Zubeldia: "I am a village boy, I have never thought about living in Donosti"

Igor Zubeldia (Azcoitia, 1997) has been following the same path all his life. From the small municipality of Azcoitia to the sports city of Zubieta and from the sports city of Zubieta to Azcoitia. 40 minutes by car along the AP-8 in which he gives him time to think and reflect on his career and his life, which, hands-free, he summarizes in a talk with EL MUNDO. He enjoys his eighth season as a professional, the armband that he sometimes has to wear and a Real Sociedad already installed in the elite of European football.. Now he visits a Bernabéu where Vinicius, “the most difficult player to defend”, will not be there.

Paternity in April and renewal in May. Is it the best year of your life? (Laughs) It could be. Since I started at Real Sociedad almost every year has been good or very good for me, obviously there have been good and bad moments but last year was the best season since I have been in the first team.
Has being a father changed your life? It's a new stage, a hard one and at the same time very beautiful, but at night I can at least sleep, so I have no excuses. Everyone told me that it is something that changes your life and it is, but my lifestyle has not changed much. On the weekends we have football, I'm with my friends when I can…. I'm also not a person who has thousands of plans.. I spend many hours at home, I travel with the team… I am looking after my daughter 24 hours a day, but my lifestyle has not changed.
For those who don't know him. Who is Igor Zubeldia? I am a boy from a town called Azcoitia. When I was 12 years old I started at Real and since then I have been working until I climbed to the first team and maintained myself. Right now I still live in the town, my family lives there, my friends do too, I am half an hour from the sports city and I feel very comfortable. I'm lucky. I had always been from Real and I had never imagined this. Have you not thought about leaving the town? Some people tell me 'Don't you get tired of making a half-hour trip there and then back every day?'. But I'm used to it. I have never thought about living in Donosti, neither I nor my family. I am a normal person, on Mondays or Tuesdays I go shopping at the supermarket and everyone sees me as one of the people, I am not 'the Real player'. That gives you the freedom to be calm. He doesn't even have a tattoo. I don't see myself. I like how it looks on people but I've never been one of them.. The one with dyed hair and tattoos could also be a normal guy (laughs).
What was he like when he was little? I have always been responsible, quite organized…. I did my homework…. In addition to soccer, he played Basque pelota, which is something very typical here.. At 11 years old I had to choose between football and Basque pelota and I think I made the right choice (laughs). At the time I also enjoyed it and I have friends who are in the elite of baseball, but I was 11 years old, Real calls you and makes you excited.
He is 26 years old, but he is one of the veterans in the locker room. I feel like a young veteran. Year after year the team's average is going down and I think it is a good sign, that the kids from the reserve team are contributing a lot to us.. I remember that when I started in the locker room there were people who were 30 or 31 and it made me dizzy.
Zubieta is full of 'normal' kids. Is it also a brand of the house? We give a lot of importance to normality. In the quarry, when you join Zubieta, in addition to being a good footballer, they teach you to be a person, they instill those values in you from the age of 12. I am the person I am because of Real, that is reflected in everyone. Football in the north has always been tough, but theirs is a team of quite a bit of technical quality. We have the fight, the grit and the effort, but to play the football we play is true that a little bit of quality is needed. Especially from midfield up we have a lot of talent. We have possession for a long time, we dominate…. That attracts people and has led us to where we are. At the celebration of the Cup final, it was said, among other things, “this Cup goes to Zubeldia's grandmother.” She has been gone for several years.. Before the game I made a dedication to him, we won and I knew he would be watching us. My grandmother was a support throughout my career and unfortunately she was not able to see that final. I have a thorn in that Cup because due to Covid there were no people in the stands. Returning to the locker room. Is Kubo already half Basque? (Laughs) He speaks better Spanish than us. He is one more, everyone loves him very much and he has adapted very well. Is Imanol (Alguacil) a little crazy? (Laughs) I would tell you that he has two personalities. Off the field he is charming and speaks to you with confidence, and then on the pitch he pushes a lot. Thanks to him we do what we do. He brings out the best in everyone and is a pleasure to have.
The nationalizations of Laporte and his teammate Le Normand have distanced him a bit from the national team. He was on the pre-list in March. It is good that there is competition and even more so if it is a teammate. If I tell you the truth, I have never had the goal of the national team, when I started I saw it as almost impossible. Now I am ready and it gives me a plus, and if one day the call comes it will be welcome. But now my goal is to help my team win. Is there less competition with Athletic than there was before? Today those games are also experienced in a different way. Some will say no, but a derby is always special. The rivalry is healthy, yes.
Would he go to play in Saudi Arabia? No, no… I can't tell you what he would do either because nothing real has come to me from there, but today I know what he would do. At the end of my career I might consider it, but I don't think I would. What do I think of this? Arabia, the Premier… When so much money comes into play, it depends on each person. You have to respect it.
Who has been the most difficult footballer to defend? I would say Vinicius when he faces you in the race, or Lewandowski with his back turned. But I would say Vinicius. He won't be there on Sunday, but Madrid can make two teams of a very high level. We have already won at the Bernabéu, let's see if we can repeat it.