:Jorge Azkoitia

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jorge Azkoitia

| image =

| fullname = Jorge Azkoitia Gabiola

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|4|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bilbao, Spain

| height = {{height|meters=1.82}}

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1993–1996

| years2 = 1996–2001

| years3 = 2001–2004

| years4 = 2004–2005

| years5 = 2005–2006

| years6 = 2006–2009

| clubs1 = Sestao

| clubs2 = Alavés

| clubs3 = Rayo Vallecano

| clubs4 = Elche

| clubs5 = Eibar

| clubs6 = Alicante

| caps1 = 50

| caps2 = 111

| caps3 = 67

| caps4 = 35

| caps5 = 35

| caps6 = 98

| totalcaps = 396

| goals1 = 2

| goals2 = 10

| goals3 = 6

| goals4 = 2

| goals5 = 11

| goals6 = 15

| totalgoals = 46

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Jorge Azkoitia Gabiola (born 27 April 1974) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Azkoitia started playing professionally with local Sestao Sport Club in the Segunda División B, but eventually helped to the club's promotion to Segunda División. However, the team were relegated in 1996, and he signed with Basque neighbours Deportivo Alavés.

At Alavés, Azkoitia proved essential in the 1997–98 season, appearing in 39 games and scoring three goals in an eventual La Liga return after a four-decade absence.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2018/05/08/primera/1525780309_402152.html|title=Los héroes del ascenso en el curso 97–98 serán homenajeados|trans-title=97–98 campaign promotion heroes to be honoured|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Javier|last=Lekuona|language=Spanish|date=8 May 2018|accessdate=6 September 2023}} He was relatively used the following years, but had few opportunities in the 2000–01 campaign as the side achieved an historical runner-up position in the UEFA Cup;{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0219-0e8c058bc741-cf3e180c8807-1000--liverpool-win-nine-goal-epic-with-golden-goal/|title=Liverpool win nine-goal epic with golden goal|publisher=UEFA|date=1 September 2014|accessdate=28 June 2016}} on 6 May 2000, his 87th-minute header marked their first-ever win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (1–0).{{cite news|url=https://www.noticiasdealava.eus/alaves/2022/02/16/ultimo-heroe-bernabeu-1034137.html|title=El último héroe del Bernabéu|trans-title=The Bernabéu's last hero|newspaper=Noticias de Álava|first=Iñaki|last=Iñigo|language=Spanish|date=16 February 2022|accessdate=6 September 2023}}

Azkoitia joined Rayo Vallecano in summer 2001,{{cite news|url=https://as.com/masdeporte/2003/07/10/polideportivo/1057810615_850215.html|title=Azkoitia: "El Athletic es el club de mi vida"|trans-title=Azkoitia: "Athletic is the club of my life"|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Jon|last=Mugica|language=Spanish|date=10 July 2003|accessdate=6 September 2023}} being scarcely played in his first season. He was an important first-team element in the next two, but the Madrilenians dropped two consecutive divisions{{cite news|url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/rayo/2017/02/13/58a18ccf46163f1f178b45df.html|title=El mal precedente de 2004|trans-title=2004's bad precedent|newspaper=Marca|first=Carlos|last=Álvarez Villacé|language=Spanish|date=13 February 2017|accessdate=6 September 2023}} and he was sent off four times.

Subsequently, Azkoitia served second-division spells at Elche CF and SD Eibar. In 2005–06 he netted a career-best 11 goals, but suffered relegation with the latter.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2008/09/24/mas_futbol/1222237617_850215.html|title="Debemos salir a buscar el gol desde el principio"|trans-title="We must look for a goal from the get-go"|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Aitor|last=Varó|language=Spanish|date=24 September 2008|accessdate=8 November 2019}} He then moved to Alicante CF for the following season, helping to a 2008 promotion to the second tier.{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/06/16/valencia/1213648897.html|title=El Alicante celebra el ascenso más esperado|trans-title=Alicante celebrate the most-awaited promotion|newspaper=El Mundo|first=Pablo|last=Verdú|language=Spanish|date=16 June 2008|accessdate=6 September 2023}}

In the 2008–09 campaign, Azkoitia was once again instrumental for Alicante by scoring nine times in 33 league games,{{cite news|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/2009-05-03/nino-tenerife-situa-su-ventaja-en-tres-goles_942658/|title=Nino (Tenerife) sitúa su ventaja en tres goles|trans-title=Nino (Tenerife) is now ahead by three goals|newspaper=El Confidencial|language=Spanish|date=3 May 2009|accessdate=6 September 2023}} but the Valencians were immediately relegated.{{cite news|url=https://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/20090601/deportes/alaves/alicante-tercer-descenso-asegurado-20090601.html|title=El Alicante, tercer descenso asegurado|trans-title=Alicante, third relegation confirmed|newspaper=El Correo|language=Spanish|date=1 June 2009|accessdate=6 September 2023}} He retired from football at the age of 35, with professional totals of 310 matches and 39 goals.{{cite news|url=https://alaves.elcorreo.com/noticias/201605/22/heroes-westfalenstadion-20160520175009.html|title=Los héroes del Westfalenstadion|trans-title=The heroes of Westfalenstadion|newspaper=El Correo|first=Olga|last=Jiménez|language=Spanish|date=22 May 2016|accessdate=6 September 2023}}