Bittor Alkiza

Bittor Alkiza

Personal information
Full name	Bittor Alkiza Fernández
Date of birth	(1970-10-26) 26 October 1970
Place of birth	San Sebastián, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1991	San Sebastián
1991–1994	Real Sociedad	92	(11)
1994–2003	Athletic Bilbao	287	(8)
2003–2005	Real Sociedad	38	(0)
Total		417	(19)
International career
1990	Spain U19	3	(1)
1990	Spain U20	1	(0)
1998	Spain	3	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Alkiza and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Bittor Alkiza Fernández (born 26 October 1970) is a Spanish retired footballer who played for both Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao.

Although its natural position was that of left midfielder, he could also play as a central one. He had a more than remarkable technique and a powerful mid-range shot coming in second line, combined with good passing and tackling abilities.

Over the course of 14 seasons, Alkiza amassed La Liga totals of 417 games and 19 goals.

Club career

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Alkiza made his professional debuts with local giants Real Sociedad, being promoted to the first team at only 20 and amassing more than 100 official appearances in his first three seasons (92 in La Liga). After an aborted transfer to Real Madrid, he eventually moved to Basque neighbours Athletic Bilbao in the 1994 summer, for 220 million pesetas.

Alkiza was also an automatic first-choice at his new club, not scoring so often as the attacking duties in midfield were more often than not the task of future Athletic great Julen Guerrero. In the 1997–98 campaign he only missed one game – playing 3,146 minutes – as the club finished in second place and qualified for the UEFA Champions League; in the subsequent competition, even though Athletic ranked last in its group, it did draw 0–0 at home against Juventus FC, the finalist of the previous three editions, with him playing the full 90 minutes.

In the 2003 summer, after more than 300 official appearances for Athletic, Alkiza returned to Real Sociedad who was due taking part in the season's Champions League. At 33 his debut campaign was satisfactory, but he eventually retired from the game the following year after not being able to heal a degenerative injury from early seasons; both teams combined, he surpassed the 500-games mark.

Alkiza later rejoined his last professional club, being charged with Real Sociedad's youth teams.

International career

Alkiza played thrice for Spain, in a two-month span. His debut came on 23 September 1998 in a friendly with Russia, in Granada: he scored the match's only goal, netting from outside the area.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	23 September 1998	Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain	Russia	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Personal life

• Alkiza's father, Iñaki, also played for some years with Real Sociedad, later serving as the club's president. He was also a relatively important local politician.
• He broke the "curse" that stated that players from Real would never succeed at Athletic (Loren, Luciano Iturrino or David Villabona).
• Coach Javier Irureta, who managed him at Athletic in 1994–95, said of Alkiza: "I guarantee that if you pass him the ball he will not return a melon".

External links

• Bittor Alkiza profile at BDFutbol
• National team data
• Athletic Bilbao profile
• Bittor Alkiza at National-Football-Teams.com