Aitor Paredes
{{Short description|Spanish footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{family name hatnote|Paredes|Casamichana|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Aitor Paredes
| image = AitorParedes2022.jpg
| caption = Paredes in 2022
| fullname = Aitor Paredes Casamichana
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|4|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bilbao, Spain
| height = 1.86 m
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub = Athletic Bilbao
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Etorkisun
| youthyears2 = 2010–2018 | youthclubs2 = Athletic Bilbao
| years1 = 2018–2020 | clubs1 = Basconia | caps1 = 49 | goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2019–2022 | clubs2 = Bilbao Athletic | caps2 = 53 | goals2 = 4
| years3 = 2021– | clubs3 = Athletic Bilbao | caps3 = 73 | goals3 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2018 | nationalteam1 = Spain U18 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2018–2019 | nationalteam2 = Spain U19 | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2023 | nationalteam3 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps3 = 7 | nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2024– | nationalteam4 = Spain | nationalcaps4 = 1 | nationalgoals4 = 0
| club-update = 26 May 2025
| nationalteam-update = 18 November 2024
|medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}
{{Medal|Country|{{fb|ESP}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|UEFA European Under-21 Championship}}
{{Medal|RU|2023 Georgia–Romania| Team}}
}}
Aitor Paredes Casamichana (born 29 April 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga 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 Etorkisun Alea GE. He made his senior debut with the farm team during the 2018–19 season, in Tercera División.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}
Paredes made his debut with the reserves on 6 December 2019, starting in a 0–1 Segunda División B away loss against SD Leioa.{{cite news|url=https://www.elcorreo.com/deportes/futbol/liga-segunda-b/bilbao-athletic/aitor-paredes-pasajero-20191208143139-nt.html|title=Aitor Paredes, el pasajero 24 del filial|trans-title=Aitor Paredes, the 24th passenger of the reserves|newspaper=El Correo|publisher=Bilbao Editorial|language=es|date=8 December 2019|access-date=29 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://insideathletic.com/2019/12/06/aitor-paredes-makes-bilbao-athletic-debut-in-loss-to-leioa/|title=Aitor Paredes makes Bilbao Athletic debut in loss to Leioa|website=Inside Athletic|date=6 December 2019|access-date=29 July 2021}} Definitely promoted 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.deia.eus/deportes/futbol/2021/01/04/bilbao-athletic-sube-liderato-costa/1089653.html|title=El Bilbao Athletic se sube al liderato a costa del colista|trans-title=Bilbao Athletic reach the leadership at the expense of the last-placed team|newspaper=Deia|language=es|date=4 January 2021|access-date=29 July 2021}}
On 26 May 2021, Paredes renewed his contract with the Lions until 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/athletic-bilbao/20210526/493942947690/athletic-bilbao-athletic-joseba-etxeberria-paredes-diarra-jon-cabo.html|title=El Athletic oficializa la renovación de otros tres cachorros|trans-title=Athletic turn official the renewal of another three puppies|website=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=26 May 2021|accessdate=29 August 2022}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/primera-division/cronica/2022/08/29/630d1c82268e3ee61b8b45df.html|title=El Cádiz es un regalo para el Athletic|trans-title=Cádiz is a gift to Athletic|newspaper=Marca|publisher=Unidad Editorial|language=es|date=29 August 2022|accessdate=29 August 2022}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/athletic-bilbao/20231230/1002161286/defensa-reconstruida-athletic.html|title=Una defensa reconstruida en el Athletic|trans-title=A rebuilt defence at Athletic|website=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=30 December 2023|access-date=28 January 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://as.com/futbol/primera/el-chelsea-atento-a-la-evolucion-de-paredes-n/|title=El Chelsea, atento a la evolución de Paredes|trans-title=Chelsea, attentive to the evolution of Paredes|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=7 January 2024|access-date=28 January 2024}} and won the Copa del Rey to end the club's 40-year unsuccessful sequence in the competition.{{Cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/copa_del_rey/final-de-copa-del-rey-en-directo-ultima-hora-de-mallorca-y-athletic-n/|title=Athletic 1-1 (4-2) Mallorca, en directo: final de Copa del Rey 2024 | Celebración del Athletic, campeón de Copa|first=Mario Reinoso del|last=Real|date=7 April 2024|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es}} Paredes scored his first goal in the top tier on 4 January 2024, in a 2–0 away victory against Sevilla FC,{{Cite news|date=4 January 2021|title=El Athletic merienda roscón y se lleva el regalo del Sánchez-Pizjuán |url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/primera-division/cronica/2024/01/04/65971020268e3e186b8b45c1.html|newspaper=Marca|access-date=7 August 2024|language=es}}{{Cite web |date=4 January 2024|title=Aitor Paredes se estrena en Primera |url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/athletic-bilbao/20240104/1002163767/tema-partido-2.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Mundo Deportivo |language=es}} and renewed his contract until 2029 on 21 March.{{Cite web |last=Ensunza |first=Julen |date=21 March 2024|title=El Athletic blinda el eje de su defensa con la renovación de Paredes hasta 2029 |url=https://www.elcorreo.com/athletic/paredes-renueva-athletic-2029-20240321100200-nt.html |access-date=7 August 2024|newspaper=El Correo |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=21 March 2024|title=El Athletic renueva a Paredes y se asegura la línea de centrales |url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/athletic/2024/03/21/65fc0ec2268e3eb5708b4586.html |access-date=7 August 2024|newspaper=Marca|language=es}}
