Ander Herrera

Zaragoza

Born in Bilbao, Basque Country, Herrera began his career at Real Zaragoza and made his professional debut in the Segunda División in the 2008–09 season. He made 19 appearances that season as the Aragonese club made an immediate return to La Liga. He made his top-flight debut on 29 August 2009, in a 1–0 home win against Tenerife. During the 2009–10 campaign, Herrera was one of Zaragoza's most used players as the club managed to retain its top-flight status. He scored his first league goal on 6 December, but in a 4–1 away defeat to Mallorca. In 2010–11, Herrera continued to feature regularly for Zaragoza, under both José Aurelio Gay and his successor Javier Aguirre.

Athletic Bilbao

On 7 February 2011, Herrera agreed to join Athletic Bilbao on a five-year contract for a reported €7.5 million effective as of 1 July. Buyout clauses were set at €36 million in his first three seasons and €40 million in the remainder. Herrera made his official debut for Athletic Bilbao on 18 August 2011, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Trabzonspor in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League. He appeared in 54 official matches and scored four goals in his first season with the Basque club, who reached the finals of both the Copa del Rey and the Europa League. In his third and final season he played 33 league games as Athletic qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 16 years.

Manchester United

2014–15 season

Herrera…

Herrera was a member of the Spain under-20 squad which won gold in football at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy. Herrera was selected by Spain under-21 coach Luis Milla for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark. On 12 June, in the group stage opener against England, he scored a controversial goal in an eventual 1–1 draw. In the final against Switzerland, through another header, Herrera netted the first goal in an eventual 2–0 win in Aarhus. He played for Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He received his first senior call-up on 3 October 2016, for 2018 World Cup qualification fixtures against Italy and Albania, but did not feature in either game. He made his senior international debut against England, at Wembley, on 15 November 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–2 draw.

During his time at Manchester United, Herrera's style of play led to comparisons with Paul Scholes, and he was even praised by Scholes himself as the club's best signing of the 2014 summer transfer window. He is a combative, box-to-box midfielder, known for his assured passing and high energy on the field, as well as his movement, tactical intelligence, ability to read the game, and technique, attributes which allow him to be deployed in several midfield positions, including as number six, as a number eight, or as number ten.

Herrera's father, Pedro Herrera, was also a footballer who played as a midfielder. He also played for Real Zaragoza, as well as for Celta, and served as general manager at both clubs. Herrera has two children with his wife, Isabel Collado.