Luis María Echeberría

Luis María Echeberría
Personal information
Full nameLuis María Echeberría Igartua
Date of birth24 March 1940
Place of birthAsúa, Spain
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing positionDefender
Youth career
Getxo
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1958–1960Getxo
1960–1961Baskonia
1961–1972Athletic Bilbao257(1)
1972–1973Barakaldo9(0)
National team
1961Spain B1(0)
1962–1963Spain4(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Echeberría and the second or maternal family name is Igartua.

Luis María Echeberría Igartua (born 24 March 1940) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Born in Asúa, Biscay, Echeberría signed for Athletic Bilbao in 1961 at the age of 21, from Basque Country neighbours CD Baskonia, at that time still not the club's farm team. He made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 10 September 1961 in a 1–2 away loss against Sevilla FC, and finished his debut season with 29 league appearances (out of a possible 30) as his team finished fifth.

In the following years, Echeberría would be part of a legendary Athletic defense that also featured José Ángel Iribar in goal, Jesús Aranguren and Iñaki Sáez,[1] helping the Lions to the 1969 Copa del Rey and appearing in more than 300 official games with his main club. He retired from football in 1973 (aged 33) after one season with Barakaldo CF, in Segunda División.

International career

Echeberría gained four caps for Spain during nearly one year (exactly 11 months and three weeks). His debut came on 6 June 1962 as the national team lost 1–2 against Brazil in that year's FIFA World Cup, in Viña del Mar, for an eventual group stage exit.

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References

  1. ↑ 'Txutxi' Aranguren, un defensa total ('Txutxi' Aranguren, a complete defender); El País, 22 March 2011 (Spanish)

External links