Rafael Iriondo

Rafael Iriondo
Personal information
Full name Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea
Date of birth October 24, 1919 (1919-10-24) (age 92)
Place of birth Guernica, Spain
Playing position Forward
Youth career
Gernika
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1939–1940 Atletico Tetuán ? (?)
1940–1953 Athletic Bilbao 258 (84)
1953 Barakaldo ? (?)
1953–1955 Real Sociedad 28 (7)
National team
1946–1947 Spain 2 (1)
Teams managed
1955–1956 Indautxu
1958 Alavés
1961–1962 Barakaldo
1968–1969 Athletic Bilbao
1970 Español
1971–1972 Zaragoza
1972–1974 Real Sociedad
1974–1976 Athletic Bilbao
1976–1978 Betis
1980 Rayo Vallecano
1981–1982 Betis
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea (born 24 October 1919 in Guernica, Biscay, Basque Country) is a retired Spanish football forward and manager.

Contents

Club career

Iriondo arrived at Basque giants Athletic Bilbao in 1940, from Atletico Tetuán. He made his La Liga debut on 29 September, in a 2–2 draw at Valencia CF and, during his 13-year spell with the club, would form an historic offensive partnership with Agustín Gaínza, José Luis Panizo and Telmo Zarra, helping Athletic to the 1942–43 league and four domestic cups.

After 328 official games for Bilbao (115 goals), Iriondo moved to another team in the region, Barakaldo CF, in 1953. After a couple of months, however, he returned to the first division and joined Real Sociedad, retiring at the end of the 1954–55 season.

Iriondo started coaching immediately after retiring, with modest SD Indautxu, then in the second division.[1] He continued in the region with Deportivo Alavés and Barakaldo[2]

In the 1968–69 season, Iriondo returned to Athletic Bilbao as head coach, helping the club to the 11th place in the league, and the season's Copa del Rey. He would also manage the team for two full seasons in the mid-70's, interspersed with stints at RCD Español, Real Zaragoza and Real Sociedad.

Iriondo's last coaching job was with Real Betis: he led the Andalusians to the 1977 Spanish Cup, but suffered top flight relegation in the following season. After 15 matches at Rayo Vallecano in 1980 (meeting the same fate), he returned to Betis for one final season in 1981–82, being one of three managers to help the team finish sixth in the first division.

International career

Iriondo gained two caps for Spain in as many friendlies, his debut coming on 23 June 1946, in a 0–1 loss with the Republic of Ireland, in Madrid. This was the first national team game attended by general Francisco Franco.

Seven months later, in Lisbon, he scored against Portugal, who won 4–1.

Honours

Player

Manager

References

  1. ^ Historia (History); Indautxu's official website (Spanish)
  2. ^ Entrenadores (Managers); Barakaldo's official website (Spanish)

External links