Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta is a Spanish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Since 2018 he has been playing for the English club Chelsea. Winner of the European Championship U19 in 2012.
Biography
The future goalkeeper was born in October 1994 on the fourth in the small Spanish municipality of Ondarroa. Since childhood, Kepa dreamed of playing football, at first he tried himself in different positions, but over time he realized that he does best in the goal frame. At the age of ten, he was screened in one of the famous Spanish clubs. His talents impressed the academy's mentors and he was enrolled in Athletic Bilbao.
Career
In 2011, the young athlete got the opportunity to play at a professional level for the first time. The main goalkeeper was injured in the double of the football club "Baskonia", and the management decided to put Kepu in his place. For three incomplete seasons, the novice goalkeeper played thirty-one matches in which he conceded 43 goals.
In early 2015, he went on loan to the semi-professional club Ponferradina, where he played twenty matches. In the same year, he returned to the camp of his home club and played for Athletic Bilbao for the first time in the Spanish Championship. In total for Athletic, the talented goalkeeper played two seasons, in which he appeared on the field 54 times.
In 2018, Kepe had a chance to prove himself outside of Spain. New Chelsea FC coach Maurizio Sarri was looking for a replacement for the club's old goalkeeper and settled on a promising Spaniard. This transition set two price records at once: Kepa became the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football, as well as the most expensive Spaniard in the European transfer market.
In the new club, Arrisabalaga did not have time to swing, from the first matches he became the main goalkeeper of the team. Despite his inexperience and strong pressure from the fans and the Chelsea management, Kepi quickly got used to it and showed that he could well cope with the tasks set. He contributes regularly to the success of the team.
In February 2019, in the league cup final against the formidable Manchester City, Kepi found himself at the center of a scandal, for which he was subsequently fined by the club's management. Before the penalty shootout, the Chelsea head coach decided to replace the young goalkeeper with the more experienced Willie Caballero, but Kepi refused to leave the field. The match ended with a landslide victory, while Arrisabalaga saved only one penalty. The Spaniard tried to justify his act and apologize, but the management decided to fine the goalkeeper by one quarter of his monthly salary.
Personal life and family
The famous goalkeeper avoids discussing his personal life, but sometimes publishes on his Instagram page photos of a joint vacation with his girlfriend, a charming brunette Andrea Perez. By the way, she also prefers not to dwell on the details of the relationship with the athlete.
