Markel Zubizarreta Padre And Madre: FC Barcelona women’s sporting director Markel Zubizarreta recently announced his departure from the club’s management. With this, soccer fans worldwide have become curious to know everything about Markel, including his personal life.
He is the son of former Spanish international goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta. Maybe because his father was involved in the sport, Markel’s interest in soccer developed at a young age.
He even wanted to become a professional soccer player as a child but could not become one later.
Nevertheless, his life continued revolving around the sport, and most people know him because of his association with FC Barcelona.
A sports management graduate, Zubizarreta is a Spanish former soccer player turned executive who served as the sports director of FC Barca Femeni for nearly seven years since 2017.
During his tenure, the club won 16 trophies, including 4 league titles, 2 Champions League trophies, and three Spanish Super Cups.
Even though his contract was due to end on June 30, 2024, he left the post almost eight months earlier. However, Zubarreta has not disclosed the reason behind his sudden departure yet.
Markel Zubizarreta Padre (Father) And Madre (Mother)
Markel Zubarreta is the oldest son of the former Spanish international player Andoni Zubizarreta and his wife, Ane Miren. Besides him, his parents had two younger children: Luken and Jone Zubizarreta.
Markel’s mom, Ane Mirren, is an engineer by profession and a huge soccer fan. She met her husband in the eighties, and by then, he was already a big soccer star in Spain.
After dating for a few years, the couple eventually exchanged vows in 1986. Around the same time, Andoni signed with FC Barcelona and took his wife, Ane, to live there together.
Their two older children, Markel and Luken, were born in Barcelona and grew up there. As soccer is a huge sport in that region, they both enjoyed league games, and Ane often took them to observe their dad play at the stadium.
Following in his dad’s footsteps, Markel initially trained soccer at the La Masia Academy. He played mostly as a goalkeeper and later even played for CP Sarria. However, he later left it all and continued his studies.
Moreover, his younger brother, Luken, is a doctor and currently works as a specialist in Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona.
His youngest sister, Jone, is a Business Administration graduate and currently works at the Social and Corporate Department of LG, a multinational company.
Meanwhile, Markel, who is the father of two, lives with his wife in Barcelona.
Markel Zubizarreta Padre And Madre: Little On Andoni’s Life And Career
Markel’s dad, Andoni Zubizarreta, is a Spanish former soccer player who played 126 international games for Spain, starting in 1985.
Born on October 23, 1961, in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Andoni spent his early years in Gipuzkoa, where his parents enrolled in the youth academy of Aretxabaleta to practice soccer.
Zubizaretta debuted in the La Liga for the Athletic Bilbao against Atletico Madrid on September 19, 1981. He spent another five years with Bilbao until his transfer to Barcelona in 1986, during which he won two La Liga titles.
Andoni spent eight years in Barcelona, playing over 300 matches for the club and winning four league titles and the European Cup in 1992.
Besides, he represented his senior national team in seven major international tournaments, including four World Cups and three European Championships, until his retirement in 1998.
