There is nothing like Iribar

Last year on this same date the world of football focused on one of the great Athletic legends. A number 1 cannot be born on another day. In another month and year, perhaps; but as long as it is the 1st. Iribar, the legendary Txopo, celebrates its 81st birthday today.

His figure is still elongated as in his childhood he flew from jersey to jersey, from rock to rock or from stick to stick on the beach of Zarautz. The great goalkeepers of that time, legend has it, were beginning to take their first steps in the arena. They are not often bad at playing ball on the pediment either. At that time there were no computers, big data, or similar inventions.

Pure survival instinct helped the little ones manage themselves in more or less compromised situations when trying to make the ball spherical or anything else that seemed to end up with a goal. Iribar, they say, is also a pioneer in increasing counterattacks. His great weapon then was the long serve. From their place to the middle of the field or even beyond.

A good club

Athletic is privileged to have a real one as a reference. At the level of the games played in the red and white shirt, at the club ambassador level and at the human level. Good athlete, better person.

Last year the whole world of football joined the celebration of 80 years of Iribar. Goalkeepers of all ages, categories and countries want to wear the number 1 on their back on this date. Many of them also wore black, as the canons dictated.

At the time these lines were written, I did not know whether Athletic had reached the Cup final or not. That was yesterday. Now it’s time to greet Iribar, the mythical Txopo, and sing for another year “Iribar, Iribar, Iribar is great, there is nothing like Iribar.”