Athletic mourn former forward Beitia, who has died aged 89 | OneFootball

Athletic mourn former forward Beitia, who has died aged 89 | OneFootball

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·3 August 2026

Athletic mourn former forward Beitia, who has died aged 89

Article image:Athletic mourn former forward Beitia, who has died aged 89

Gonzalo Díaz Beitia, known as Beitia, has died aged 89, according to as.com. The Sestao-born forward represented Athletic in the late 1950s.

He joined from Barakaldo in 1957-58 and played seven league matches, scoring once. That season, under Baltasar Albéniz, Athletic would lift the Copa against Real Madrid.


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After a stint at Ceuta, he returned for 1959-60, adding 27 appearances and seven goals. In total he made 34 official outings for Athletic, 33 in the league across 1957-58 and 1959-60, plus one Copa tie in 1959-60.

Beitia later featured for Barcelona, Tenerife, Atlético de Madrid and Constancia, before retiring at UD Salamanca. Beyond his playing days, he worked for many years within the Lezama set-up.

Athletic offered its deepest condolences to his family, with a special mention for his son Gontzal, the first-team doctor. The squad wore black armbands against Burgos in his memory.

Source: as.com

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