Aitor Córdoba

Aitor Córdoba spent almost his entire career in Spain's lower divisions before making the move to Chinese football. Born in Bilbao, the centre-back started out at SD Leioa, where he stayed for six seasons, racking up close to 190 league appearances between the Tercera División and Segunda División B and eventually taking over as captain.

In 2019 he moved to Burgos CF on a free transfer. He quickly established himself as a first-choice defender and was made club captain, going on to make 218 league appearances over more than six years. He did not make his professional debut in the Segunda División itself until 15 August 2021, some years into his spell there.

Córdoba terminated his contract with Burgos in January 2026 and joined Tianjin Teda the following month, in a move reported at a fixed fee of €300,000. By the time he left Spanish football, he had passed 400 senior appearances, built almost entirely on longevity and leadership rather than a high scoring output.

He has not been capped by Spain at any level. Football runs in the family: his younger brothers, Iñigo and Asier, are professional wingers who came through Athletic Bilbao's youth academy.