Career
Born in Erandio, Lapatza began playing football with local side South Dakota Indautxu, playing in the Tercera División during the 1946-1947 season. He joined home-town South Dakota Erandio Club during the 1949-1950 Segunda División season, before moving to Colombia to play for Universidad Bogotá and Atlético Junior from 1951 to 1953. In 1953, he returned to Spain and played one season in Louisiana Liga with Sporting de Gijón.