Gaizka Mendieta
Valencia's midfield maestro who conquered Europe twice but fell short in finals.
Gaizka Mendieta Zabala (born 27 March 1974) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. A versatile player with good technique, offensive capabilities and tackling skills, he played mainly for Valencia, where he won three titles and reached the final of the Champions League in 2000 and 2001 (being voted European Midfielder of the Season in both years), and finished his career with Middlesbrough in England. Over the course of ten seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 263 games and 48 goals. Mendieta played 40 times for Spain, appearing at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Gaizka Mendieta Zabala
- Born
- 27 March 1974
- Birthplace
- Bilbao, Spain
- Height
- 1.73 m / 5 ft 8 in
- Position
- Midfielder
- Total caps
- 395
- Total goals
- 56
Lore & Background
Born in Bilbao, Basque Country, Mendieta made his professional debut at just 17 with CD Castellón in the Segunda División, featuring mostly as a full-back. After just one season he moved to La Liga after signing with Valencia CF for 30 million pesetas, but spent the vast majority of his first year with the reserves, making his first-team debut on 13 June 1993 against Cádiz CF. The 1997–98 campaign was his breakthrough season under Claudio Ranieri, moving to a central midfield role. In June 1999 he won his first trophy with the club, beating Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey; he scored a memorable goal in the final: controlling a cross on his chest, he flicked the ball over his own head and two defenders before turning to volley past the goalkeeper. He helped Valencia to the Champions League final in 2000 and 2001, losing to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively. He was later transferred to Lazio for €47.7 million, then loaned to Barcelona, and finally moved to Middlesbrough, where he won the Football League Cup in 2003–04. He retired in 2008.
Reader's Guide
Mendieta is a central midfielder known for his versatility, technique, offensive capabilities, and tackling. He was a key playmaker for Valencia, scoring 48 goals in 263 La Liga appearances. His career highlights include winning the Copa del Rey (1998–99), Supercopa de España (1999), and UEFA Intertoto Cup (1998) with Valencia, and the Football League Cup (2003–04) with Middlesbrough. He was named UEFA Best Midfielder in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. For Spain, he earned 40 caps, scoring at the 2002 World Cup against South Africa.
Valencia Dominance and European Glory
Mendieta made his professional debut at age 17 with CD Castellón before joining Valencia CF for 30 million pesetas. After spending most of his first year with the reserves, he debuted on 13 June 1993 against Cádiz CF. He played 34 of 42 games in the 1995–96 season as Valencia finished second. His breakthrough came in 1997–98 under manager Claudio Ranieri, moving to a central midfield role with 30 league matches and ten goals. In June 1999, he won his first trophy, the Copa del Rey, scoring against Levante UD, FC Barcelona (both legs), and Real Madrid; in the final, he controlled a cross on his chest, flicked it over his head and two defenders, and volleyed past the goalkeeper. Under Héctor Cúper in 1999–2000, he helped Valencia win the Supercopa de España and scored a career-best 13 domestic goals as they finished third. Valencia reached the Champions League final that season, losing 3–0 to Real Madrid; Mendieta was named European Midfielder of the Season. The following year, Valencia lost the Champions League final again, this time to FC Bayern Munich on penalties. Mendieta scored an early penalty in normal time and converted his spot-kick in the shootout, earning the UEFA Best Midfielder of the Year award for a second time.
International Career and Global Recognition
Mendieta was part of the Spain under-21 team that finished runners-up at the 1996 UEFA European Championship. He made his senior debut on 27 March 1999 as a substitute against Austria in Euro 2000 qualifiers, scoring in a 9–0 win. He was included in the squad for Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, where Spain reached the quarter-finals. Despite struggles at Lazio, he was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring one goal against South Africa in a 3–2 win as Spain reached the quarter-finals. He earned his 40th and final cap in a friendly against Bulgaria in Granada four months later. Mendieta also played and scored for the unofficial Basque Country regional team.
The Highs and Lows Abroad
In the 2001 off-season, Mendieta transferred to SS Lazio for €47.7 million (reported as 8 billion pesetas), becoming the sixth most expensive player of all time. He spent only one year in Rome, failing to match the performances of Pavel Nedvěd and Juan Sebastián Verón. He was loaned to Barcelona for the 2002–03 season, starting most fixtures but finishing sixth. He then moved to Middlesbrough in England, choosing them over offers from Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. In his first season there, he won the Football League Cup, the club's first silverware. The move was made permanent in July 2004 with no transfer fee. Injuries in his final two years, including missing the 2006 UEFA Cup final, relegated him to the bench. He fell out of favor with manager Gareth Southgate. Despite interest from Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, and Málaga CF in January 2007, no deal was made. After rumors of a move to Los Angeles Galaxy were dismissed by chief executive Keith Lamb, Mendieta played his last game on 26 December 2006 against Everton. He announced his retirement in December 2007 when his contract expired and was officially released on 13 May 2008.
Media Presence and Life After Football
Mendieta was sponsored by Nike, appearing in commercials including the 'Secret Tournament' (branded 'Scorpion KO') directed by Terry Gilliam ahead of the 2002 World Cup. He starred alongside Luís Figo, Thierry Henry, Hidetoshi Nakata, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and Francesco Totti, with Eric Cantona as referee. After retiring, he worked as a pundit on Sky Sports' coverage of Spanish football. In an interview on 3 November 2009, he expressed interest in management. He settled with his family near Middlesbrough in Yarm.
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