Juan Antonio Larrañaga

Juan Antonio Larrañaga
Personal information
Full name Juan Antonio Larrañaga Gurruchaga
Date of birth (1958-07-03) 3 July 1958
Place of birth Azpeitia, Spain
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Defender
Youth career
Lagun Onak
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1980 San Sebastián
1980–1994 Real Sociedad 460 (15)
National team
1986–1987 Spain U21 4 (0)
1987 Spain U23 2 (0)
1988 Spain 1 (0)
1993 Basque Country 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Juan Antonio Larrañaga Gurruchaga (alt.spelling Ion Andoni; born 3 July 1958 in Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

A Real Sociedad youth graduate, Larrañaga started playing as a midfielder and began his career with local CD Lagun Onak, being purchased in 1977 by the community giants. In January 1980 he made his first-team debut in the Copa del Rey, against Navarre neighbours Peña Sport FC.

Although he appeared sparingly in the 1980–81 season, as Real won the first of its two consecutive titles, Larrañaga did play in the decisive draw at Sporting de Gijón in the last round,[1] and featured in all the matches in the following campaign whilst adding two goals. From 1986 to 1992, he only missed two La Liga games combined.

Larrañaga retired at 36 at the end of 1993–94, having played in 460 top flight contests (589 overall, only behind Alberto Górriz). He is the only player of the league-winning sides to have played in the club's two grounds: Atotxa and Anoeta.[2]

International career

Larrañaga received one cap for Spain, playing the entire 1–2 friendly defeat against Czechoslovakia on 24 February 1988, in Málaga.[3] He also appeared four times for the under-21 team.

Post-retirement

After retiring, Larrañaga took up coaching, but only in the lower leagues (for six years). He also appeared as a commentator for ETB 1, which lasted until the end of the 2005–06 season.

From 2006 to 2008, Larrañaga served as the youth coordinator of his only professional club, being fired at the end of the second division campaign.[4]

Honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ ¡Vaya epilogo! (What a finish!); Mundo Deportivo, 27 April 1981 (in Spanish)
  2. ↑ "Leyendas de la Real Sociedad – Larrañaga" [Real Sociedad legends – Larrañaga] (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Ensayo fatal y derrota inquietante (Fatal rehearsal and troubling defeat); Mundo Deportivo, 25 February 1988 (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ Badiola despide a Larrañaga (Badiola fires Larrañaga); El Diario Vasco, 9 April 2008 (in Spanish)
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