Luis Prieto Zalbidegoitia

Luis Prieto

200px Prieto during presentation with Valladolid
Personal information
Full name	Luis Prieto Zalbidegoitia
Date of birth	(1979-02-19) 19 February 1979
Place of birth	Bilbao, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1995–1997	Arratia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–1998	Basconia	34	(1)
1998–2002	Bilbao Athletic	34	(2)
1998–1999	→ Barakaldo (loan)	27	(1)
2000–2002	→ Eibar (loan)	63	(0)
2002–2008	Athletic Bilbao	134	(5)
2008–2010	Valladolid	48	(3)
2010–2011	Ponferradina	19	(0)
2011–2012	Alavés	23	(0)
Total		382	(12)
International career
2003	Basque Country	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Prieto and the second or maternal family name is Zalbidegoitia.

Luis Prieto Zalbidegoitia (born 19 February 1979) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a central defender.

He amassed La Liga totals of 182 games and eight goals over the course of eight seasons, representing in the competition Athletic Bilbao and Valladolid.

Football career

Prieto was born in Bilbao, Biscay. Coming through the ranks of Athletic Bilbao he spent three seasons on loan at two Basque neighbours before establishing himself in the main squad. His first-team debut came in 2002–03's opening round, a 2–4 away defeat against Real Sociedad.

In the 2005–06 campaign, as Athletic finished 12th in La Liga, Prieto scored four goals in 36 games, notably the deciders (1–0 wins) at RCD Mallorca and with CA Osasuna. After having appeared just three times during 2007–08, he left the Lions and joined fellow top flight club Real Valladolid, on 10 July 2008: a regular starter in his first year, he saw time at stopper and right back.

On 31 July 2009 Prieto was involved in a pre-season game against Ipswich Town, played in honour of the late Bobby Robson, who died aged 76 that morning, and scored an own goal in an eventual 1–3 loss to the Championship side. He appeared slightly less in the 2009–10 league campaign, mainly due to the signing in January 2010 of Portuguese Henrique Sereno. On 16 May, he opened the score as Valladolid certified its relegation after three years as they lost 0–4 at eventual champions FC Barcelona.

External links

• Athletic Bilbao profile
• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• Luis Prieto profile at BDFutbol
• Luis Prieto at Soccerway