 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Agustín Gaínza Vicandi | ||
| Date of birth | (1922-05-28)28 May 1922 | ||
| Place of birth | Basauri, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 6 January 1995(1995-01-06) (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | Basauri, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Athletic Bilbao | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1940–1959 | Athletic Bilbao | 380 | (119) |
| International career | |||
| 1945–1955 | Spain | 33 | (10) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1964–1965 | Bilbao Athletic | ||
| 1965–1968 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (28 May 1922 – 6 January 1995) was a Spanishfootballforward andmanager.
NicknamedPiru, Gaínza's entire career was spent withAthletic Bilbao. Born inBasauri,Biscay, he made his official debut and scored in aBiscay Championship match on 15 January 1939 againstSD Erandio Club, aged 16 years, seven months and 18 days. This made him the club's second-youngest debutant (behindDomingo Acedo in 1914), a statistic which lasted until 2009 whenIker Muniain surpassed the appearance record by seven days[1] and equalled the scoring one the following week.[2]
Gaínza made hisLa Liga debut on 13 October 1940 in a 1–0 away loss againstHércules CF,[3] then proceeded to play a total of 19 seasons in the competition with the same team, amassing totals of 380 games and 119 goals.[4] During his spell with theLions ofSan Mamés he won nine major titles, including two national championships and sevenCopa del Generalísimo trophies, plus a Biscay Championship and aCopa Eva Duarte (supercup).[3] In May 1958, he received atestimonial match against English sideWest Bromwich Albion;[5][6] coincidentally, the only goalscorer wasRonnie Allen who later became head coach of Athletic[7] and organised further benefit matches between the clubs.[5]
Gaínza retired at the end of the1958–59 campaign at the age of 37, having appeared in 494 official matches which was a club best at the time of his retirement. Such was his length of service that in addition to being one of its youngest goalscorers he was also the oldest, having found the net for the final time againstSevilla FC in March 1959, aged 36 years and 298 days;[8] that record stood for 58 years, untilAritz Aduriz surpassed it in December 2017.[9]
Gainza also set several Spanish Cup records: he won seven editions, appeared in nine finals, played most for one club in the competition (99 games),[4][10] and was the highest scorer in a single match, having claimed eight goals in a 12–1 victory overCelta de Vigo in the1947 quarter-finals after a 1–0 loss in the first leg.[11][3][10]
Gaínza coached Athletic during four seasons in the 1960s. He was sacked just six games into1968–69, being replaced by former teammateRafael Iriondo who led the side toa domestic cup conquest.
Gaínza won 33caps forSpain, scoring ten goals. He made his debut on 11 March 1945 in afriendly againstPortugal and, as with Athletic, wasteam captain in the1950 FIFA World Cup as the country finished in fourth position.[12][3][10]
Gaínza's older brother,Miguel (1920–86), was also a footballer. Adefender, he too played for Athletic Bilbao, and also forBarakaldo CF.[13][14] It was reported that as a child Agustín was not interested in football and had to be encouraged to play the game by Miguel,[3] and even when approached by Athletic in his teens was reluctant to take it up as a career, with his brother persuading him to agree terms.[10]
Two bronzebusts of Gaínza were created by the sculptor José Manuel Alberdi in 1997. One was displayed outside his family home in Basauri (having been donated to the town by the local supporters' club),[15] and the other was situated at the Athletic Bilbao training headquarters atLezama.[16]
Gaínza died on 6 January 1995 in his hometown, at the age of 72.[17]
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