Interviews
MAR 24.05.2016
Xabi Prieto (b. 29th August 1983, Gipuzkoa) has already written his name into Real Sociedad folklore. With 13 straight seasons in the first-team squad, the Basque midfielder is an institution in Eusebio Sacristan's squad and has made more appearances than any other of the club's current crop of players.
"I'm proud to have made so many appearances in Real Sociedad colours. I could never have imagined, when I made my debut, that I would play so many games," said Xabi Prieto whilst on the LaLiga World tour of the USA. The club captain has notched up 415 LaLiga appearances and is closing in on Alberto Gorriz (461) as Real Sociedad's all-time record holder for LaLiga appearances. He now also has a gaffer to look up to in Eusebio Sacristan. The Spaniard made 543 LaLiga appearances during his playing career and lies third in the competition's all-time charts.
Captain, leader, a man who - after learning from the greats - now passes his knowledge of the game onto the club's youngsters. Xabi Prieto's football and hard work saw him slowly but surely become a LaLiga legend. Although goalscoring has never been his strongpoint, he has still notched up more than 50 goals for La Real, half of which have come from the penalty spot, from which he is a true master. No other current top-flight player can boast Xabi Prieto's kind of penalty stats.
Xabi Prieto has put away 21 of the 22 penalties he has taken during his professional career, missing just one against Athletic Club in 2007. "I'd take scoring another 21 one from my next 22 spot-kicks. I don't have any rituals or routines when taking them. I take them one way or another depending on who is in goal." The Real Sociedad captain's statistics are only matched by Hungary's Ladislao Kubala, who scored 27 out of 28 penalties during the 1950s.
Thirty-three-year-old Xabi Prieto continues to work daily on an exemplary playing career in which his discipline and hard work are now an example to La Real's youngest players.
© LALIGA - 2016