Rafael Iriondo facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea | ||
| Date of birth | 24 October 1918 | ||
| Place of birth | Guernica, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 24 February 2016 (aged 97) | ||
| Place of death | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Playing position | 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 | ||
| – | 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 | ||
|
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Rafael Iriondo Aurtenechea was a famous Spanish football player and manager. He was born on October 24, 1918, and passed away on February 24, 2016. Rafael played as a forward, which means he was a player who tried to score goals.
He played for 15 seasons, scoring over 88 goals in 286 games. Most of his playing career was with Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad. After he stopped playing, he became a football manager. He managed teams for almost 30 years, including the two clubs he played for.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
Rafael Iriondo was born in a town called Guernica in Spain. He started his football career in 1939. His first team was Atlético Tetuán.
Playing Career Highlights
Iriondo played many games for Athletic Bilbao. He played 328 official games and scored 115 goals for the club. He was a very important player for them.
In 1953, he moved to another team nearby, Barakaldo CF. After a few months, he went back to the top league. He joined Real Sociedad. He stopped playing football professionally after the 1954–55 season.
Becoming a Manager
Right after he stopped playing, Iriondo started coaching. His first coaching job was with SD Indautxu. This team was in the second division of Spanish football.
He continued coaching in his home region, the Basque Country. He managed teams like Deportivo Alavés and Barakaldo CF. He coached many different clubs over the years.
Rafael Iriondo stopped coaching in 1982. His last team as a manager was Real Betis.
Later Life and Passing
Rafael Iriondo passed away on February 24, 2016. He was 97 years old. He died in Bilbao, Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Rafael Iriondo para niños
