Alexander "Alex" Albistegi Revilla (born 1 July 1987) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. He is the current assistant manager of Athletic Bilbao.

He all but spent his 17-year senior career in the Segunda División B, in service of nine clubs. His Segunda División input consisted of 14 matches, one with Real Sociedad and 13 with Reus.

Club career Real Sociedad Born in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Albistegi finished his youth career with local SD Eibar, making his senior debut with their reserves in the 2004–05 season, in the Tercera División. After appearing with the first team in the Segunda División B he joined Real Sociedad in 2007, being initially assigned to the B side also of the third division.Alex Albistegi y Jon Errasti, dos ex-azulgranas (Alex Albistegi and Jon Errasti, two former azulgrana); El Diario Vasco, 7 March 2010 (in Spanish)

On 19 June 2010, Albistegi made his professional debut with the Txuri-urdin, playing the last 24 minutes of a 4–1 Segunda División away loss against Elche CF.Pasillo, exhibición y póker de 'pichichi' Molina al campeón (Guard of honour, exhibition and four from 'Pichichi' Molina against champions); Marca, 19 June 2010 (in Spanish) He returned to the third tier only two months later, signing on loan with former club Eibar.El Eibar solicita una reunión con la Real Sociedad para hablar de cedidos (Eibar request meeting with Real Sociedad to talk about loanees); El Diario Vasco, 28 July 2011 (in Spanish)

Later career Albistegi terminated his contract with Real Sociedad in August 2011,Alex Albistegi rescinde su contrato con la Real Sociedad (Alex Albistegi terminates his contract with Real Sociedad); Marca, 12 August 2011 (in Spanish) joining UD Logroñés the same month.Albistegi ya juega con el Logroñés (Albistegi already playing with Logroñés); El Diario Vasco, 13 August 2011 (in Spanish) He continued to compete in division three the following years, representing Real Unión,El Real Unión ha fichado al centrocampista Alex Albistegi (Real Unión have signed midfielder Alex Albistegi); El Diario Vasco, 4 July 2012 (in Spanish) CD ToledoIdiakez se lleva a Alex Albistegi al Toledo (Idiakez takes Alex Albistegi to Toledo); Noticias de Gipuzkoa, 11 July 2013 (in Spanish) and Lleida Esportiu.Canvi sense revolució (Change without revolution); L'Esportiu, 16 July 2014 (in Catalan)

On 14 July 2016, Albistegi signed for CF Reus Deportiu, newly-promoted to the second division.Álex Albístegui, nuevo fichaje del Reus Deportiu (Álex Albístegui, new signing of Reus Deportiu); Be Soccer, 14 July 2016 (in Spanish) The following 28 June, he agreed to a two-year contract with CD Mirandés one level below.Alex Albistegi, rojillo para las dos próximas temporadas (Alex Albistegi, red for the following two seasons); CD Mirandés, 28 June 2017 (in Spanish)

Albistegi remained in the third and fourth tiers until his retirement at the age of 34, with spells at Lleida, Burgos CF, Unionistas de Salamanca CF,Unionistas logra la cesión del centrocampista Albístegui desde el Burgos (Unionistas get loan of midfielder Albístegui from Burgos); El Norte de Castilla, 29 January 2020 (in Spanish) Burgos CF Promesas and Sestao River Club.Alex Albistegi reemplaza a Basaras en la medular del Sestao River (Alex Albistegi replaces Basaras in Sestao River's midfield section); El Correo, 27 January 2021 (in Spanish) In October 2022, he was named manager at the fourth of those clubs.Álex Albístegui dirigirá al Promesas hasta el final del curso (Álex Albístegui will manage Promesas until the end of the campaign); Diario de Burgos, 31 October 2022 (in Spanish)

Personal life Three of Albistegi's family members were also professional footballers: his grandfather Alberto featured in the top flight for Real Sociedad and CA Osasuna, his father Germán had links to Eibar and his paternal uncle, also named Alberto, played for Sociedad and Deportivo Alavés among others.Fallece el exjugador del Eibar Alberto Albistegui (Ex-Eibar player Alberto Albistegui dies); Marca, 16 November 2015 (in Spanish)Una histórica goleada al Calahorra de 12–2 en Ipurua (Historic 12–2 rout of Calahorra in Ipurua); El Diario Vasco, 24 January 2021 (in Spanish)

Honours Eibar Segunda División B: 2006–07

Real Sociedad B Tercera División: 2009–10

Real Sociedad Segunda División: 2009–10

References

External links