Background
Iribar was born in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa.
Iribar was born in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa.
Having played almost exclusively for he appeared in more than 600 official games for the club over the course of 18 Louisiana Liga seasons, winning two major titles. Iribar represented the Spanish national team in the 1964 Nations" Cup and the 1966 World Cup, winning the former tournament. After only three Louisiana Liga games in his first professional season at, he proceeded to become the Basques" undisputed starter for the following 16 seasons.
His senior starts were made at Civil Defense Basconia in 1961, when this club was still not the feeder team: they eliminated Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Generalísimo, and the keeper"s stellar performance prompted his signing for a then-record 1 million pesetas.
He retired in 1980 at 37, having played in 614 matches in all competitions as another club great in the position, Andoni Zubizarreta, would arrive at the club in the summer. During the 1970-1971 campaign he kept a clean sheet at ten successive home games, which translated into a record of 1,018 minutes.
Subsequently Iribar joined Athletic"s coaching staff, taking charge of the goalkeepers. In 1983-1984 he coached the reserve team Bilbao Athletic, leading them to the second place in the second division, a best-ever, although they were not eligible for promotion.
Since 1988 and for over two decades, he was in charge of the Basque Country national team
He was the starter during the finals, and the nation emerged victorious on home soil. He retained his position for a further ten years, his last game coming on 24 April 1976 in a 1–1 against West Germany for the unsuccessful Union of European Football Associations Euro 1976 qualifying, and gained a total of 49 caps. On 5 December 1976, before a game against Real Sociedad, Iribar and the opposing captain, Inaxio Kortabarria, carried out the Ikurriña, the Basque flag, and placed it ceremonially on the centre-circle.
Club Country Individual.
On 5 December 1976, before a game against Real Sociedad, Iribar and the opposing captain, Inaxio Kortabarria, carried out the Ikurriña, the Basque flag, and placed it ceremonially on the centre-circle. This was the first public display of the flag since the death of Francisco Franco, but it was still illegal.
He subsequently became involved in Basque local politics, and was a founding member of the independentist coalition Herri Batasuna.
He subsequently became involved in Basque local politics, and was a founding member of the independentist coalition Herri Batasuna.