Homage to Iribar for his 80th birthday
Homage to Iribar for his 80th birthday
Athletic Club urges goalkeepers to wear black over the first weekend of March (3, 4 and 5) as a sign of recognition to "Txopo", a living football legend
Jose Angel Iribar, one of the best goalkeepers in the history of football, will turn 80 years old on 1 March. A milestone number in an important year for the team of his heart: Athletic Club's 125th anniversary. Two anniversaries that deserve an exceptional celebration.
That is why Athletic Club, on its 125th anniversary and on Iribar's 80th birthday, has sent a letter to its 167 affiliated clubs inviting their goalkeepers to wear black on the first match weekend of March, to be played between Friday 3 and Sunday 5. The proposal is open to all clubs and goalkeepers who wish to make a gesture of recognition to Jose Angel Iribar.
Iribar, known as "Txopo" (poplar tree) due to his tall and muscular physique, is the player with most appearances in Athletic history, no less than 614 over 18 seasons, but his scope and trajectory are international. A poplar tree with roots deep in his homeland, but so tall and so magnificent that his shadow is cast all over the world.
Iribar has received countless accolades and acknowledgements throughout his career, from Dino Zoff to Ricardo Zamora, as well as the legendary Black Spider, Lev Yashin, from whom Iribar took the habit of wearing a dark shirt.
An anecdote that perfectly reflects the scale of Jose Angel Iribar's influence is that of Akis Ikonomopoulos, the Panathinaikos goalkeeper and one of the best shotstoppers in the history of Greek football, who wore Iribar's shirt in the 1971 European Cup final against Cruyff's Ajax at Wembley.
Hashtag #Iribar80
As well as the formal invitation sent to partner clubs, Athletic Club has created the hashtag #Iribar80 so that any team and any goalkeeper in the world, regardless of level or location, can take part in the tribute.
The aim is to leave the door open for as many teams and goalkeepers as possible to join in the celebration. In this way, the hashtag #Iribar80 is an opportunity for all of us to create a unique tribute to an inimitable and truly universal footballer.
#Iribar80 will remain active throughout the first weekend of March, a place for the photographs of those who dress in black for the occasion. Together let's celebrate the birthday and legacy of Jose Angel Iribar, a living legend of football.