Javier Escalza

Javier Escalza
	Escalza in 1977
Personal information
Full name	Javier Escalza Ellakuria
Date of birth	10 December 1952
Place of birth	Arrankudiaga, Spain
Date of death	16 November 2007 (aged 54)
Place of death	Getxo, Spain
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team
1970–1971	Villosa
1972–1973	Barakaldo
1973–1980	Athletic Bilbao
1980–1983	Español
1983–1984	Sabadell
1984–1987	Sestao
International career
1978	Spain
Managerial career
1989–1993	Basconia
1994–1995	Cacereño
1996	Amurrio
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Javier Escalza Ellakuria (10 December 1952 – 16 November 2007) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Born in Arrankudiaga, Biscay, Escalza began playing with amateurs CD Villosa, returning to organized football only two years later with Barakaldo CF in Segunda División. In the following summer, aged 21, he joined Basque giants Athletic Bilbao, making his La Liga debut on 27 April 1974 in a 0–1 away loss against UD Las Palmas, his only appearance of the season.

From there onwards, Escalza became an undisputed starter for the Lions:^[1] in the 1976–77 campaign he played 51 official games as the team finished in third position in the league and reached the UEFA Cup final, losing on the away goals rule to Juventus FC.

Escalza left Athletic in June 1980, having appeared in 207 matches all competitions comprised (one goal in the Copa del Rey).^[2] He subsequently joined fellow top level side RCD Español, being first-choice over the course of three seasons, and finished his career at the age of nearly 36 after one year with CE Sabadell FC and three with Sestao Sport Club (two seasons in Segunda División B, another two in the second level).

International career

Escalza won one cap with Spain, on 8 November 1978 in a 0–1 loss with France. Additionally, he played three times with the Basque Country regional team.

Death

Escalza died on 16 November 2007 in Getxo, less than one month before celebrating his 55th birthday.^[2]

References

^ "Los cachorros son casi leones" [The pups are almost lions] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 23 May 1975. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
^ ^a ^b Fallece Javier Escalza, ex defensa internacional (Javier Escalza, former international defender, dies); Marca, 16 November 2007 (in Spanish)

External links

Javier Escalza at BDFutbol
Javier Escalza manager profile at BDFutbol
Javier Escalza at Athletic Bilbao
Javier Escalza at National-Football-Teams.com

[1] "Los cachorros son casi leones" [The pups are almost lions] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 23 May 1975. Retrieved 7 December 2015.

[DEATH-2] Fallece Javier Escalza, ex defensa internacional (Javier Escalza, former international defender, dies); Marca, 16 November 2007 (in Spanish)

[1]

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