The boy who broke 94 years of records at age 16
In short: Iker Muniain didn't just join Athletic Bilbao; he rewrote their history books before he was old enough to drive. By debuting at 16, he became the youngest player in nearly a century to wear the shirt, setting off a career defined by record-breaking longevity and a refusal to be sold.
Muniain's ascent was meteoric. On July 30, 2009, at just 16 years, 7 months, and 11 days old, he became the youngest player in 94 years to play for Athletic Bilbao in an official match. Just one week later, he netted his first goal in a European fixture against BSC Young Boys, becoming the youngest ever to score in a European match at that time. By October 2009, he had also become the club's youngest player to feature in La Liga. He first appeared for the reserve team in January 2009 at age 16. His debut goal followed just 19 days later. He also broke a record for scoring in a first division match before that mark was surpassed by Fabrice Olinga.
His career was marked by significant physical hurdles and a deep-seated loyalty to his club. He suffered two serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries—one to his left knee in April 2015 and another to his right in September 2017. Despite these setbacks, he remained with the club for 19 years, eventually becoming captain in 2019. During his November 2018 contract renewal, he declined a buyout provision, explaining that he rejected being valued or sold.
Muniain finished his tenure as the second-highest appearance maker in Athletic's history with 560 games. After winning the Spanish Cup as captain in 2024—the club's first such trophy in 40 years—he moved to Argentina's San Lorenzo. There, he became only the tenth Spaniard to play for the club before announcing his return to Spain in June 2025. He reached his 500th appearance milestone earlier than any other player to do so. In Argentina, he will play as a playmaker positioned behind the striker. He scored two goals during his debut in the Primera División.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Iker Muniain
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