Pablo Orbaiz

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Orbaiz and the second or maternal family name is Lesaka.

Pablo Orbaiz

Orbaiz as an Athletic Bilbao player (2008)
Personal information
Full name	Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka
Date of birth	(1979-02-06) 6 February 1979
Place of birth	Pamplona, Spain
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1985–1996	Osasuna
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1998	Osasuna B	27	(2)
1996–2000	Osasuna	69	(2)
2000–2012	Athletic Bilbao	263	(10)
2011–2012	→ Olympiacos (loan)	24	(1)
2012–2013	Rubin Kazan	23	(0)
2013–2015	Valle de Egüés	?	(3)
Total		406+	(18)
International career
1997	Spain U17	5	(0)
1996–1998	Spain U18	15	(0)
1998–1999	Spain U20	12	(0)
1999–2001	Spain U21	14	(0)
2002–2005	Spain	4	(0)
2005	Navarre	1	(0)
2005–2007	Basque Country	3	(0)
Medal record Representing Spain Men's football FIFA World Youth Championship Winner 1999 Nigeria
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka (born 6 February 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

After starting out at Osasuna, he went on to play 11 years in La Liga with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 318 competitive matches and scoring 13 goals.

Club career

Osasuna and Athletic

Born in Pamplona, Orbaiz began his career at his hometown club CA Osasuna, exclusively playing in the Segunda División with the team. He contributed 29 appearances and one goal in his final season, 1999–2000, as the Navarrese returned to La Liga after a six-year absence.

In summer 2000, Orbaiz signed for neighbours Athletic Bilbao, where he was a very important midfield element from the start; in the 2004–05 campaign he played 35 league matches and scored three goals, adding eight appearances in the UEFA Cup. However, he also suffered serious knee injuries in 2002–03 and 2006–07.

In the 2009–10 season, Orbaiz continued to be first-choice when healthy. However, during one month (February–March 2010), he was sent off twice for dangerous challenges – both of which resulted in two-match bans – at Villarreal CF (2–1 loss) and at home against Getafe CF (2–2, he also scored the opener in the latter game).

For the following campaign, Orbaiz was promoted to team captain after the departures of Joseba Etxeberria and Francisco Yeste.

Later career

In late August 2011, after another season of regular use by manager Joaquín Caparrós – 26 games, 1,675 minutes – as Athletic once again qualified for the Europa League, the 32-year-old Orbaiz was loaned to Olympiacos F.C. in Greece, joining a host of compatriots at the Piraeus side including manager Ernesto Valverde. He won the domestic double and was able to realise his ambition of playing in the UEFA Champions League, making four group-stage appearances.

Orbaiz was subsequently released by Bilbao, signing a one-year contract with FC Rubin Kazan and reuniting with countryman and former Olympiacos teammate Iván Marcano. He retired in June 2015 at age 36, following a spell with amateurs CD Valle de Egüés.

International career

Orbaiz made his debut with Spain on 21 August 2002 in a testimonial match for Ferenc Puskás against Hungary, representing the nation on a further three occasions. Previously, he helped the under-20s to win the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

• Copa del Rey runner-up: 2008–09

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2011–12
• Greek Cup: 2011–12

Spain U20

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 1999

External links

• Pablo Orbaiz at BDFutbol
• Pablo Orbaiz at Athletic Club
• Pablo Orbaiz at National-Football-Teams.com
• Pablo Orbaiz – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Pablo Orbaiz at Soccerway