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.{{Cite web|date=30 June 2018|title=Juegos Mediterráneos Tarragona 2018: Un triplete de Abel Ruiz baña a España en oro |url=https://www.marca.com/juegos-mediterraneos/2018/06/30/5b377f08268e3e29188b4613.html |trans-title=A hat-trick from Abel Ruiz bathes Spain in gold|access-date=14 May 2024|newspaper=Marca|language=es}}
On 17 March 2023, Paredes was called up to the under-21 team led by Santi Denia.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2023|title=Guillamón y Yeremy Pino 'descienden' a la sub 21 |url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/seleccion/2023/03/17/64144959268e3e05268b4596.html |access-date=14 May 2024|trans-title=Guillamón and Yeremy Pino 'relegated' to the under-21s|newspaper=Marca|language=es}} 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;{{Cite web |date=2 June 2023|title=Agirrezabala, Paredes y Sancet tendrán menos vacaciones |url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/athletic-bilbao/20230602/1002016763/agirrezabala-paredes-sancet-tendran-vacaciones.html |access-date=14 May 2024|trans-title= Agirrezabala, Paredes and Sancet will have fewer holidays|website=Mundo Deportivo |language=es}} he was part of the Starting XI in five of the six matches during the tournament, including the final against England.{{Cite web |last=Canencia|first=Óscar Lopez|date=8 July 2023|title=Inglaterra contiene a España y se proclama campeona del Europeo sub-21 |url=https://www.rtve.es/deportes/20230708/inglaterra-espana-directo-final-europeo-sub-21-2023/2451499.shtml |trans-title=England contains Spain and is proclaimed champion of the U21 European Championship|access-date=14 May 2024|publisher=RTVE|language=es}}
On 18 November 2024, Paredes debuted for 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.{{Cite web|first=Marcos|last=Nagore|title=Paredes aprueba en su debut con España|trans-title=Paredes makes his debut with Spain|url=https://www.deia.eus/futbol/2024/11/19/paredes-aprueba-debut-espana-8948948.html|newspaper=Deia|date=19 November 2024|access-date=20 June 2025|language=es}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 25 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Copa del Rey !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Basconia
|29 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 2 | ||||
| 2019–20
|Tercera División |20 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!49 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 49 | 2 | ||||
| rowspan="4"|Bilbao Athletic
|7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21
|Segunda División B |16 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs}} | 0 | 18 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22
|30 | 3 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 3 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!53 | 4 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | 55 | 4 | |||
| rowspan="4"|Athletic Bilbao
|16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24
|La Liga |34 | 1 | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 40 | 1 | |||
| 2024–25
|La Liga |23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 1 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Supercopa de España}} | 0 | 36 | 4 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!73 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 93 | 5 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!176 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 198 | 11 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 18 November 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=32757|title=Aitor Paredes|website=EU-Football.info|access-date=18 November 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals | ||
| Spain
|2024 | 1 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Total||1||0 |
|---|
Honours
Athletic Bilbao
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2023{{Cite web|first=Ben|last=Southby|title=England 1–0 Spain: James Trafford saves last-gasp penalty as England win dramatic UEFA European Under-21 Championship|url=https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/u-21-euro/2023/england-v-spain-u21-euros-final-live_sto9690664/story.shtml|website=TNT Sports|date=9 July 2023|access-date=20 June 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Athletic Club player|aitor-paredes-casamichana}}
- {{BDFutbol player|20796}}
- {{ESPN FC player|308254/aitor-paredes}}
- {{FBref player|b906757a/Aitor-Paredes}}
- {{Soccerway player|aitor-paredes/522867}}
{{Athletic Bilbao squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paredes, Aitor}}
Category:Footballers from Bilbao
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Primera Federación players
Category:Segunda División B players
Category:Tercera División players
Category:CD Basconia footballers
Category:Athletic Bilbao B footballers
Category:Athletic Bilbao footballers
Category:Spain men's youth international footballers
Category:Spain men's under-21 international footballers