Tribute to five legendary villagers

Athletic Club has brought together three of the five living lions who competed in the memorable 1958 Cup final – Carmelo, Etura and Uribe – and paid tribute to them by handing over original and unique bracelets converted into gifts for the occasion. At the last minute, Mauri and Koldo Aguirre have not been able to attend the event or join their old mates, as was their intention at the beginning of the day. His teammates Jose Mari Argoitia and José Ángel Iribar, with whom they shared a team in the 1960s, have collected the gifts in his name. Five of the captains of the first team, Susaeta, Iturraspe, Muniain, San José and Aduriz, gave the bracelets to the representatives of the famous eleven villagers.

In the official photograph of that team that conquered Chamartín, fifteen representatives of the Club appeared: Guillermo (masseuse), Carmelo, Orue, Garay, Canito, Mauri, Etura, López (substitute goalkeeper), Baltasar Albéniz (coach), I. Birichinaga (masseuse), Artetxe, Koldo Aguirre, Eneko Arieta, Uribe and Gainza (captain). Of these, only six players are still alive, including the substitute goalkeeper Juan Antonio Lopez, who did not play. The triumph was one of the most remarkable milestones in Athletic’s history, considering that Arieta and Mauri’s goals defeated a Real Madrid that had just won the league and had also won three of the previous four cups, as well as the five consecutive European Cups between 1955 and 1960.

Athletic Club wanted their current first men’s team to join the survivors of these famous eleven villagers who beat 2-0 the Real Madrid of Di Stefano. A small act of recognition to this repoquer of red-and-white legends, including the absent Mauri and Koldo Aguirre. Hopefully, the extraordinary achievement of that winning team will inspire today’s lions to end their spectacular climb of the recent months with a ticket to Europe.

The tribute has been made in Lezama, and has been attended by the president, Aitor Elizegi, and a broad institutional representation.

This handing of bracelets joins the one celebrated, weeks ago, in the presentation of the documentary “48.121: history of a record in San Mamés”, after whose projection, the historical footballers Nerea Onaindia, Iraia Iturregi, Eli Ibarra and Arrate Orueta also received their corresponding gifts.

Remember that these are the original bracelets worn by our captains in the matches played by Athletic Club during this season. Embroidered one by one in a handmade way, each unique piece, in addition to the ikurriña and the red-and-white shield, reflects the match and the date on which it was held. The intention of the Club is that each bracelet becomes an eternal memory, gifts for unique occasions, of a unique club.