Anniversary: Goiko’s debut

After arriving in Lezama in the 1972-73 season and a brief period with the junior teams and Bilbao Athletic, Andoni Goikoetxea made his debut with the first team on June 8, 1975. He did so in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa that faced the Lions and Real Sociedad at Viejo Atotxa.

Led by the legendary former lion Rafa Iriondo, Goikoetxea made his debut as a lion at the age of 19, initially occupying a position in the red-and-white rear completed by Escalza, Madariaga and Astrain. The result was not good enough that day (3-1 in favour of Real Sociedad), but Goiko made clear his strength in front of his opponents and his offensive sense. In fact, he was the protagonist of Athletic’s goal when he assisted Amorrortu after a good individual play. In the end, Goiko scored 44 goals in the 13 seasons and 369 matches he played defending the red-and-white shirt.

A left-handed centre-back, strong, good on the ball, impregnable in the air and a goalscorer, he was the protagonist of Athletic’s last major league and Copa triumphs in the 1980s. Goiko keeps in his record the 1983 League, the 84 League and Copa double and the following season’s Supercopa. A curriculum that, added to its emblematic class and its paw, makes it a mythical lion of our centennial history.

Andoni Goikoetxea is currently the representative and ambassador of Athletic Club.