57 years since Iribar made his debut at San Mamés
57 years since Iribar made his debut at San Mamés
The red-and-white goalkeeper played his first match with Athletic Club at La Catedral against Real Madrid CF
On 21 April 1963 (57 years ago), having just turned 20, José Ángel Iribar Kortajarena played his first match with Athletic Club at San Mamés. It was in the 30th and last match league of the season and their opponents, Real Madrid CF -who had already been crowned champions-, prevailed 0-1 over them thanks to a goal from Puskas.
However, it was not Iribar’s first game at San Mamés, since he had already played there defending Second Division team CD Basconia’s goal in their fixture again SD Indautxu on 12 October 1961 in the 7th matchweek, winning 0-2.
At the end of the 1961/62 season, he signed for Athletic Club, where he stayed for 18 campaigns until he retired in 1979/80. He wore our badge for the first time in Málaga, on 23 September 1962. It was the 61st minute of the game and he came on the pitch to substitute Carmelo Cedrún, who had been hit on the head.
Totalling 614, he holds the record of the most official fixtures played by a footballer in the history of our club. He won the 1969 and 1973 Copas and was awarded the Zamora trophy once in the years between (1970).
However, one of his most iconic images is not associated to a title, but to a defeat in the 1966 Copa final against Real Zaragoza at Santiago Bernabéu, after which -despite having lost- he was chaired off for putting in a great performance.
Iribar retired in 1979, but his last game wearing Athletic Club’s shirt was on 5 June 2013, an emotional farewell match at San Mamés, in which he was given a few minutes against the Biscayan side, substituting Raúl Fernández in the side then managed by Marcelo Bielsa.
Photos: AC Museoa