Carmelo: The ‘villager’ from an unforgettable era

Carmelo Cedrún (Amorebieta-Etxano, 1930) played 404 matches and left an everlasting legacy at San Mamés during his 14 seasons at Athletic.

His career, taking place mostly in the 1950s after Lezama had passed the baton to him, coincided with one of Athletic’s most glorious periods, under the management of Fernando Daucik. 

 

 

Carmelo's trophy cabinet includes one LaLiga title, three Copas and one Eva Duarte Cup. He was particularly outstanding during the 1955/56 season, when Athletic won the double. He was also one of the 'Eleven Villagers' that played in the 1958 Copa final victory against Alfredo Di Stéfano’s Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Carmelo was a brave, passionate goalkeeper who was confident when coming off his line. Among his most memorable performances were the penalties he saved from Lazlo Kubala in 1955 and Di Stéfano in 1958. He also made 15 appearances for the Spanish national team and took part in the 1962 World Cup in Chile. 

That same year saw the start of a generational change with the emergence of José Ángel Iribar. Carmelo held the record for 132 consecutive La Liga matches for Athletic until 2019, when it was broken by Iñaki Williams.