for the club at San Mamés, in a 2−0 victory over RCD Mallorca, heading in a cross from Iker Muniain. In February 2022, on the back of some strong performances,he renewed his contract for four more years. On 20 February 2022, he scored the opening goal of a Basque derby fixture against Real Sociedad at San Mamés, which finished 4–0 to the Lions.

Following the departure of Iñigo Martínez and injury problems for Yeray Álvarez at the start of the 2023–24 season, the relatively inexperienced Vivian and Aitor Paredes (aged 24 and 23 respectively) formed an effective defensive partnership as the team challenged at the top end of the table, and won the Copa del Rey to end the club's 40-year unsuccessful sequence in the competition. In June 2024, he signed a new contract running til 2032.

International career
Vivian made his debut for the unofficial Basque Country national team in May 2019, in a 0–0 draw away to Panama for which a small, youthful and inexperienced squad was selected.

Vivian made his debut for the senior Spain national team on 22 March 2024 in a friendly against Colombia. On 7 June 2024, after a season in which Athletic conceded the second-fewest goals across the league campaign, he was selected in the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On 24 June, he made his first appearance in the Euros against Albania, playing the full match; he also featured as a substitute in the semi-final victory over France on 9 July as Spain won the tournament.

Honours
Athletic Bilbao
 * Copa del Rey: 2023–24

Spain
 * UEFA European Championship: 2024