Fernando Tirapu

Fernando Tirapu Arteta (7 November 1951 – 28 July 2018) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender or midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Tirapu and the second or maternal family name is Arteta.

Fernando Tirapu
Personal information
Full name Fernando Tirapu Arteta
Date of birth (1951-11-07)7 November 1951
Place of birth Pamplona, Spain
Date of death 28 July 2018(2018-07-28) (aged 66)
Place of death Pamplona, Spain
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Youth career
Oberena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1970–1974 Osasuna 75 (3)
1974–1977 Valencia 99 (0)
1977–1983 Athletic Bilbao 151 (3)
1983–1985 Osasuna 32 (0)
Total 357 (6)
National team
1979–1980 Basque Country 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He featured professionally for Osasuna, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao, making a total of 282 appearances in La Liga.

Club career

A native of Pamplona, Navarre, Tirapu began his career in his hometown at CD Oberena, from where he was signed by CA Osasuna in 1970, aged 19. At that time the latter club competed in Tercera División, but it was promoted at the end of his second season; by now a regular at the El Sadar Stadium, he made his debut in the professional leagues on 3 September 1972 in a 0–1 home defeat to Racing de Santander, under manager Moruca. He scored his first goal a few weeks later against Pontevedra CF (2–1 away win), as his team went on to be relegated from Segunda División in 1974.

However, rather than moving down a level, Tirapu moved up when he joined La Liga side Valencia CF that summer. His first game in the competition took place on 7 September 1974, in a 1–2 home loss to Real Madrid.[1] In his first year, he made a major contribution in nullifying the attacking threat of Johan Cruijff as Los Che battled to a 1–0 victory over FC Barcelona.[2] After playing regularly for three seasons at the Mestalla Stadium, during which the side did not challenge for major honours, he transferred to Athletic Bilbao in 1977 for a fee of around 23 million pesetas.[3]

Tirapu was part of 'Operation Return' where Athletic sought to bring Basque players based around Spain 'home' to play for them.[4] He made his debut under Koldo Aguirre in the opening game of the 1977–78 campaign, a 0–0 draw at Real Betis on 4 September 1977.[5] Later that month he appeared in his first European match, against Servette FC in the first round of the UEFA Cup.[6] He played 204 competitive matches during his stint in Bilbao, contributing only one to the 1982–83 league conquest.[7]

In 1983, Tirapu followed a route taken by several players when he moved back to Osasuna (who by now had returned to the top flight).[8] Two years later, he finished his career at the age of 34.

International career

Tirapu never earned any caps for Spain, but he did feature for the unofficial Basque Country regional team.

Personal life and death

Tirapu's younger brother, Mariano, was also a footballer. A goalkeeper, he also played for Osasuna among other clubs.[9] Both were related to Ainhoa Tirapu, goalkeeper for Athletic Bilbao's women's team and the daughter of their cousin.[10]

Tirapu died on 28 July 2018 at the age of 66, in his hometown of Pamplona.[11]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References
  1. Domínguez, M. (8 September 1974). "1–2: En un impresionante "rush" final, el Madrid se impuso al Valencia" [1–2: In impressive final rush, Madrid bested Valencia]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. Lloret, Paco (28 November 2014). "El día en que Tirapu borró a Cruyff" [The day Tirapu wiped out Cruyff]. Las Provincias (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  3. "El Athletic fichó a Tirapu" [Athletic signed Tirapu]. El País (in Spanish). 10 August 1977. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. "El dato: Athletic – Eibar, el último gol de Irureta" [The data: Athletic – Eibar, the final Irureta goal] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. Filgueira, José Antonio (5 September 1977). "0–0: El Betis «bestia negra» para el Athletic" [0–0: Betis Athletic's "nemesis"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  6. "1–0: No se vió un gran Athletic" [1–0: Not a great display from Athletic]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 15 September 1977. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  7. "2–1: El Zaragoza, a pulso" [2–1: Zaragoza, feeling it]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 October 1982. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  8. Velasco, Juanma (28 October 2016). "Athletic y Osasuna, una carretera de doble sentido" [Athletic and Osasuna, a two-way road]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  9. "Mariano Tirapu Arteta" (in Spanish). Porteros Vascos de Leyenda. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  10. Martín, Nacho (26 February 2014). "Ainhoa Tirapu: «Perder la liga en casa ante el Barcelona fue mi momento más duro»" [Ainhoa Tirapu: "Losing the league at home against Barcelona was my toughest moment"] (in Spanish). La Paradinha. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  11. "El exleón Fernando Tirapu fallece a los 66 años" [Former lion Fernando Tirapu dies at the age of 66]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
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