Player: Mikel Rico

Full name: Mikel Rico Moreno

Date of birth: 2 April 1984

Place of birth: Iruña de Oca (Vitoria-Gasteiz), Álava, Spain

Nationality: Spanish

Position: Central midfielder / Defensive midfielder

Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)

Youth career:

• Early clubs in Álava region (local youth teams)

Senior career (selected clubs):

• 2003–2004: CD Aurrerá de Vitoria (senior debut in lower leagues)
• 2004–2007: SD Eibar B / SD Eibar (Spanish lower divisions / Segunda División during period)
• 2007–2009: SD Huesca (helped club reach higher levels; played in Segunda División)
• 2009–2011: SD Huesca / Granada CF (transfers and loan arrangements during this period)
• 2011–2017: Athletic Club (Athletic Bilbao) — signed in the summer of 2011; regular first-team midfielder in La Liga for several seasons
• 2016–2017: Loan to SD Eibar
• 2017–2020: SD Eibar (permanent return)
• 2020–2021: Burgos CF (later career in lower divisions)

Athletic Bilbao (highlights):

• Joined Athletic Club in July 2011 from Granada (eligible due to Basque-region birthplace and Basque development)
• Became an important part of Athletic’s midfield under coach Marcelo Bielsa and successors
• Known for work-rate, defensive contribution, late runs into the box and occasional long-range goals
• Made more than 150 appearances in La Liga across his spells with Athletic and Eibar

Style of play: Hard-working, combative central/defensive midfielder with good stamina and tactical discipline; capable of breaking up play and supporting attacks with late runs and long shots.

Notable traits: Leadership on the pitch, consistency, experience across Spanish football tiers, adaptability to different managers and systems.

Retirement / status: As of mid-2020s, Rico moved into the later stages of his career playing for lower-division sides after long spells in La Liga; exact current club status may have changed since the latest reports.