César Cruchaga

César Cruchaga Lasa (born 26 January 1974) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cruchaga and the second or maternal family name is Lasa.
César Cruchaga
Cruchaga before a game with Osasuna in 2009
Personal information
Full name César Cruchaga Lasa[1]
Date of birth (1974-01-26) 26 January 1974[1]
Place of birth Ezcároz, Spain[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
Osasuna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1996 Osasuna B 107 (4)
1996–2009 Osasuna 343 (15)
1996–1997 → Gavà (loan) 35 (0)
Total 485 (19)
National team
2001–2006 Basque Country 4 (0)
2003–2005 Navarre 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent his entire professional career with Osasuna, appearing in 386 official matches for the club and reaching the final of the 2005 Copa del Rey.

Club career

Cruchaga was born in Ezcároz – Ezkaroze. A product of Navarrese club CA Osasuna's youth ranks, he played one season on loan to lowly CF Gavà before making his first-team debut on 14 September 1997, in a second division 0–0 home draw against Albacete Balompié. He went on to total 249 games and nine goals in La Liga, where he first appeared on 10 September 2000 in a 0–2 home loss to RC Celta de Vigo,[2] and played 36 matches in his first year in the top level.

Cruchaga was part of the team's run in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup, in which they finally bowed out to eventual winners Sevilla FC in the semi-finals, participating in 12 games and completing 11. For the vast majority of his stay, he was the undisputed captain.[3][4][5]

In 2008–09, Cruchaga made only ten league appearances, and announced his retirement from football prior to the end of the campaign, still being started in the 31 May 2009 decider against Real Madrid, where the 2–1 home victory guaranteed top-flight permanence for a further year.[6][7]

References
  1. "César CRUCHAGA Lasa". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. Monreal, Félix (11 September 2000). "El Celta impone su ley ante un flojo Osasuna" [Celta lay down the law against a weak Osasuna]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  3. "Cruchaga, todo un ejemplo" [Cruchaga, an example like no other] (in Spanish). Navarra Sport. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  4. Martínez de Zúñiga, Uxue (2 January 2010). "Cruchaga, de capitán a forofo" [Cruchaga, from captain to fan]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  5. ""Que los metan en la cárcel", Cruchaga no se muerde la lengua" ["To jail with them", Cruchaga does not bite his tongue]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 April 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  6. "Osasuna 2–1 Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  7. "Cruchaga cumple su despedida soñada con el equipo en Primera" [Cruchaga has dreamed farewell with team in Primera]. El Confidencial (in Spanish). 31 May 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
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