Aitor Paredes Casamichana (born 29 April 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.
Club career Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Paredes joined Athletic Bilbao's youth setup in 2010 from Etorkizun KT, based in his hometown of Arrigorriaga.Aitor Paredes: "Proud of the entire journey", Athletic Club, 6 June 2022 He made his senior debut with the farm team during the 2018–19 season, in Tercera División.
Paredes made his debut with the reserves on 6 December 2019, starting in a 0–1 Segunda División B away loss against SD Leioa. Promoted officially to the B-side in June 2020, he subsequently became a regular starter for the team, playing in 18 matches (play-offs included) of the 2020–21 campaign, scoring once in a 3–0 home victory against Barakaldo CF on 3 January 2021.
On 26 May 2021, Paredes renewed his contract with the Lions until 2025. He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 29 August 2022, coming on as a late substitute for Iñigo Lekue in a 4–0 away routing of Cádiz CF. A short time prior to his debut he was the sixth-choice central defender in the squad, behind Iñigo Martínez, Yeray Álvarez, Daniel Vivian, Unai Núñez and Peru Nolaskoain. However, the latter pair left on loan, and injuries to the others gave Paredes some opportunities (nine starts and seven further appearances from the bench) during 2022–23.
From the start of the next season, with Martínez having joined FC Barcelona and Yeray still absent with physical issues, the relatively inexperienced Vivian and 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. Paredes scored his first goal in the top tier on 4 January 2024, in a 2–0 away victory against Sevilla FC, and renewed his contract until 2029 on 21 March.
International career Paredes featured in the under-18, under-19, and under-21 categories of the Spanish national team. On 30 June 2018, he was proclaimed champion of the Mediterranean Games with the under-18 team managed by Luis de la Fuente, where he was a starter.
On 17 March 2023, Paredes was called up to the under-21 team led by Santi Denia. On 2 June of that year, he was called up to the squad taking part in the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania; he was part of the Starting XI in five of the six matches during the tournament, including the final against England.
On 18 November 2024, Paredes debuted for the Spanish senior squad in a Nations League match against Switzerland at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, playing the full match as the former national team won 3–2.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCopa del ReyEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBasconia2018–19Tercera División292———2922019–20Tercera División200———200Total492———492Bilbao Athletic2019–20Segunda División B70———702020–21Segunda División B161——201812021–22Primera Federación 303———303Total534——20554Athletic Bilbao2022–23La Liga16010——1702023–24La Liga34160——4012024–25La Liga23320101103642025–26La Liga1513070102612026–27La Liga4100——41Total926120171201237Career total194121201714022713
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSpain202410Total10
Honours Athletic Bilbao Copa del Rey: 2023–24
Spain U21 UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2023
References
External links