Aitor Paredes Casamichana (born 29 April 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.
Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Paredes joined Athletic Bilbao's youth setup in 2010 from Etorkizun KT, based in his hometown of Arrigorriaga. He made his senior debut with the farm team during the 2018âÂÂ19 season, in Tercera División.
Paredes made his debut with the reserves on 6 December 2019, starting in a 0âÂÂ1 Segunda División B away loss against SD Leioa. Promoted officially to the B-side in June 2020, he subsequently became a regular starter for the team, playing in 18 matches (play-offs included) of the 2020âÂÂ21 campaign, scoring once in a 3âÂÂ0 home victory against Barakaldo CF on 3 January 2021.
On 26 May 2021, Paredes renewed his contract with the Lions until 2025. He made his first team â and La Liga â debut on 29 August 2022, coming on as a late substitute for Iñigo Lekue in a 4âÂÂ0 away routing of Cádiz CF. A short time prior to his debut he was the sixth-choice central defender in the squad, behind Iñigo MartÃÂnez, Yeray ÃÂlvarez, Daniel Vivian, Unai Núñez and Peru Nolaskoain. However, the latter pair left on loan, and injuries to the others gave Paredes some opportunities (nine starts and seven further appearances from the bench) during 2022âÂÂ23.
From the start of the next season, with MartÃÂnez having joined FC Barcelona and Yeray still absent with physical issues, the relatively inexperienced Vivian and Paredes (aged 24 and 23 respectively) formed an effective defensive partnership as the team challenged at the top end of the table, and won the Copa del Rey to end the club's 40-year unsuccessful sequence in the competition. Paredes scored his first goal in the top tier on 4 January 2024, in a 2âÂÂ0 away victory against Sevilla FC, and renewed his contract until 2029 on 21 March.
Paredes featured in the under-18, under-19, and under-21 categories of the Spanish national team. On 30 June 2018, he was proclaimed champion of the Mediterranean Games with the under-18 team managed by Luis de la Fuente, where he was a starter.
On 17 March 2023, Paredes was called up to the under-21 team led by Santi Denia. On 2 June of that year, he was called up to the squad taking part in the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania; he was part of the Starting XI in five of the six matches during the tournament, including the final against England.
On 18 November 2024, Paredes debuted for Spanish senior squad in a Nations League match against Switzerland at Estadio Heliodoro RodrÃÂguez López, playing the full match as the former national team won 3âÂÂ2.
Athletic Bilbao
Spain U21