Javier Iturriaga

Javier Iturriaga Arrillaga (born 3 November 1983) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Iturriaga and the second or maternal family name is Arrillaga.

Javier Iturriaga
Personal information
Full name Javier Iturriaga Arrillaga
Date of birth (1983-11-03) 3 November 1983
Place of birth Mexico City, Mexico
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Getxo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Getxo
2002–2004 Basconia 45 (3)
2004–2006 Bilbao Athletic 48 (4)
2006–2007 Athletic Bilbao 4 (0)
2007–2009 Salamanca 5 (0)
2008 → Lorca Deportiva (loan) 11 (0)
2009 → Lemona (loan) 13 (0)
2009–2012 Portugalete ? (10)
2012–2015 Getxo ? (4)
Total 126 (21)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Unlike most of the players brought up at Athletic Bilbao, Iturriaga was not born in the Basque Country, or even in Spain. He was born and grew up in Mexico City, his family having moved to Mexico in the early 1980s from their native city of Zarautz after his father was relocated for business purposes to that Latin American country.[1][2]

Iturriaga went to elementary school in Mexico, but at the age of 13 his family returned to Europe where he attended St Edmunds College Catholic School near Ware, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. He showed his natural sporting talents there, quickly learning to play cricket and gaining a place in the Hertfordshire under-14 rugby county team, having played the game for only a few weeks; after high school he finally went back to Spain, where he became a regional junior champion in the racquet sport padel and began to play football with local CD Getxo[3] while planning to study civil engineering.[2][1]

Club career

In 2002, aged 18, Iturriaga joined Athletic Bilbao following in the footsteps of his brother Iñigo,[4][5] and meeting the criteria of the club's philosophy despite his birthplace by having developed as a footballer in the Basque region. He first appeared for the farm team, CD Basconia followed by the reserves, spending two seasons playing regularly with each squad.[2]

Iturriaga was definitely promoted to the main squad for the 2006–07 campaign,[6][7][1] but only appeared in four La Liga games as the side finished one place above relegation (17th). His debut came on 15 October 2006, as he came on as a substitute for Pablo Orbaiz in the 58th minute of the 3–2 away win against Gimnàstic de Tarragona;[8][2] during his spell at the San Mamés Stadium, he was mainly restricted to Copa del Rey matches.[9]

In the following summer, Iturriaga was released by Athletic and signed with Segunda División team UD Salamanca where he was also highly unsuccessful, going on to serve two loans in Segunda División B, including one at SD Lemona. In 2009, he left but stayed in the Biscay area, moving to amateurs Club Portugalete.[10]

After three seasons in Tercera División, Iturriaga signed for Getxo where he had already spent his formative years.[3]

International career

Iturriaga declared he wished to represent Mexico internationally. Hugo Sánchez, the legendary striker who played in Spain for twelve years and was then in charge of the national team, stated that he would have him in consideration and follow his progress.[11] However, the manager left his post to work with a club, and the player did not receive any call-ups.

Personal life

Away from football, Iturriaga gained a master's degree in industrial engineering from the University of the Basque Country and became a professional in the field.[12]

References
  1. "Javier Iturriaga, joven vascomexicano, realizará la pretemporada con el primer equipo del Athletic de Bilbao" [Javier Iturriaga, young Basque-Mexican, will make the preseason with the first team of Athletic Bilbao] (in Spanish). Euskal Kultura. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. "Zarautz: Javier Iturriaga debutó con el Athletic de Bilbao" [Zarautz: Javier Iturriaga made his debut with Athletic Bilbao] (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. 19 October 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. "El ex-león Iturriaga regresa al Getxo después de una década" [Former lion Iturriaga returns to Getxo after a decade] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  4. "Iturriaga: Iñigo Iturriaga Arrillaga". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. "Iturriaga". Athletic Bilbao. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  6. Confía Iturriaga en mejoría del Athletic (Iturriaga trusts in Athletic improvement) Archived 8 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine; Es Más, 21 November 2006 (in Spanish)
  7. Athletic de Bilbao, cien años sin extranjeros (Athletic de Bilbao, one hundred years without foreign players); La Vanguardia, 18 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  8. Gimnastic de Tarragona 2–3 Athletic Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 15 October 2006
  9. El mexicano Iturriaga, posible ante los rojillos (Mexico's Iturriaga, a possibility against the reds); La Jornada, 15 March 2007 (in Spanish)
  10. "La diáspora de Lezama" [Lezama's diaspora] (in Spanish). El Correo. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  11. "A Javier Iturriaga le encantaría jugar en la selección mexicana" [Javier Iturriaga would love to play in the Mexican national team] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. 21 November 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  12. "Javier Iturriaga Arrillaga" (in Spanish). LinkedIn. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
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