Luis María Echeberría

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Echeberría and the second or maternal family name is Igartua.

Luis María Echeberría

Personal information
Full name	Luis María Echeberría Igartua
Date of birth	(1940-03-24)24 March 1940
Place of birth	Asua, Spain
Date of death	19 October 2016(2016-10-19) (aged 76)
Place of death	Las Arenas, Spain
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
	Getxo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1958–1960	Getxo
1960–1961	Basconia	38	(0)
1961–1972	Athletic Bilbao	259	(1)
1972–1973	Barakaldo	9	(0)
Total		306	(1)
International career
1961	Spain B	1	(0)
1962–1963	Spain	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luis María Echeberría Igartua (24 March 1940 – 19 October 2016) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Born in Asua, Biscay, Echeberría signed for Athletic Bilbao in 1961 at the age of 21 from Basque Country neighbours CD Basconia, at that time still not the club's farm team. He made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 10 September 1961 in a 1–2 away loss against Sevilla FC, and finished his debut season with 29 league appearances (out of a possible 30) as his team finished fifth.

In the following years, Echeberría would be part of a legendary Athletic defense that also featured José Ángel Iribar in goal, Jesús Aranguren and Iñaki Sáez, helping the Lions to the 1969 Copa del Rey and appearing in more than 300 official games with his main club. He retired from football in 1973 (aged 33) after one season with Barakaldo CF, in Segunda División.

International career

Echeberría earned four caps for Spain, during nearly one year (exactly 11 months and three weeks). His debut came on 6 June 1962 as the national team lost 1–2 against Brazil at Viña del Mar in that year's FIFA World Cup, for an eventual group stage exit.

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

• Copa del Generalísimo: 1969; Runner-up 1965–66, 1966–67

External links

• Luis María Echeberría at Athletic Bilbao
• Luis María Echeberría at BDFutbol
• Luis María Echeberría at National-Football-Teams.com
• Luis María Echeberría – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Luis María Echeberría at EU-Football.info