Javier Iturriaga

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)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Getxo
Youth career
Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Arenas Getxo
2002–2004 Baskonia 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
2012– Getxo ? (4)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2014.


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

Javier Iturriaga Arrillaga (born 3 November 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays for CD Getxo as a midfielder.

Early life

Unlike most of the players brought up at Athletic Bilbao, Iturriaga was not born in the Basque Country, or even in Spain. However, the club's philosophy does not mandate that a player is born in the region to be eligible as long as he has ancestors, and this criterion was met by his parents who both hailed from the area; his family arrived to Mexico in the early 80's from their native city of Zarautz, after his father was relocated for business purposes to that Latin American country.

Iturriaga was born and grew up in Mexico City, attended 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. Whilst at school in England he showed his natural sporting talents, 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 Bilbao where he followed the footsteps of his brother Iñigo, joining Bilbao's youth system.[1][2]

Club career

In 2002, after a passage at lowly Arenas Club de Getxo, already in Spain, Iturriaga re-joined Athletic, first appearing for the farm team, CD Baskonia. He was definitely promoted to the main squad for the 2006–07 season, 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 replaced Pablo Orbaiz in the 58th minute of the 3–2 away win against Gimnàstic de Tarragona,[3] but was mainly restricted to Copa del Rey matches.[4]

In the following summer Iturriaga was released by the Lions, joining second level's UD Salamanca where he was also highly unsuccessful, going on to serve two loans in the third division, including one at SD Lemona. In 2009 he was released but stayed in the Basque region, joining amateurs Club Portugalete.

After three seasons in division four Iturriaga signed for another club in the region and category, CD Getxo.

International career

Iturriaga declared he wished to represent Mexico internationally. Hugo Sánchez, the legendary striker who played 12 years in Spain and was then in charge of the national team, declared that he would have him in consideration and follow his progress.

However, Sánchez left the coaching post to return to club managing, and the player did not receive a callup.

References

  1. ↑ Confía Iturriaga en mejoría del Athletic (Iturriaga trusts in Athletic improvement); Es Más, 21 November 2006 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Athletic de Bilbao, cien años sin extranjeros (Athletic de Bilbao, one hundred years without foreign players); La Vanguardia, 18 December 2011 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ Gimnastic de Tarragona 2–3 Athletic Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 15 October 2006
  4. ↑ El mexicano Iturriaga, posible ante los rojillos (Mexico's Iturriaga, a possibility against the rojillos); La Jornada, 15 March 2007 (Spanish)
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