Andoni Iraola Sagarna, born 22 June 1982, is a Spanish professional football manager and former player. He was utilized primarily as a right-back and spent the vast majority of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 510 competitive matches over 12 seasons.
๐ Playing Career
Iraola was born in Usurbil, Gipuzkoa, and played as a youth for Antiguoko. A product of Athletic Bilbao’s youth system at Lezama, he made his debut with the first team in the 2003โ04 season, becoming first-choice while often taking penalties and free kicks.
During his 12 seasons, Iraola never played fewer than 30 league matches, scoring in all but one league campaign. He helped the Basque side to finish second in three Copa del Rey tournaments and the 2011โ12 UEFA Europa League.
On 16 June 2015, aged 33, Iraola moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for Major League Soccer club New York City FC. He announced his retirement on 17 November 2016.
๐ช๐ธ International Career
On 20 August 2008, Iraola was called by new Spain coach Vicente del Bosque for a friendly with Denmark. He entered the pitch in the final 15 minutes of the 3โ0 away victory, coming in as a substitute for Sergio Ramos.
On 29 March 2011, Iraola started in a 3โ1 defeat of Lithuania in Kaunas for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. He was due to make the cut for the final squad, but injury forced him out in favour of Atlรฉtico Madrid’s Juanfran.
๐ Managerial Career
Iraola began managing in 2018, winning the Cypriot Super Cup with AEK Larnaca. He then joined Segunda Divisiรณn club Mirandรฉs before departing for Rayo Vallecano where he spent three seasons and won promotion to the top tier in his first.
In 2023, he was appointed at Premier League side Bournemouth, guiding the team to the highest league finish in their history in 2025โ26 with a first-ever qualification for European football. Iraola extended his contract with the club on 13 May 2024, until 2026.
๐ฏ Tactical Philosophy
Iraola established himself as a prominent proponent of high-intensity, proactive football. His tactical identity was defined by a commitment to disruption and rapid verticality, predominantly utilizing a 4โ3โ3/4โ2โ3โ1 formation with a focus on quick ball recoveries.
Iraola’s tactical foundation was primarily forged during his tenure as a player and captain under Marcelo Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao. His teams were characterised by a “hybrid” press, often maintaining a zonal press before “jumping” into aggressive man-to-man press once a specific passing trigger was met.
Unlike traditional possession-based systems, Iraola prioritized verticality over horizontal ball retention. His teams sought to progress the ball to the final third as quickly as possible, often using direct long balls from the goalkeeper to bypass opposition pressure.
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 22 June 1982 | Primary Position | Right-back |
| Main Club | Athletic Bilbao (510 matches) | First Manager Role | AEK Larnaca (2018) |
| Premier League Club | Bournemouth (from 2023) | Highest Finish | 6th place (2025โ26) |
| Tactical Formation | 4โ3โ3/4โ2โ3โ1 | Key Influence | Marcelo Bielsa |