Aritz López Garai (born 6 November 1980) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder, currently manager of the Mauritania national team.
He amassed Segunda División totals of 325 matches and 13 goals over nine seasons, in representation of six clubs. In La Liga, he played six games with Córdoba.
In 2017, López Garai started working as a manager.
Playing career López Garai was born in Barakaldo, Biscay. An unsuccessful youth graduate of Athletic Bilbao, he spent the vast majority of his professional career in the second and third divisions.
López Garai represented CD Basconia (Bilbao's farm team), Gernika Club, UB Conquense, UD Salamanca, CD Castellón, RC Celta de Vigo, Córdoba CF – two spells – and Sporting de Gijón, rarely settling with a team but being always first choice. He signed with Andalusia's Córdoba for the second time in summer 2014 following a short loan spell with the same club from Gijón, and made his La Liga debut on 25 August 2014 at the age of 33, starting in a 2–0 away loss against Real Madrid.
On 28 January 2015, López Garai terminated his contract. Less than one month later, he moved abroad for the first time in his career, joining Romania's FC Rapid București.
Coaching career For the 2015–16 campaign, López Garai represented Doxa Katokopias FC in Cyprus and CF Reus Deportiu, achieving promotion to the second division with the latter side. On 15 June 2017, they announced the 36-year-old would retire and become its head coach with immediate effect, replacing Real Zaragoza-bound Natxo González.
On 24 June 2018, López Garai was appointed manager of CD Numancia after terminating his contract with Reus. He signed a new deal with the former club the following 19 February, but reached an agreement to leave on 11 June.
On 21 June 2019, López Garai was named at the helm of CD Tenerife still in the second tier. On 17 November, he was dismissed.
López Garai took over Albacete Balompié of the same league on 14 October 2020 after nearly one year of inactivity, replacing the fired Lucas Alcaraz. He was himself relieved of his duties on 6 December, after only winning three points out of the last 27.
In February 2023, López Garai moved to Mauritania to become head coach of FC Nouadhibou. He won the Super D1 in each of his two seasons, and also led them to a first-ever qualification for the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
Remaining in Mauritania, López Garai was appointed at the under-20 national team on 22 February 2024. Exactly nine months later, he replaced Amir Abdou at the full side following failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Career statistics ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBasconia1999–00Tercera División313——3132000–01Segunda División B372——372Total685——685Gernika2001–02Segunda División B330——330Conquense2002–03Segunda División B341——3412003–04Segunda División B32130—3512004–05Segunda División B3703040440Total103260401132Salamanca2005–06Segunda División B36210404122006–07Segunda División37210—382Total7342040794Castellón 2007–08Segunda División39400—3922008–09Segunda División36010—370Total75410—764Celta 2009–10Segunda División40160—4612010–11Segunda División3601020390Total7617020851Córdoba 2011–12Segunda División39040204502012–13Segunda División41660—476Total80610020926Sporting Gijón 2013–14Segunda División14000—140Córdoba (loan)2013–14Segunda División60003090Córdoba (loan)2014–15La Liga6020—80Total1202030170Rapid București 2014–15Liga I17000—170Doxa 2015–16Cypriot First Division13000—130Reus2015–16Segunda División B15000401902016–17Segunda División37100—371Total5212000561Career total6162328019066338
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenure TeamNatFromToRecord Reus15 June 201723 June 2018Numancia24 June 201811 June 2019Tenerife21 June 201917 November 2019Albacete14 October 20206 December 2020NouadhibouFebruary 202322 November 2024Mauritania22 November 2024presentTotal—
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