Iraia Iturregi, leader both on the field and on the bench

If yesterday was Irune Murua’s turn, today is the birthday of another of our Athletic Club historical players. Iraia Iturregi turns 35 this April 24th. We take this opportunity to highlight some representative facts about the player from Loiu and now coach of the women’s subsidiary.

Only Iraia Iturregi (402) and Eli Ibarra (413) have passed the barrier of 400 official matches as footballers of Athletic Club. Iturregi did so on May 14, 2017, in the victory against Zaragoza CFF with a 1-3 shortly before the end of the season. After that she would play one more league match and the last one, the Copa de la Reina elimination in quarterfinals against Valencia CF. Iraia has played 402 matches since her debut in the 7-1 win over Torrejón in October 2002. These were the first steps of the women’s team. In 14 seasons she managed to add up records that place her as one of the great references in women’s football with 402 matches, 64 goals (League, Cup and UEFA) and four league titles.

Trained at Sondika, she moved from Leioa EFT to Athletic Club –led by Iñigo Juaristi– at the age of 17. Then, she began a successful career, going through stages as a lioness. At the age of 20, she recorded 100 official matches and won the first three Super League titles (2002-2003, 2003-2004 and 2004-2005). She would have to wait 15 years before winning the last trophy, the league title in the 2015-2016 season. She was the unquestionable leader in the field from the right wing. In 2004, she made her debut with the senior Spain national team, just a few months after winning the European Championship with the U-19 and scoring the goal in the final victory against Germany.

A future in football

The player from Loiu studied Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at UPV/EHU and was also a scholarship student at Florida State University, where she played for a year in the university league (2005-2006). Her future was to go hand in hand with football, and once she retired in 2017, she continued training. In the 2018-2019 season, she was responsible for the physical preparation of Athletic Club’s first women’s team. And this year she made her debut on the bench leading the Reto Iberdrola team with exceptional numbers. The subsidiary was giving a great level (leading alone in the North group before the compulsory break) and with players in charge who have debuted in First Division as Amaiur Sarriegi, Irene Oguiza and Naroa Uriarte.

In 2013, Iraia was chosen to open the Semana Grande de Bilbao (Bilbao’s festivities). She was and continues to be a reference point for sports girls in Bizkaia. She has the great responsibility and the commitment to train the future lionesses.