Footballers from Eibar who have played for Athletic Club

Roberto Etxebarria (born in 1908), Justino Alberdi (1909), José Muguerza (1911), Agustín Gisasola (1952), José Antonio Gómez (1964) and Markel Susaeta (1987). The list of footballers born in Eibar that have played for Athletic Club’s first team is rather short, however, the number of official matches played and titles won by them is quite large.

Defender Muguerza (231 official matches in 8 seasons) and midfielder Etxebarria (217 fixtures in 9 seasons) are two of the footballers with the most titles in Athletic Club’s history. They played together from the inaugural season of the Liga until the Civil War began, clinching four League Titles, six Copas and six Regional Championships. Both their careers ground to a halt during the war, although Etxebarria was able to resume his once the conflict was over, being able to win another Regional Championship. Midfielder Alberdi (9 games played in 2 seasons) scored four goals for our team and won a Regional Championship despite his short time as an Athletic player.

Central defender Gisasola (332 fixtures in 13 seasons) lifted the Copa in the 70s and won the League in the early 80s. In 1977, the popular French newspaper L’Équipe named him as Europe’s best stopper. Not only was he famous for his confidence at the back, but also for his ‘gisasolazos’, remarkably powerful long-distance goals; he registered a total of 19 goals wearing the red-and-white shirt.

‘Pizo’ Gómez (54 matches in 3 seasons) took over from Gisasola as a player from Eibar in our Club’s first team. He lifted the Copa during the 1983-84 campaign and scored two goals. The last name on the list belongs to our former captain Susaeta (507 games in 12 seasons), the fifth footballer with the highest number of official matches played for Athletic Club. His 56 goals, his countless assists and the 2014-15 Supercopa Title, won against FC Barcelona, will remain in the memory of Athletic’s supporters.

(1931-32 Athletic Club’s team, pictured at the top of the article, are posing with their third consecutive League Cup. At the back, the second from the left is José Muguerza; at the front, the fourth from the left is Roberto Etxebarria.)