Iker Álvarez

Andorran footballer (born 2001)

Iker Álvarez
Personal information
Full name	Iker Álvarez de Eulate Molné
Date of birth	(2001-07-25) 25 July 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth	Andorra la Vella, Andorra
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Villarreal B
Number	13
Youth career
	Inter Club d'Escaldes
0000–2016	FC Andorra
2016–2017	Gimnàstic Manresa
2017–2019	Roda
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	Villarreal C	29	(0)
2021–	Villarreal B	55	(0)
International career^‡
2015–2017	Andorra U17	8	(0)
2017–2019	Andorra U19	8	(0)
2018–	Andorra U21	11	(0)
2021–	Andorra	21	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 December 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 December 2023

Iker Álvarez de Eulate Molné (born 25 July 2001) is an Andorran footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish Segunda División club Villarreal B and the Andorra national team.

Club career

Álvarez represented Inter Club d'Escaldes,^[1] FC Andorra and Club Gimnàstic Manresa before joining Villarreal CF's youth categories in 2017; he was initially assigned to affiliate club CD Roda.^[2] He returned to the structure of the Yellow Submarine in 2019, being assigned to the C-team in Tercera División.

Álvarez had his first call up for Villarreal's first team ahead of their UEFA Europa League last 16 second leg at home to FC Dynamo Kyiv on 18 March 2021.^[3] He remained on the bench as second-choice Sergio Asenjo played in the 2–0 (4–0 aggregate) victory.^[4]

Álvarez first appeared with the reserves on 9 May 2021, starting in a 4–3 Segunda División B home loss against FC Barcelona B. He was definitely promoted to the B's for the 2021–22 season, sharing the starting spot with Filip Jörgensen as the side achieved promotion to Segunda División.

Álvarez made his professional debut on 29 August 2022, starting in a 3–0 away loss against Granada CF. On 21 June 2023, after establishing himself as a starter for the B-team after Jörgensen was constantly involved in first team duties, he renewed his contract until 2026.^[5]

International career

Álvarez made his international debut for Andorra on 28 March 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Poland, losing 3–0 in Warsaw.^[6]

Personal life

Iker is the son of former footballer Koldo Álvarez, who was capped for the Andorra national team and later appointed as the team's manager.^[1]

Career statistics

As of 24 May 2023 ^[7]

Club statistics
Club	Season	League			Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Villarreal B	2020–21	Segunda División B	1	0	—		—		1	0
	2021–22	Primera División RFEF	18	0	—		2^[a]	0	20	0
	2022–23	Segunda División	23	0	—		—		23	0
Career totals			42	0	0	0	2	0	44	0

^ Appearances in the 2022 Primera División RFEF play-offs

International career

As of 24 May 2023^[8]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps
Andorra	2021	5
	2022	6
	2023	1
Total		12

Honours

Villarreal

UEFA Europa League: 2020–21^[3]^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b López-Egea, Miquel (3 April 2019). "Iker Álvarez de Eulate, Porter del CD Roda i de la selecció sub-21: "L'objectiu és ser porter del Villarreal i acabar jugant a la Primera Divisió"" [Iker Álvarez de Eulate, Goalkeeper of CD Roda and the under-21 team: "The goal is to be Villarreal's goalkeeper and end up playing in the First Division"]. El Periòdic d'Andorra (in Catalan). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
^ "Iker Álvarez, portero de calidad y altura" [Iker Álvarez, goalkeeper of quality and height] (in Spanish). Levante-EMV. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Iker Álvarez, convocat amb el primer equip del Vila-real" [Iván Álvarez, selected for Villarreal's first team]. El Periòdic d'Andorra (in Catalan). 19 March 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
^ Gonzalo, Juanjo (18 March 2021). "El Villarreal disfruta al son de Gerard Moreno" [Villarreal enjoy themselves to the sound of Gerard Moreno]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 December 2021.
^ "Iker Álvarez 2026" (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ "Un Lewandowski en racha firma un doblete en la victoria de Polonia sobre Andorra" [A Lewandowski on a hot streak scores a brace in Poland's victory over Andorra]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 March 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
^ Iker Álvarez at Soccerway
^ "Iker Álvarez". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^ "Iker Álvarez llueix la bandera andorrana en la celebració grogueta" [Iker Álvarez flies the Andorran flag in the yellow celebration]. El Periòdic d'Andorra (in Catalan). 28 May 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.