Anaitz Arbilla

{{short description|Spanish professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Anaitz Arbilla

| image = Anaitz Arbilla 1.jpg

| caption =

| fullname = Anaitz Arbilla Zabala

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|5|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Pamplona, Spain

| height = {{convert|1.77|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Eibar

| clubnumber = 23

| youthyears1 = 2003–2005 | youthclubs1 = Athletic Bilbao

| years1 = 2005–2006 | clubs1 = Basconia | caps1 = 22 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2006–2009 | clubs2 = Bilbao Athletic | caps2 = 67 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2008–2009 | clubs3 = → Barakaldo (loan) | caps3 = 32 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2009–2010 | clubs4 = Poli Ejido | caps4 = 36 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2010–2011 | clubs5 = Salamanca | caps5 = 31 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2011–2013 | clubs6 = Hércules | caps6 = 49 | goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2013–2014 | clubs7 = Rayo Vallecano | caps7 = 41 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2014–2016 | clubs8 = Espanyol | caps8 = 35 | goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2016– | clubs9 = Eibar | caps9 = 252 | goals9 = 5

| totalcaps = | totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 2018–2020 | nationalteam1 = Basque Country | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 1

| club-update = 1 April 2025

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Anaitz Arbilla Zabala (born 15 May 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Eibar as a full-back or a central defender.[https://www.vavel.com/es/futbol/eibar/797427-sd-eibar-2016-2017-arbilla-de-lateral-alternativo-a-titular-polivalente.html Resumen Eibar 2016/17: Arbilla, de lateral alternativo a titular polivalente (2016/17 Eibar summary: Arbilla, from backup full-back to versatile starter)]; Vavel, 12 June 2017 (in Spanish)[http://www.marca.com/futbol/eibar/2017/07/05/595d2eaf22601d336e8b4662.html Mendilbar cuenta con tres jugadores en el carril derecho de la zaga (Mendilbar has three players in the back sector's right flank)]; Marca, 5 July 2017 (in Spanish)

Club career

Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Arbilla began his senior career in 2004 with CD Basconia, Athletic Bilbao's farm team. Two years later he progressed to the reserves in the Segunda División B and, after two seasons, signed with another club in the Basque Country and that level, Barakaldo CF.

Arbilla moved to Polideportivo Ejido (also in division three) for the 2009–10 campaign.[http://www.joinfutbol.com/es/el_poli_ejido_ficha_a_arvillo_22_anos_procedente_del_barakaldo_20741.php El Poli Ejido ficha a {{sic|nolink=y|Arvillo}} (22 años), procedente del Barakaldo (Poli Ejido sign Arbilla (22 years), from Barakaldo)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319035209/http://www.joinfutbol.com/es/el_poli_ejido_ficha_a_arvillo_22_anos_procedente_del_barakaldo_20741.php|date=19 March 2014}}; Join Futbol, 9 July 2009 (in Spanish) The following year he had his first experience in the Segunda División, joining UD Salamanca[http://www.marca.com/2010/07/08/futbol/equipos/salamanca/1278609949.html Arbilla será el primer fichaje del Salamanca para esta temporada (Arbilla will be Salamanca's first signing for this season)]; Marca, 8 July 2010 (in Spanish) and starting in 29 league games as the Castile and León team eventually suffered relegation.

In late August 2011, Arbilla moved to another side in the second division, Hércules CF, for a €200,000 fee.[http://www.marca.com/2011/08/24/futbol/equipos/elche/1314205610.html El Hércules ficha a Arbilla (Hércules sign Arbilla)]; Marca, 24 August 2011 (in Spanish) He reached La Liga in January 2013, after arriving as a free agent at Rayo Vallecano.[http://www.marca.com/2013/01/26/futbol/equipos/rayo/1359197101.html Llega Arbilla y se marcha Machado (Arbilla arrives and Machado leaves)]; Marca, 26 January 2013 (in Spanish)

Arbilla made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 10 February 2013, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 home win against Atlético Madrid.[http://www.goal.com/es/match/85445/rayo-vallecano-vs-atl%C3%A9tico/report Rayo 2–1 Atlético: los piratas navegan hacia Europa (Rayo 2–1 Atlético: The pirates navigate towards Europe)]; Goal, 10 February 2013 (in Spanish) He started in eight of his 11 appearances as the Madrid outskirts club eventually retained its league status.

Arbilla scored his first goal for Rayo and in the top tier on 8 February 2014, his team's second in the 4–1 victory over Málaga CF also at Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas.[http://www.marca.com/eventos/marcador/futbol/2013_14/primera/jornada_23/ray_mga/ El Rayo cambia posesión por goles (Rayo trade possession for goals)]; Marca, 8 February 2014 (in Spanish) On 30 August 2016, he signed a three-year deal with SD Eibar of the same league.[http://www.sdeibar.com/noticia/anaitz-arbilla-jugara-las-tres-proximas-temporadas-en-sd-eibar Anaitz Arbilla jugará las tres próximas temporadas en SD Eibar (Anaitz Arbilla will play the following three seasons at SD Eibar)]; SD Eibar, 30 August 2016 (in Spanish)