1. Overview
David García Zubiria (born February 14, 1994) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Qatar Stars League club Al-Rayyan and the Spain national team. He spent almost his entire career contracted to Osasuna, making 305 appearances for the club's first team and winning the Segunda División in 2019. In 2024, he transferred to Al-Rayyan SC, marking his first move to a foreign club. His career has also included a loan spell at Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa and significant contributions to Osasuna's promotions to La Liga and subsequent top-flight campaigns. He is recognized for his defensive prowess and has received individual accolades such as being named to the La Liga Team of the Season.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
David García Zubiria was born on February 14, 1994, in Pamplona, Navarre, Spain. His early football journey began in his hometown, where he developed through CA Osasuna's youth academy before joining its reserve team.
2.1. Youth Academy and Reserve Team
At the age of nine, García joined the youth setup of his local club, CA Osasuna, in 2003. He progressed through the ranks of the cantera, which is the club's youth academy. In 2011, he was promoted to the reserve team, Osasuna B, and made his senior debut during the 2011-12 season in the Segunda División B. While he made appearances for the reserves, he also appeared more regularly for the Juvenil (youth) side. He continued his development with Osasuna B, making 31 appearances and scoring 4 goals between the 2010-11 and 2014-15 seasons, playing in both Segunda División B and Tercera División.
3. Club Career
David García's professional club career has been primarily defined by his long and impactful tenure at CA Osasuna, followed by a recent move to Al-Rayyan SC in Qatar.
3.1. CA Osasuna Senior Team (2014-2024)
García was called up to the Osasuna main squad for the 2014 preseason by manager Jan Urban. During this period, he notably scored the final goal in a 4-0 victory against Brentford. His professional debut for the first team occurred on August 30, 2014, when he started in a 1-1 away draw against Real Zaragoza in the Segunda División. He quickly established himself as a starter for the 2014-15 season, appearing in 28 matches.
On January 26, 2015, García signed a contract extension with Osasuna, committing to the club until 2019. He scored his first goal in the second tier on May 31, closing a 2-0 home victory over Recreativo de Huelva. A week later, on June 7, in the final round of the 2014-15 campaign, he scored a crucial goal in the 78th minute of an eventual 2-2 draw at CE Sabadell FC, which secured the point needed to avoid a second consecutive relegation for the team.
During the 2015-16 season, García was a key player, making 40 appearances and scoring 2 goals. His contributions helped Osasuna finish 6th in the Segunda División, and they subsequently won the promotion play-offs, securing their return to La Liga after a two-season absence. This included 4 appearances in the La Liga play-offs, where he also scored one goal.
García made his La Liga debut on August 19, 2016, starting in a 1-1 away draw against Málaga CF. He scored his first goal in Spain's top flight on September 10, though it came in a 5-2 loss against Real Madrid. Despite his efforts, which included 25 starts, Osasuna finished 19th in the 2016-17 season and were relegated back to the Segunda División after just one season.
3.1.1. Loan to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa (2018)
On January 17, 2018, David García was loaned to Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, another team in the second division, for the remainder of the season until June. He made 18 appearances and scored 2 goals during his time with Cultural Leonesa.
Upon returning to the El Sadar Stadium after his loan spell, García quickly solidified his position as an undisputed starter under new coach Jagoba Arrasate. This period marked a significant phase of his career at Osasuna. In May 2021, he signed a new five-year contract, extending his commitment to the club until 2026. His consistent performance led to him being named to the Opta Sports La Liga Team of the Season for 2021-22 and the La Liga Team of the Season for 2022-23. He continued to be a foundational part of the Osasuna defense, contributing to their sustained presence in La Liga and reaching the final of the 2022-23 Copa del Rey, where they were runners-up. In the 2023-24 season, his 32 appearances included two in the UEFA Europa Conference League and one in the Supercopa de España.
3.2. Al-Rayyan SC (2024-)
On August 1, 2024, at the age of 30, David García moved abroad for the first time in his career. He agreed to a transfer deal with Qatar Stars League club Al-Rayyan. The transfer fee was reported as 8.75 M EUR, with a further 2.50 M EUR in variables, totaling up to 11.25 M EUR. This move marked a new chapter in his professional career.
4. International Career
David García received his first call-up to the Spain national team on March 17, 2023. This call-up was for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Scotland.
He earned his first cap for Spain 11 days later, on March 28, 2023, at the age of 29. He played the entire match in a 2-0 loss to Scotland in Glasgow. As of November 16, 2023, he has made 3 appearances for the national team.
5. Playing Style and Recognition
David García is recognized primarily as a centre-back, a position he has consistently held throughout his career, particularly during his impactful time at CA Osasuna. He has also been noted to occasionally play as a midfielder. His strong defensive abilities and leadership on the field have made him a key player for his teams. He stands at 73 in (185 cm) tall and weighs 165 lb (75 kg), and primarily uses his right foot.
His consistent high-level performance has earned him significant individual recognition. He was named to the Opta Sports La Liga Team of the Season for the 2021-22 season. The following season, for 2022-23, he was again recognized, being selected for the official La Liga Team of the Season. These accolades underscore his reputation as one of the league's top defenders during those periods.
6. Career Statistics
This section provides comprehensive statistical data on David García's performance in both club and international matches.
6.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Copa del Rey | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2010-11 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2013-14 | Tercera División | 25 | 2 | - | 2 | 0 | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2014-15 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 5 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 4 | ||
| Osasuna | 2014-15 | Segunda División | 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 29 | 2 | |
| 2015-16 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2016-17 | La Liga | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2017-18 | Segunda División | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2018-19 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2019-20 | La Liga | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 36 | 1 | |||
| 2021-22 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | 36 | 4 | |||
| 2022-23 | 32 | 2 | 7 | 1 | - | 39 | 3 | |||
| 2023-24 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| Total | 280 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 305 | 15 | ||
| Cultural Leonesa (loan) | 2017-18 | Segunda División | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 18 | 2 | |
| Career total | 329 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 356 | 21 | ||
6.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 | |
7. Honours
This section details the titles and achievements David García has earned with his clubs, as well as any individual awards.
7.1. Club Honours
CA Osasuna
- Segunda División: 2018-19
- Copa del Rey: runner-up 2022-23
7.2. Individual Honours
- La Liga Team of the Season: 2022-23
- Opta Sports La Liga Team of The Season: 2021-22