Alex Padilla (footballer)

Alex Padilla
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Padilla Pérez
Date of birth (2003-09-01) 1 September 2003
Place of birth Zarautz, Spain
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Athletic Bilbao
Number 27
Youth career
Zarautz
2019–2021 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Basconia 24 (0)
2022–2024 Bilbao Athletic 51 (0)
2024– Athletic Bilbao 6 (0)
2025 → UNAM (loan) 12 (0)
International career
2021–2022 Spain U19 6 (0)
2024– Mexico U23 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 May 2026

Alejandro "Álex" Padilla Pérez (born 1 September 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao. Born in Spain, he represented Mexico at youth internationally level.

Early life

Padilla was born in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country to a Spanish father (from Bergara) and a Mexican mother.[1][2] At three months old, he moved with his parents to his mother's hometown of Camargo, Chihuahua and lived there until age seven.[3]

Club career

Padilla joined Athletic Bilbao's youth academy at Lezama in 2019, from hometown side Zarautz.[4] He made his senior debut with the farm team Basconia on 15 September 2021, starting in a 2–2 Tercera División RFEF away draw against Anaitasuna.

Promoted to the reserves in Primera Federación ahead of the 2022–23 season, Padilla first appeared with the side on 28 August 2022, starting in a 2–1 home loss to La Nucía. In 2023, he was called up to the pre-season with the main squad.[5][6]

Due to injuries to Unai Simón and Julen Agirrezabala in the summer of 2024, Padilla was the candidate to step into the first team for the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He appeared in several pre-season matches, including the second half of a 3–2 loss against Aston Villa, and made his La Liga debut as a starter against Getafe at the San Mamés on 15 August 2024; he made several saves, including from Carles Aleñá in a one-on-one situation, and was not at fault for the goal his side conceded in a 1–1 draw.[7][8]

On 9 January 2025, Padilla joined Mexican club UNAM on a six-month loan.[9]

International career

Youth

On 2 September 2021, Padilla made his debut for the Spain U19's, coming on as a half-time substitute for Alejandro Iturbe in a 5–1 win against Mexico.

In November 2021, Padilla was included for Spain's squad for the qualifying matches of the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He started and played the full 90 minutes against Azerbaijan, as his side cruised to a 6–0 win, qualifying for the elite round. In the elite round, Padilla had played the full matches over Austria and Poland, suffering a 2–2 and 3–3 draw and finishing second behind Austria, thus failing to qualify for the final tournament.

In March 2024, Padilla was called up by the Mexico national under-23 team.[3] On 22 March, he made his debut in a 4–2 defeat against Argentina.

In June 2024, he took part in the Maurice Revello Tournament in France[10] with Mexico.

Senior

On 29 August 2024, Padilla received his first call-up to the Mexico national team.[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 23 May 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Basconia 2021–22 Tercera Federación 240———240
Bilbao Athletic 2022–23 Primera Federación 250———250
2023–24 Segunda Federación 260———260
Total 510———510
Athletic Bilbao 2023–24 La Liga 0000——00
2024–25 La Liga 5000000050
2025–26 La Liga 1050000060
Total 60500000110
UNAM (loan) 2024–25 Liga MX 120—6[b]0—180
Career total 9305060001040
  1. ↑ Includes Copa del Rey
  2. ↑ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup

Honours

Bilbao Athletic

Athletic Bilbao

References

  1. ↑ "¿Quién es Alex Padilla?". goal.com (Archived).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. ↑ "Álex Padilla – Record article". 22 December 2021.
  3. 1 2 "El portero del Bilbao Athletic Padilla, citado con México" [Bilbao Athletic goalkeeper Padilla, called up for Mexico] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 13 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "El portero zarauztarra Álex Padilla ficha por el Athletic" [Zarautz's goalkeeper Álex Padilla signs for Athletic] (in Spanish). La Cantera de Lezama. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Padilla y Arana, dos guardametas con futuro" [Padilla and Arana, two goalkeepers of the future] (in Spanish). diariovasco.com. 5 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "La pretemporada más especial de Alex Padilla" [The most special pre-season for Alex Padilla] (in Spanish). deia.eus. 18 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Mexicano Álex Padilla firma buen debut con el Athletic en LaLiga" [Mexican Álex Padilla makes a good debut with Athletic in LaLiga] (in Spanish). ESPN Deporte. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "Así fue el debut de Alex Padilla con el Athletic Club de Bilbao" [This was how Alex Padilla's debut with Athletic Club Bilbao went] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "Alex Padilla moves on loan to Mexican side Pumas". Athletic Club. 9 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Festival International Espoirs Football Tournoi Maurice Revello Toulon". tournoimauricerevello.com (in French). Maurice Revello Tournament. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Alex Padilla gets first call-up to Mexican national side". Athletic Club. 29 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "El Bilbao Athletic ya es Campeón: Un año después regresará a Primera Federación" [Bilbao Athletic are now champions: A year later they return to the Primera Federación]. GolsMedia (in Spanish). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  13. ↑ "Athletic Club 2023-24 Squad". ESPN.
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