Zubiaurre was born in
Mendaro,
Gipuzkoa. After making his
Real Sociedad first-team debut during the
2004–05 season, he achieved notoriety as a result of a lawsuit in which his first club prevented him from playing for
Athletic Bilbao for 14 months, due to an alleged contractual dispute in his transfer between the two
Basque sides. Zubiaurre, who represented Real Sociedad at youth level, was introduced as a new Athletic Bilbao player in 2005 by the latter's president
Fernando Lamikiz, despite still being under contract. He was without the legal ability to terminate it, having a year left to run and a
buyout clause of
€33 million (the former had activated a one-season optional extension to the deal, while the latter asserted that he was a
free agent). Real insisted that Athletic pay the entire amount, with the player not being allowed to play professional football during the subsequent legal battle;
SCD Durango, a regional side, requested to field him but were denied permission. Fifteen months after the lawsuit began, a judge ruled that Athletic had to pay Real Sociedad €5 million, and were granted permission to field Zubiaurre for the
2006–07 campaign. He was presented a second time at
San Mamés Stadium on 16 November 2006 and was given the number 12 shirt. On 11 February 2007, Zubiaurre played his first
La Liga match for Athletic, appearing against
Atlético Madrid as a
substitute in a 1–0 away defeat. That was his only game of the season, in which his team avoided relegation on the last matchday. Zubiaurre also only featured once in
2007–08, in a 2–0 loss at
Getafe CF on 31 October 2007. After almost two years on the sidelines, he left in order to gain more playing time, joining
Segunda División side
Elche CF on a
season-long loan. Returning to Athletic for the
2009–10 campaign, Zubiaurre's season input consisted of 15 minutes against
FK Austria Wien (
3–0 win at home) in the
UEFA Europa League group stage. In July 2010, another loan ensued, also in the second tier, as he signed with
Albacete Balompié. Zubiaurre was deemed surplus to requirements in
2011–12 after the appointment of manager
Marcelo Bielsa, alongside teammates
Koikili and
Aitor Ocio. He remained with the team, however. Zubiaurre was loaned to
UD Salamanca in the
Segunda División B for the
2012–13 season. He moved to
Racing de Santander in August 2013, being waived after only one month and no matches played. ==Honours==