Iñigo Idiakez

Spain

Idiakez was born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa. He joined local Real Sociedad's youth system in 1989, making his senior debut with the B team where he shared teams with his older brother Imanol. He first appeared with the main squad on 8 November 1992 – his 19th birthday – in a 3–0 home win against Cádiz; he did not become a regular until 1994–95 despite that early debut, spending nearly two full seasons with the reserves in the Segunda División B. Subsequently, Idiakez played a further eight La Liga campaigns with the Txuriurdin, going on to appear in more than 250 competitive games. He was a regular substitute for most of his spell and, in 1998–99 and 2000–01, scored a career-best seven league goals. On 28 April 1995, he was on the scoresheet as the hosts beat Athletic Bilbao 5–0 in a Basque derby. At the end of 2001–02, having finished his contract with Real Sociedad, Idiakez signed with Real Oviedo, who had just been relegated to Segunda División and were in a deep financial crisis. He only spent one year with the Asturias side who finished the season second-bottom, being relegated to the third tier then further demoted to Tercera División because of financial irregularities. Idiakez then moved to Madrid's Rayo Vallecano, also from the second division. Again, his new club ranked 21st and was relegated at the end of the campaign.

England

In the summer of 2004, Derby County manager George Burley signed Idiakez up on a free transfer. He immediately…

Idiakez played for Spain at under-21 level, earning his first cap on 6 June 1995 in a 4–0 victory over Armenia held in Granada for the 1996 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. He also participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, featuring three times for the quarter-finalists. Additionally, Idiakez appeared in four friendlies for the Basque Country unofficial team, scoring twice.

Idiakez returned to his hometown in 2009, beginning his managerial career with Añorga's youths. He was subsequently in charge of non-league sides SD Euskalduna and Berio also in the Basque Country. In 2011, Idiakez completed his coaching qualifications when he earned the UEFA Pro Licence. A year later, he joined his former Derby and Southampton boss Burley as assistant at Apollon Limassol in the Cypriot First Division, with the pair leaving after only two games. Idiakez returned to England in 2013, to take up the position of youth development coach at Premier League club Leicester City, working with the under-12 to under-16 age groups. He remained there for three years, before re-joining Derby County as first-team manager; he left the latter only two months later, following the suspension of manager Nigel Pearson. In September 2017, Idiakez became professional development phase lead coach at League Two's Luton Town. He returned to head-coaching duties on 1 December 2020, with Spanish third-tier Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. Idiakez then had stints in the Mexican Liga de Expansión MX with Cancún and England with Aston Villa's under-21 team. On 28 December 2023, he went back to Spain by being named manager of Primera Federación side Real Unión, being dismissed the following April. On 4 March 2025, was appointed at Lleida CF of Segunda Federación. In June, after administrative relegation and with the club on the verge of folding due to severe economic problems, he and the…

Spain U21

UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 1996 Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Football League Championship