To the ardent football fan, Kepa Arrizabalaga might be best remembered for the infamous incident in the Carabao Cup final when he defied Maurizio Sarri’s orders. However, there’s a lot more to Kepa’s story—one filled with talent, passion, and surprising interests.
Kepa’s football skills were evident from a young age, but he also had a unique childhood passion for hunting and raising birds, a hobby he shared with his father. Together, they would hunt goldfinches, a migratory bird known for its beautiful singing. Kepa didn’t just enjoy this as a pastime; he excelled in it. He balanced his time between playing football, attending school, and nurturing his passion for birds.
The Fascinating Childhood of Kepa Arrizabalaga: Football and Bird Songs
Here’s the fascinating part: Kepa’s birds, named Oker, Rocky, and Raikkonen, twice won the regional bird singing competitions in 2008 and 2010. A panel of judges declared that Oker, in particular, had the most beautiful sound. For those years, Kepa was crowned the Songbirds Champion of Vizcaya.
But how did Kepa transition from his love of birds to achieving great success in football, eventually becoming a goalkeeper who has won titles like the UEFA Champions League, Nations League, Super Cup, Europa League, and played in the FIFA World Cup? This article delves into that remarkable journey, showing how Kepa’s early passion for both football and birds shaped the resilient and talented goalkeeper he is today.
Kepa’s Childhood Story – Early Life, Family Background and Bird Affair:
For Biography starters, Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta was born on the 3 October 1994 to his parents in Ondarroa, a Basque seaside town in Spain.
Kepa was an obvious talent right from an early age. He did, though, balance football with a second childhood passion of hunting and rearing birds, which he did with his father.
When Kepa was a child, he, along with his father, would hunt goldfinches (a North American bird that loves to migrate) and then teach them to sing.
This is Kepa as a Child. His love for birds was out of this world. Young Kepa was immersed in the scenic backdrop of Ondarroa, finding harmony between the world of football and the melodious tunes of goldfinches.
“Since he was very young he has helped his father clean the cages and pick up the goldfinches in the bush,”
said his mother.
Kepa Childhood Story – The Spanish Bird Competition:
For Kepa, the act of loving birds took to a professional turn, which saw him multitasking between playing football, going to school and having a real talent for his bizarre bird hobby.
Did You Know?… Kepa’s birds, named Oker, Rocky and Raikkonen, twice won the Regional bird singing competitions in 2008 and 2010 after some panel of judges decided that his birds, notably Oker, had the most beautiful sound.
For those years (2008 and 2009), Kepa was named the Songbirds Champion of Vizcaya. It was Oker, pictured below, who gave the hit song that delivered his two titles.
If football had not worked out, you probably know what he would have devoted himself to.
At the time of writing, both Oker, Rocky, and Raikkonen were still being used in competitions.
Kepa Biography Facts – Career Summary:
We now go back to his career, which began in the small town of Ondarroa in the Basque Country.
His passion for football saw him, at the age of 6, enrolling on the roster of his local youth team, who gave him the stage to showcase his talents.
By nine, he had impressed enough, which saw Athletic Bilbao’s youth side acquiring his signature. This was at this time he began training goldfinch birds.
The early career years of Kepa.
Thankfully, Kepa’s progression through the Athletic Bilbao ranks was swift. Back then, he sometimes switched between goalkeeping and playing infield.
Kepa was known for scoring goals at a time he played an on-field for the Athletico Bilbao under-14 side.
As he developed, Kepa’s reflexes and speed began to interest his coaches, who sent him on loan to two clubs (Ponferradina and Valladolid) before making his return to get first place at the Athletic Club. While on the first team, he played alongside Big names like Inaki – (Nico Williams‘ older brother and not related to Inaki Pena Sotorres)
To show further proof of his development, Kepa Arrizabalaga got a £71.6 million release clause placed on him.
Money paid off by Chelsea on the 8th of August, 2018, leading to his Kepa being the most expensive goalkeeper in the world after Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, who was bought in the same 2018 summer transfer window.
At the time of writing, Kepa’s journey to London didn’t see him taking his birds. Instead of making his bird sing, Chelsea fans now sing his name. The rest, as we say, of the Goalkeeper whose time at Chelsea was beautiful while it lasted is history.
Love Life with Andrea Perez:
Behind every great man, there’s a great woman, or so the saying goes.
Behind almost every successful Spanish footballer, there’s a glamorous wag or girlfriend, as seen in the person of Andrea Perez, who is pictured below with her boyfriend, Kepa.
Love and Support: Andrea Perez, the Glamorous Partner Behind Spanish Footballer Kepa Arrizabalaga, Pictured Together in a Tender Moment.
At the time of writing, very little is known about the brunette’s beauty. Sources reveal Andrea shies away from the limelight on social media, which has kept her personal account on private mode.
However, Kepa regularly posts snaps of the duo on his Instagram account. The snaps shown below happened during one of their vacations in Mexico.
Andrea Perez and Kepa are in love mode.
The Zidane Failure:
Did You Know?… Kepa came close to joining Real Madrid. According to most Zidane critics, it was his negativity that didn’t make the deal happen.
According to the most popular Spanish newspaper, Marca, Zidane was not positive about Kepa’s acquisition after he noticed that Kepa had a foot injury, which he feared would affect the transfer.
After Real Madrid’s directors had approved his transfer, Zidane refused to approve the move for Athletic Bilbao’s goalkeeper during the 2018 January transfer window. Zidane explained at a press conference:
“Right now, we do not need a goalkeeper. Later in June, if there are changes, if we sit down and talk, then maybe there will be a need to buy in certain positions.”
Upon hearing Zidane’s comments, Kepa, who had already agreed to personal terms with Real Madrid, decided to change his mind.
This was an error that haunted Zidane before he made the decision to exit the Spanish giant.
The transfer for Kepa was around £18 million when the Madrid rejection happened. Kepa, before the rejection, had even passed a medical before the former Real Madrid manager said no.
Kepa’s Release Clause:
Now we can tell you why Chelsea paid so much for Monies for Kepa.
Zidane went on to tell Kepa that if he wanted to sign for them, then he would need to have immediate surgery, which denotes going against his medical timeline for recovery. This left Kepa to weigh up his chances.
Meanwhile, Athletic sensed the uncertainty and offered him an improved contract, which included a hefty release clause. Today, Chelsea blames Real Madrid for setting that high price.
Kepa’s contract renewal with Athletic saw a new release clause, which rose from £18m to £71m. Chelsea went on to pay the money.
Career Personality:
Football pundits have compared Kepa to legendary Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Although Kepa is a little bit taller than the former Madrid goalkeeper, he stands at 6 feet, and he is four inches shorter than Thibaut Courtois and 0.1 meters taller than Swiss Goalkeeper Roman Burki.
Maurizio Sarri signed Kepa because he sees him as someone who is comfortable with the ball at his feet, which fits his expansive style. Remember, Kepa played the mid-field position during his under-14 days.
Fact Check:
Thank you for reading about Kepa’s childhood story and the untold details of his biography. We aim to provide accurate and fair accounts of Spanish goalkeepers’ lives. We hope you find the stories of Unai Simón and Robert Sánchez equally engaging. If you notice any inaccuracies or have feedback, please leave a comment or get in touch with us!
