Txiki Begiristain

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Aitor Begiristain Mújica (born in Olaberria, Guipúzcoa, August 12, 1964), usually known as Txiki Begiristain, is a Basque former footballer who played professionally during the 1980s and 1990s. He played as an attacking midfielder for Real Sociedad, Barcelona, Deportivo La Coruña, Urawa Red Diamonds and Spain. After retiring as a player Begiristain worked for Televisió de Catalunya before becoming Director of Football at Barcelona.

Begiristain began his career with Real Sociedad in 1982 and subsequently played 187 games and scored 23 goals in La Liga for the club. He was a member of the Real squad that was coached by John Toshack and also included Luis Arconada, Roberto López Ufarte, José Mari Bakero and Luis López Rekarte. The highlights of his career at Real included scoring the second goal in the 1987 Copa del Rey final against Atlético Madrid. The game finished 2-2 with Real eventually winning on penalties. In 1988 he helped the club finish runners-up in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. In both competitions Real lost out to FC Barcelona and within a month of the Copa final Begiristain, along with Bakero and López Rekarte signed for FC Barcelona.

Begiristain scored on his debut for FC Barcelona in a 2-0 win over RCD Espanyol. Along with fellow Basque players Bakero, Andoni Zubizarreta, Julio Salinas and Goikoetxea II, he became a prominent member of the Dream Team, winning numerous honours. During seven seasons at the club he played 223 games and scored 63 goals in La Liga for FC Barcelona. Among his personal highlights were hat-tricks against Real Valladolid in 1991 and Real Zaragoza in 1993.

During his last two seasons at Barcelona, Begiristain was no longer a first team regular and in 1995 he signed for Deportivo La Coruña where he linked up with two past acquaintances, John Toshack and Luis López Rekarte. He subsequently helped his new club win the Supercopa de España. He scored in the away leg as Deportivo beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabéu. During the subsequent two seasons with Deportivo, Begiristain played 43 La Liga games and scored 4 goals. The only real other highlight of his time at Deportivo was a goal against Extremadura on the final day of the 1996/97 season. The resulting 1-0 win saw Deportivo finish third in La Liga. The following season he joined Urawa Red Diamonds and after two seasons in Japan he retired as player.

Begiristain also played 22 times and scored 6 goals for Spain between 1988 and 1994. He made his debut in a 2-1 defeat against Czechoslovakia. He represented Spain at Euro 88 and the 1994 World Cup.

[edit] Honours

Real Sociedad

• Supercopa de España: 1
  • 1982
• Copa del Rey: 1
  • 1987

FC Barcelona

• European Cup: 1
  • 1991/92
• Spanish Champions: 4
  • 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94
• European Cup Winners Cup: 1
  • 1989
• European Supercup :1
  • 1992

• Copa del Rey: 1
  • 1990

Deportivo de La Coruña

• Supercopa de España: 1
  • 1995

[edit] External links

• La Liga stats
• Spain stats

v • d • e Spain squad - UEFA Euro 1988 1 Zubizarreta • 2 Reñones • 3 Camacho • 4 Andrinúa • 5 Víctor • 6 Calderé • 7 Salinas • 8 Sanchís • 9 Butragueño • 10 Eloy • 11 Gordillo • 12 Diego • 13 Buyo • 14 Gallego • 15 Eusebio • 16 Bakero • 17 Begiristain • 18 Soler • 19 Martín Vázquez • 20 Míchel • Coach: Muñoz

v • d • e Spain squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Zubizarreta • 2 Ferrer • 3 Otero • 4 Camarasa • 5 Abelardo • 6 Hierro • 7 Goikoetxea • 8 Guerrero • 9 Guardiola • 10 Bakero • 11 Begiristain • 12 Sergi • 13 Cañizares • 14 Juanele • 15 Caminero • 16 Miñambres • 17 Voro • 18 Alkorta • 19 Salinas • 20 Nadal • 21 Luis Enrique • 22 Lopetegui • Coach: Clemente