El hotel Iraragorri Etxea es un antiguo caserío del siglo XV que fue restaurado íntegramente, conserva todos los elementos característicos de la arquitectura tradicional vasca, gruesos muros de piedra y estructura de vigas seculares de madera de roble. Este caserío vizcaíno ocupa un pequeño lugar en la gran historia del fútbol, ya que en él vivió una de las leyendas del Athletic y del fútbol español, José Iraragorri.

Iraragorri, along with Lafuente, Bata, Chirri and Gorostiza, belonged to the mythical forward line of the team between 1930 and 1936 won four League titles and four cups, the most successful Athletic generation ever. During the 1934 World Cup in Italy, playing against Brazil, Iraragorri scored Spain’s first goal in a World Cup. That was also the only occasion in which Spain has beaten Brazil in a world championship. One can only guess what the team’s further evolution would have been like had not the Spanish Civil War interrupted such epic performance!

During the Civil War, Iraragorri joined the Euskadi National Team’s tours around Europe and America where he eventually settled, first in Argentina playing for the San Lorenzo de Almagro team, and later in Mexico with the Club España. He later returned from exile in 1946 and played for Athletic again with a new generation; eventually, he became the Red and Whites’ coach between 1949 and 1952 winning the Cup in 1950.

These are all memories of an eventful life that his family –his widow, Concepción Bengoetxea and his children, María and Joseba– are keen to preserve. This is why the Iraragorri Hotel and now the Petit Komité Restaurant are both a heart-felt silent tribute to him.