Rafael Iriondo

Spanish football player/manager (1918-2016)

Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea (24 October 1918 – 24 February 2016) was a Spanish football player and manager. He played as a forward. He won a total of 286 games and scored over 88 goals over the course of 15 seasons. He played for Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad. He became a manager, working for nearly 30 years and being in charge of both clubs.

Rafael Iriondo
Personal information
Full name Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea
Date of birth (1918-10-24)24 October 1918
Place of birth Guernica, Spain
Date of death 24 February 2016(2016-02-24) (aged 97)
Place of death Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Gernika
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1939–1940 Atlético Tetuán
1940–1953 Athletic Bilbao 258 (79)
1953 Barakaldo 3 (1)
1953–1955 Real Sociedad 28 (9)
1955 Indautxu 1 (0)
Total 290 (89)
National team
1946–1947 Spain 2 (1)
Teams managed
1955–1956 Indautxu
1958–1959 Alavés
1961–1962 Barakaldo
1968–1969 Athletic Bilbao
1970 Español
1971–1972 Zaragoza
1972–1974 Real Sociedad
1974–1976 Athletic Bilbao
1976–1978 Betis
1980 Rayo Vallecano
1981–1982 Betis
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life change

Iriondo was born in Guernica, Spain.

Career change

Iriondo began his career in 1939 with the football team Atlético Tetuán.

After 328 official games for Athletic with 115 goals, Iriondo moved to another team in the region, Barakaldo CF, in 1953. After a couple of months, however, he returned to the top division and joined Real Sociedad. He retired shortly after the end of the 1954–55 season.

Iriondo started coaching quickly after retiring, with modest SD Indautxu in the second division.[1] He continued in his native Basque Country in the following years, with Deportivo Alavés and Barakaldo.[2]

Iriondo retired in 1982 after coaching Real Betis.

Death change

Iriondo died on 24 February 2016 in Bilbao, Spain from respiratory failure. He was aged 97.

References change

  1. Historia (History) Archived 2017-04-06 at the Wayback Machine; Indautxu's official website (in Spanish)
  2. Entrenadores (Managers); Barakaldo's official website (in Spanish)

Other websites change