Summary
Xabier Eskurza García (born 17 January 1970) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right midfielder.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Xabier Eskurza García[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 January 1970[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Trapagaran, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1988 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1991 | Bilbao Athletic | 53 | (6) |
| 1989–1994 | Athletic Bilbao | 114 | (7) |
| 1994–1995 | Barcelona | 15 | (0) |
| 1995–1997 | Valencia | 52 | (2) |
| 1997–1998 | Mallorca | 24 | (0) |
| 1998–2000 | Oviedo | 51 | (0) |
| Total | 309 | (15) | |
| International career | |||
| 1989–1990 | Spain U20 | 3 | (1) |
| 1990–1991 | Spain U21 | 6 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | Spain U23 | 7 | (0) |
| 1994–1999 | Basque Country | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He achieved La Liga figures of 256 games and goals in 11 seasons, with Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Mallorca and Oviedo.[2]
Club career edit
Eskurza was born in Valle de Trápaga-Trapagaran, Biscay.[2] Progressing through the youth system of Athletic Bilbao, he made his La Liga debut with the club on 17 September 1989 in a 2–0 win over RC Celta de Vigo,[3] and scored his first goal in the competition two months later to help the hosts to defeat Real Zaragoza by the same result.[4] After strong performances in the 1993–94 season, he failed to reach an agreement for a renewal and signed for Johan Cruyff's FC Barcelona in a swap deal with Jon Andoni Goikoetxea.[5][6]
However, Eskurza only appeared in 19 competitive games in his one-year spell at the Camp Nou, mainly due to a serious adductor injury.[7] In summer 1995 he joined Valencia CF on a four-year contract[8] but, two years into it, moved to fellow top-division side RCD Mallorca with whom he reached the final of the 1997–98 Copa del Rey, missing the last attempt in the 5–4 penalty shootout loss to Barcelona in Valencia.[9]
Eskurza agreed to a deal at Real Oviedo in August 1998.[10] He retired in 2000 at age 30, due to hip problems.[11][12]
After his retirement, Eskurza worked as a players' agent.[13][11]
International career edit
Eskurza represented Spain at youth level.[14] He also earned caps for the unofficial Basque Country team.[15]
Honours edit
Barcelona
Mallorca
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 1997–98[2]
References edit
- ^ a b c Xabier Eskurza at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b c d Rodríguez Beltrán, Javier (17 April 2021). "Xabier Eskurza: "Yo, en esta final, voy a ganar"" [Xabier Eskurza: "Me, in this final, I'm winning"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Castañeda, Eduardo (18 September 1989). "2–0: El Athletic, en racha" [2–0: Athletic, on a roll]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Gurruchaga, Iñaki (20 November 1989). ""Chechu" Rojo debutó con victoria" ["Chechu" Rojo had winning debut]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Castañeda, Eduardo (5 August 1994). "Casi podrían visitarse en bicicleta" [They could almost visit each other by bike]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Los peores fichajes del Barcelona" [Barcelona's worst signings]. Libertad Digital (in Spanish). 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Eskurza, operado" [Eskurza, surgery for him]. El País (in Spanish). 8 September 1994. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Urrutia, Carlos (21 August 1995). "Eskurza se compromete con el Valencia hasta el 99" [Eskurza commits to Valencia until 99] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Bauzà, Jaume (7 March 2016). "Final de Mestalla 1998: un partido para la leyenda" [Mestalla 1998 final: a match for the ages]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Pallàs, Joan Josep (29 August 1998). "El Betis fue el último en fichar" [Betis signed last]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b Armero, Andrés (14 February 2014). "Eskurza: Si el Athletic quedase cuarto, habría que sacar la gabarra" [Eskurza: If Athletic finished fourth, we should bring out the barge]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Velasco, Juanma (25 February 2022). "Eskurza: "Cuando me marché del Athletic ganaba 5 millones de pesetas"" [Eskurza: "When I left Athletic I was making 5 million pesetas"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Ugalde, Iñaki (16 June 2021). ""Capa lo que quiere es quedarse"" ["Capa wants nothing more than to remain"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Giraldo, Javier (6 July 2017). "Qué fue de... Xabier Eskurza?" [What happened to... Xabier Eskurza?]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Xabi Prieto, el jugador con más partidos desde 1979" [Xabi Prieto, player with the most matches since 1979] (in Spanish). EITB. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
External links edit
- Xabier Eskurza at BDFutbol
- Xabier Eskurza at Athletic Bilbao