Legendary Lions: Julen Guerrero
Legendary Lions: Julen Guerrero
One of the most talented players to ever pull on the red and white stripes, we look back at the career of Julen Guerrero
Julen Guerrero, born on 7 January 1974, is one of the most emblematic figures in Athletic Club history. His charm, extraordinary talent and loyalty to our colours saw him forge a profound legacy at Athletic.
Nicknamed ‘The Lion King’ - thanks to his footballing prowess and flowing blonde locks - Guerrero mostly operated as an attacking midfielder.
After being spotted in his hometown of Portugalete - 'The Pearl of Portugalete' was another of his nicknames - Julen joined Lezama’s books as an eight-year-old. Blessed with vision, passing range, deadball expertise and a knack for making late runs into the box at right time, he seemed destined for greatness early on.
At 18 years old, he scored a hat-trick on his Bilbao Athletic debut - a Segunda División match against SD Compostela in the 1991/92 campaign.
That same season, he led Athletic’s Under-19s to a Copa and Liga double - the last time we won the youth knockout competition. Our own ‘Class of 92’ contained several talented youngsters who would become Lions, including: Aitor Karanka, Aitor Huegun, Gontzal Suances, Jesus Emilio ‘Txutxi’ Díez, Jon Ander Lambea and Gorka Bidaurrazaga.
On the opening day of the 92/93 season, Jupp Heynckes handed Guerrero a first senior appearance, starting the midfielder in a 2-1 win over Cádiz CF at San Mames.
'Julenmania' soon swept across the Basque Country and Spain. Wherever Guerrero went, hundreds, if not thousands, of fans would be waiting for a glimpse of their hero. Testament to his character, it never went to his head and he always took the time to sign autographs and take as many photos as possible.
Julen spent 14 seasons playing for Athletic’s first team, becoming a One-Club Man in the process. He made 430 official appearances for Los Leones and scored 116 goals.
At international level he represented on Spain 41 occasions, scoring 13 times. He took part in the 94 and 98 Fifa World Cups as well as Euro 96.
He turned down offers from giant clubs across Europe, became club captain at 21 and helped Athletic qualify for the Champions League after a 15-year absence. To this day he remains a hero among Athleticzales.
Five standout moments – in date order
1. First goal, vs Rayo Vallecano
LaLiga Matchday 3, 20/09/1992
A sign of things to come, Ernesto Valverde fired a quick free-kick into the box and Julen found space to send in a powerful header.
Rayo had gone 0-1 up, but Guerrero’s strike put Athletic back on level terms before they kicked on to win 4-2.
Guerrero became a first-team regular that season, scoring 10 goals in 37 matches as Athletic finished eighth.
*Image from friendly match against Bayern Munich just before the 92/93 season began.
2. Four goals, vs Sporting Gijón
LaLiga Matchday 31, 03/04/1994
This was the season where Julen really made a name for himself. In truth there were so many moments to choose from, we could have had a 2.A to 2.Z.
He started the campaign with a hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Albacete at San Mames during the opening game. Still just 19 at that point, it made him the third youngest player to ever score a hat-trick for Athletic, after Jose Iraragorri and Jose Luis Panizo.
He also scored an 88th-minute goal to help the Lions’ beat Johan Cruyff’s FC Barcelona 2-3 at the Nou Camp – a place where we have only emerged victorious on one other occasion since.
Guerrero ended 93/94 with 18 LaLiga goals in 36 appearances and he had barely even turned 20. He became the club’s youngest top scorer in a single season since Anton Arieta in 1965.
What’s more, Julen’s goals and performances propelled Athletic to fifth place in the league and a first European qualification since 87/88.
However, one match truly summed up Julen’s stellar season. In early April, the young attacking midfielder bagged four goals in a 7-0 victory over Sporting Gijon at The Cathedral.
Guerrero got proceedings underway in the 1st minute before adding Athletic’s fifth, sixth and seventh in the second half. In fact, the final goal came from the penalty spot with usual taker Ernesto Valverde handing over the ball.
