Javier María Sagarzazu Unanue (11 December 1958 – 16 August 1987) was a Spanish footballer who played as a right back.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Javier María Sagarzazu Unanue | ||
| Date of birth | 11 December 1958 | ||
| Place of birth | Azkoitia, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 16 August 1987 (aged 28) | ||
| Place of death | Carral, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1983 | San Sebastián | 42 | (1) |
| 1983–1987 | Real Sociedad | 117 | (0) |
| 1987 | Deportivo de La Coruña | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 159 | (1) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He played 155 total matches for Real Sociedad, including four regular seasons in La Liga and winning the Copa del Rey in 1987. He died suddenly aged 28, on his way to a game for Deportivo de La Coruña.
Career
editBorn in Azkoitia in the Basque Country, Sagarzazu came through the ranks of nearby Real Sociedad. He played for the reserve team San Sebastián CF in the Segunda División B. His first involvement with the first team came on 20 April 1983, when the team went to Hamburger SV in the semi-finals of the European Cup with several key players absent.[1] His first-team debut came on 8 June in the second leg of the second round of the Copa de la Liga away to RCD Español, playing the last ten minutes of extra time as a substitute for José Diego as the game ended goalless and La Real won in a penalty shootout; manager Alberto Ormaetxea said "he is an interesting boy who will be with me next season".[2]
Sagarzazu made his La Liga debut on 3 September 1983 as the new season began with a 3–1 loss at Real Murcia. He became a mainstay in the team, with his final game being the 1987 Copa del Rey final which his team won on penalties against Atlético Madrid at La Romareda on 27 June.[3] He received only six yellow cards in his 155-game spell at the club.[1]
Sagarzazu was discarded by manager John Toshack, who liked him as a professional and a person but wanted full-backs who fit his tactical model. According to teammates, he was the only unhappy face at their cup celebrations, and burst into tears upon realising he had played his final game.[1]
Death
editSagarzazu transferred to Deportivo de La Coruña of the Segunda División.[4] On 16 August 1987, as the club were travelling to a pre-season friendly in nearby Carral, he fell unconscious; he was taken by car to the town and given cardiac stimulants by a doctor, recovering his breathing but not his consciousness. At A Coruña hospital he was declared dead of edema in the brain and lung.[3]
Sagarzazu's widow gave birth to a son months after his death, who was given his name. On 22 June 1993, the five-year-old boy scored the symbolic last goal at Real Sociedad's Atotxa Stadium.[5]
The events affected Deportivo, who narrowly avoided relegation from the 1987–88 Segunda División.[3]
Honours
editReal Sociedad
References
edit- ^ a b c "Una vida en La Real, una tragedia en el Deportivo" [A life in La Real, a tragedy in Deportivo]. Marca (in Spanish). 30 May 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ ""A estas alturas y con este calor... ¿qué más quieren?"" ["At this stage of the season and with this heat... what else do you want?]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 9 June 1983. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d Casado, Edu (15 November 2015). "Quién fue… Javier Sagarzazu, el futbolista que murió por un derrame cerebral cuando iba en el autobús del equipo" [Who was... Javier Sagarzazu, the footballer who died from a stroke when he was on the team bus]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Eusebio Ríos: "Este año no podemos fracasar"" [Eusebio Ríos: "This year we can't fail"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 July 1987. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ López, Ángel (5 June 2018). "El día que habló el mítico campo" [The day that the mythical pitch spoke]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 July 2024.
External links
edit- Javier Sagarzazu at BDFutbol
