Xabier Eskurza

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Eskurza and the second or maternal family name is García.
Xabier Eskurza
Personal information
Full name Xabier Eskurza García[1]
Date of birth (1970-01-17) 17 January 1970 (age 54)[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

Xabier Eskurza García (born 17 January 1970) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right midfielder.

He achieved La Liga figures of 256 games and goals in 11 seasons, with Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Mallorca and Oviedo.[2]

Club career

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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

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Eskurza represented Spain at youth level.[14] He also earned caps for the unofficial Basque Country team.[15]

Honours

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Barcelona

Mallorca

References

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  1. ^ a b c Xabier Eskurza at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Gurruchaga, Iñaki (20 November 1989). ""Chechu" Rojo debutó con victoria" ["Chechu" Rojo had winning debut]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Los peores fichajes del Barcelona" [Barcelona's worst signings]. Libertad Digital (in Spanish). 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Eskurza, operado" [Eskurza, surgery for him]. El País (in Spanish). 8 September 1994. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Pallàs, Joan Josep (29 August 1998). "El Betis fue el último en fichar" [Betis signed last]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Giraldo, Javier (6 July 2017). "Qué fue de... Xabier Eskurza?" [What happened to... Xabier Eskurza?]. Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Xabi Prieto, el jugador con más partidos desde 1979" [Xabi Prieto, the player with the most matches since 1979] (in Spanish). EITB. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
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