Santiago Urkiaga

Santiago Urkiaga Pérez (born 18 April 1958) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back.

Santiago Urkiaga
Personal information
Full nameSantiago Urkiaga Pérez[1]
Date of birth (1958-04-18) 18 April 1958 (age 66)[1]
Place of birthBarakaldo, Spain
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s)Right-back
Youth career
1970–1976Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1976–1979Bilbao Athletic90(1)
1979–1987Athletic Bilbao255(3)
1987–1989Español46(0)
Total391(4)
International career
1975–1976Spain U185(2)
1977Spain U203(0)
1978Spain U212(0)
1979–1980Spain amateur9(0)
1980Spain B3(0)
1980–1984Spain14(0)
Managerial career
1991–1993Santurtzi
1993–1994Basconia
Medal record
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up1984 France
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Barakaldo, Biscay,[2] Urkiaga spent nine seasons of his career with local powerhouse Athletic Bilbao,[3] being an ever-present fixture in the club's back-to-back La Liga conquests (1983–84)[4][5] and starting in all the 67 games he appeared in during that timeframe. He made his debut in the competition on 13 May 1979, playing 26 minutes in a 4–0 away loss against Atlético Madrid, going on to total 345 official appearances with seven goals.[2]

Urkiaga's final two seasons were spent with RCD Español where his former boss Javier Clemente was now the manager,[6] helping the Catalan side to reach the final of the UEFA Cup in his first year, a penalty shootout loss to Germany's Bayer 04 Leverkusen.[7] He retired in June 1989, at the age of 31.

International career

Urkiaga earned 14 caps for the Spain national team in four years, and was included in the 1982 FIFA World Cup[8] and UEFA Euro 1984 squads, being first-choice at the latter tournament as the nation finished second to hosts France.[9] His first match occurred on 26 March 1980, in a 0–2 friendly defeat to England in Barcelona.[10]

Urkiaga also competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics.[11][12]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

Español

Spain

References