Patricio Arabolaza

Patricio Arabolaza or simply only known as Patricio was born in the Basque Country and played as a forward for Racing de Irún from 1909-15, when they merged with Irún Sporting Club to become Real Unión, playing for the successor club from 1915-23. He won two Copa del Rey titles in 1913 and 1918 and was also a member of the Campeonato Regional del Norte (North Championship) winning team in 1918, as well as a member of three Campeonato Regional de Guipúzcoa winning teams (1920-22). At the end of 1922, during a game against FC Barcelona, he was involved in a brawl with player Salvador Martinez Surroca leading to a one-year suspension for Patricio and a fine of 500 pesetas. Since he was almost 30-years-old, he retired.

At the 1920 Olympics, where he was in the line-up of the first-ever match played by the Spanish national team, Patricio played in four of the five matches and scored the winning goal against Denmark, which was also the first-ever goal for the Spanish national team. In total he earned five caps between 1920 and 1921, but the goal at the Olympics was his only one.

His brother Ignacio was also a footballer. Patrico first worked as a brick mason, then owned a hardware store and also worked as a physical education teacher. He died of pneumonia in 1935 six days before his 42nd birthday. From 1953-68 the newspapers Marca and Arriba awarded the Trofeo Patricio Arabolaza to the Spanish league player who best represents the spirit of “La furia española,” a nickname the team earned during the 1920 Games. In his hometown Irún, a street passing the Stadium Gal, home of Real Unión, was named after him.