‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s road from gurney to goals with the Basque club
Thehe debut appearance the Athletic striker competed in the UK, an 18-year-old representing the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in British turf, against the English side weeks after, he netted. The third time, against the Citizens soon after, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to the city to face United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “In fact,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what they had to do: he was replaced.
“I was furious,” the Athletic striker reveals, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They kept me out of the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the facility, the Basque Country, the morning session is about to start; post-session, the short journey to the airport and another trip to the UK, now to play Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Uttering the name lights him up. This is proving a tough year for the club, partially owing to the demands of being here. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. Yet, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he says.
The player believed it difficult enough just to make the first team and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star his father and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that nurtured the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after making his senior debut in the 2018 season, he suffered a ACL injury, being released, a demotion and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and my knee gave way.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then head home, as a youngster does. At the complex, you have everything, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Teammates are set, really ready; the same applies.”
Game time is essential. He left in tears in that year, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he scored three times in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and should the time come they need someone where you play, a return could happen. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. Especially after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
