Guillermo Gorostiza

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Gorostiza and the second or maternal family name is Paredes.

Guillermo Gorostiza Paredes (15 February 1909 – 23 August 1966) was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.

In a 14-year professional career, he played for Athletic Bilbao and Valencia, amassing La Liga totals of 256 games and 178 goals and winning 11 major titles with the two teams combined.

Gorostiza appeared for Spain at the 1934 World Cup.

Club career

Athletic Bilbao

Gorostiza was born in Santurtzi, Biscay. He played youth football for Chávarri de Sestao and Zugazarte, making his senior debuts with Arenas Club de Getxo and Racing de Ferrol (one season apiece), and signing for Athletic Bilbao in 1929. He made his La Liga debut on 1 December 1929 against Real Madrid, and scored 37 league goals in his first two seasons combined (only 36 games) as the club won back-to-back national championships, adding as many Copa del Rey trophies.[1]

Gorostiza was a member of an Athletic team that also included Bata and was coached by English Fred Pentland, and won two Pichichi awards with the club. He scored the winning goal in the 1933 Spanish Cup final, a 2–1 win against Real Madrid in Barcelona.

During the Spanish Civil War, Gorostiza played with the Euskadi XI, a team which was put together at the suggestion of José Antonio Aguirre, the president of the Basque Country and a former Athletic player. The side went on tour to raise funds for the Basque cause and played in Europe and Mexico, even entering the Mexican league during the 1938–39 season.

Valencia / Later years

On returning to Spain in 1940, Gorostiza joined Valencia CF. The young Che squad had managed to remain intact during the conflict and now, aided by the veteran (31), eventually won two leagues and one cup, with the player netting in double digits in four of his six seasons, with a best of 20 goals in 24 games in 1941–42.

After leaving Valencia, Gorostiza played for Barakaldo CF during the 1946–47 season, in Segunda División, and then retired, at the age of 38. However, he twice came out of retirement, with CD Logroñés and Juvencia Trubia, finally calling it quits in 1951.

International career

While at Athletic, Gorostiza made his debut for Spain, appearing against Czechoslovakia on 14 June 1930. He represented the nation at the 1934 FIFA World Cup, playing in the 3–1 win against Brazil and the 1–1 against Italy; he missed the replay against the latter, in a 0–1 loss.

Gorostiza gained the last of his 19 caps on 12 December 1941, in another friendly match, with Switzerland in Valencia.

Death

Gorostiza struggled with alcoholism still during his playing days, which eventually led to severe economic problems. He died at the age of 57 in Bilbao.[2]

Club statistics

Club performance League Cup Regional Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spain League Cup Regional Total
1929–30Athletic BilbaoLa Liga1820109843633
1930–31181743873027
1931–32159710762925
1932–33171497633224
1933–34151462842920
1934–3518820982916
1935–36181031822913
1938–39--2187109
1939–40211444793227
Total 140106 4737 6950 256193
1940–41ValenciaLa Liga211477--2821
1941–42242086--3226
1942–4313200--132
1943–44211667--2723
1944–45241661--3017
1945–4613434--168
Total 11672 3025 -- 14697
Total Spain 256178 7762 6950 402290

Honours

Club

Athletic Bilbao
Valencia

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Leyendas del Athletic Club de Bilbao – 'Bala roja'" [Athletic Club de Bilbao legends – 'Red bullet'] (in Spanish). El Correo. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  2. ↑ De Gorostiza a Penev, pasando por Romario (From Gorostiza to Penev, with reference to Romario); Levante-EMV, 27 December 2009 (Spanish)
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