Place of birth Burcena, Spain Name Andoni Murua Playing position Role Footballer | Years Team Height 1.72 m 1971–1975 Bilbao Athletic Children Irune Murua | |
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Full name Andoni Murua Zenarruzabeitia Date of birth (1953-03-20) 20 March 1953 (age 62) | ||
Andoni Murúa Zentarruzabeitia (born 20 March 1953) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a left winger.
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He appeared in 121 La Liga games over the course of five seasons, scoring 29 goals.
Club career
Born in the village of Burceña, in Barakaldo, Biscay, Murúa emerged through Basque Country giants Athletic Bilbao's youth system. He spent four seasons with the reserve team in the third division, but could not break into the first team as he was barred by Txetxu Rojo, moving to another club in the category and his native region, Sestao Sport Club.
In the 1977 summer, Murúa signed with Levante UD also in the third level – renamed Segunda División B shortly before – helping to promotion to division two in his second year with a career-best 38 goals. He played six games in the following season scoring twice, before moving in late 1979 to La Liga with AD Almería, coached by former Athletic great José María Maguregui: on 21 October of that year he made his debut in the competition, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Real Sociedad, and finished the campaign with 11 goals.
After a further two seasons in the top flight with RCD Español, Murúa returned to division two and joined Racing de Santander, promoting to the main division in 1984 (25 matches, four goals); on both occasions he was managed by Maguregui.
Murúa retired from professional football in 1986 at the age of 33, playing with his first team Sestao in the second division.
International career
Murua did not gain one cap for Spain. When he played with Almería, however, he was pre-selected by László Kubala for the 1982 FIFA World Cup which was played on home soil, but did not make the final list.
Personal life
Murúa's younger brother, Edorta (ten years his junior), was also a footballer. A defender, he too played with Bilbao Athletic and Sestao (coinding with his sibling in the latter as he was playing his final year), and appeared in two top level seasons with Real Oviedo (1988–90).
Murúa's daughter, Irune, also represented Athletic Bilbao.