Canito (Spanish footballer born 1931)

Canito
Personal information
Full name Nicanor Sagarduy Gonzalo
Date of birth 18 March 1931(1931-03-18)
Place of birth Barakaldo, Spain
Date of death 24 June 1998(1998-06-24) (aged 67)
Place of death Barakaldo, Spain
Playing position Defender
Youth career
El Carmen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1948 Barakaldo ? (?)
1948–1963 Athletic Bilbao 354 (4)
1963–1964 Alavés 1 (0)
National team
1955 Spain B 3 (0)
1957 Spain 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Nicanor Sagarduy Gonzalo (previously Nicanor Trapero Gonzalo), aka Canito (18 March 1931 – 24 June 1998), was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.

Contents

Club career

Canito signed with Basque Country powerhouse Athletic Bilbao in 1948, from neighbours Barakaldo CF, in the second division. Immediately after arriving, on 12 September, the 17-year old made his La Liga debut, helping to a 7–2 home demolition of Real Valladolid; in only his 10th appearance, he scored his first goal for the Lions, in a 4–0 triumph (also in San Mamés) against Sevilla FC.

In the 1955–56 season, Canito pitched in 27 games as Athletic won the top division title, and would also be an essential defensive unit as the club won three Copa del Rey trophies in just four years (for a total of four during his spell).

After 15 years in the senior squad, and more than 400 official matches, Canito moved to another club in the region, Deportivo Alavés, but called it quits after only a few months. He died aged 67 in his hometown of Barakaldo, Biscay.

International career

On 10 March 1957, Canito won his first and only cap for the Spanish national team, as he played the 90 minutes of a 2–2 draw in Madrid against Switzerland for the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification stage - neither team would make it to the finals, both trailing group winners Scotland.

Honours

External links