Kepa Arrizabalaga was born in 1994 in Ondarroa, a small coastal town in the Basque Country, Spain. He joined Athletic Bilbao's academy at the age of ten and worked his way through the club's youth and reserve sides before establishing himself as first-choice goalkeeper at the senior level. After loan spells at Ponferradina and Real Valladolid sharpened his game, he became a regular starter for Athletic Bilbao and signed a contract extension in January 2018, only to complete a move to Chelsea that summer for a then-record fee for a goalkeeper.
At Chelsea, Kepa won the UEFA Europa League in 2018–19 and went on to add the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup during the 2020–21 cycle. A loan move to Real Madrid in 2023–24 brought further honours, including La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. His penalty-saving record at Chelsea stands out as a particular highlight — he registered eight stops in shootouts for the club, a record surpassing Petr Čech.
As a goalkeeper, Kepa is known for his precise distribution and ability to contribute to build-up play from the back, with strong technique using both feet.
On the international stage, he made his senior debut for Spain in November 2017 and has since won the UEFA Nations League with the national side in 2022–23.
Kepa completed a permanent transfer to Arsenal in July 2025 for a reported fee of £5 million, where he is expected to compete for the goalkeeper position.