Igor Zubeldia Elorza

Zubeldia is a product of Real Sociedad's own academy, having joined La Cantera at the age of 11. He worked through the club's youth ranks before a spell with Real Sociedad B, where he made 52 appearances between 2015 and 2017, and stepped up to the first team in 2016. He has never worn another club's shirt, and his current deal runs to 2029.

His development away from San Sebastián came through Spain's youth sides: four caps for the under-18s in 2015, then four more for the under-21s between 2018 and 2019. He was part of the under-21 squad that beat Germany 2-1 in the final of the 2019 European Championship at that level, a tournament that marked out that generation of Spanish players. In 2025 he added a different chapter to his international story, making his debut for the Basque Country representative side.

At Real Sociedad, the numbers tell their own story of consistency: more than 265 appearances for the senior team, built up match by match rather than through a single defining transfer. There is no arrival fee attached to his name and no other badge on his record — everything he has achieved in the game has come while wearing the same shirt he first pulled on as a boy from Azkoitia.