Valverde remarked: “Scoring a goal in a match is standard, but getting four is exceptional. That’s why letting him take it was the normal thing to do.”
Champions League group stage final match, 09/12/1998
After a centenary year which included a Pavrotti concert, a friendly against Brazil and a second-placed finish in LaLiga, Guerrero topped it off by scoring the winning goal as Athletic beat Galatasaray 1-0 at San Mames to make sure they didn’t leave the Champions League completely empty-handed.
A first campaign in Europe’s premier competition in 15 years saw the Lions put into a tough group after defeating Dinamo Tblisi in a play-off.
Draws against Juventus – Guerrero had put Athletic ahead in Turin – a draw and a loss against Norwegian champions Rosenborg, plus a defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul left Athletic with nothing left to play for but pride by time the final group game came to Bilbao.
“To score a goal in Turin was very exciting. Juve didn't beat us in either game,” Julen said. “The other goal was against Galatasaray, although we had nothing at stake we went out to win and we prevailed 1-0 to finish on a high note.”
LaLiga Matchday 3, 12/09/1999
A set-piece specialist, only Txetxu Rojo has scored more goals from free-kicks than Julen in modern times. Eleven of his 116 Athletic goals came from deadball situations, and perhaps none is more famous than this screamer against a debutant Iker Casillas, the first LaLiga goal ever conceded by the Real Madrid icon.
“It was a golazo. A golazo,” Iker Casillas said in an interview with Julen in 2013. "You can imagine what it was like for me, standing there and saying to myself: 'Julen Guerrero is going to take a free-kick against me'."
Julen replied: “In the end I decided to put it on your side. I think you made a step towards it, you half slipped and then you couldn't reach it anymore."
👏 Zorionak por tu trayectoria, @IkerCasillas
— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) August 4, 2020
📽️ 12/09/1999. Debut en @LaLiga en La Catedral... y @8JULENGUERRERO tuvo el honor de ser el primero en batir tu portería.
🍀 Mucha suerte en el futuro‼️#AthleticClub 🦁 https://t.co/XZsm8beWTV?utm_source=athletic-club.eus&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=actualidad-athletic-club&utm_content=legendary-lions-julen-guerrero pic.twitter.com/vo9bjEl4oL
LaLiga Matchday 20, 22/01/2005
A mixture of injuries, managerial changes and emerging talents from Lezama saw Julen’s playing time reduced towards the end of his career. However, once in a while the midfielder would turn back the clock and set San Mames alight.
In 2004/05, Javier Aguirre’s Osasuna side were 0-3 up in Bilbao with 56 minutes gone. Francisco Yeste started off the fightback with a quickfire brace.
With the score at 2-3 and nine minutes left to go Valverde brought on Roberto ‘Tiko’ Martínez and Guerrero. Within two minutes, Tiko had levelled the scores. The Cathedral began to dream.
Athletic pushed and pushed. Andoni Iraola swung in a cross and Guerrero guided it in from the near post. San Mames went wild.
Guerreo put the comeback down to the support from the fans: "San Mamés believed we could turn the game around and that inspired the team. We scored two goals quickly and got back into the game.
“It created doubts in the opposition and now you're in the ascendancy. It's complicated, but faith makes these things possible.”
Retirement
Shortly after returning for the 2006/07 pre-season Julen announced his retirement at an emotional press conference in which he was applauded by the entire senior squad.
The following year he led the Lions’ under-16s, but at the conclusion of the campaign he left Lezama for good. It was the end of a 25-year-long journey at the club he supported.
Recently, he rolled back the years and donned his iconic no.8 shirt once more as he took part in the Athletic Club 125 Legends match vs FC Porto Vintage during the club’s 125th anniversary closing ceremony.
A One-Club Man, 430 appearances – 242 of which came as captain - and 116 goals. No other midfielder has scored more times for Athletic. Figures fit for a legend.
During an event to celebrate Lezama’s 50th anniversary, Julen Guerrero said: “I spent more than half my life here. Athletic is a way of life for me.”
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