Gaztelu (footballer)

José Agustín Aranzábal Askasibar (23 July 1946 – 30 December 2020), known as Gaztelu, was a Spanish professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He spent his entire career with Real Sociedad, playing 308 competitive games and scoring 33 goals.Muere Gaztelu, histórico jugador que llevó a la Real de Segunda a ganar su primera liga (Death of Gaztelu, historic player who took Real from Segunda to winning their first league); Diario AS, 30 December 2020 (in Spanish)

Club career Gaztelu was born in Bergara, Gipuzkoa. As a young child, he received his nickname, meaning "castle" in Basque, after a farm owned by his aunt.Agustín Aranzábal “Gaztelu”; Rincón del Forero, 21 March 2009 (in Spanish)Un comodín como un castillo (A joker like a castle); Mundo Deportivo, 20 August 2009 (in Spanish) He signed with Real Sociedad in 1965 from his local club and, after just one season with the reserves, was promoted to the first team at the age of 20.

Gaztelu made his debut in La Liga on 8 October 1967, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 away draw against Sevilla FC.0–0: La ineficacia del ataque volvió a ser la característica del Sevilla (0–0: Inefficiency on offense was again Sevilla's trait); Mundo Deportivo, 9 October 1967 (in Spanish) He scored his first goal in the competition on 17 November of the following year, in another draw (1–1, at Deportivo de La Coruña).1–1: Quinto y merecido empate donostiarra en campo contrario (1–1: Fifth and fair donostiarra draw away from home); Mundo Deportivo, 18 November 1968 (in Spanish) In early 1970, whilst playing with the Spain under-23 team in Italy, he suffered a serious injury that sidelined him for nearly two years.

Gaztelu scored a career-best seven goals (from 29 games) in 1973–74, helping the Txuriurdin to the fourth position. On 5 December 1976, he was decorated by Real Sociedad to celebrate his tenth season and, shortly after, scored twice – once through a penalty kick – to help to a 5–0 home win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque derby.

Gaztelu contributed one match in 1980–81,0–0: Valladolid y Real se vaciaron (0–0: Valladolid and Real poured their hearts out); Mundo Deportivo, 18 November 1968 (in Spanish) as Real won their first ever national championship. In the process, he became the first player to achieve that feat as well as promotion from Segunda División in 1967, retiring at the end of the campaign at 35.

International career Gaztelu won two caps for Spain in as many years. His first came on 15 October 1969, as he started in a 6–0 rout of Finland in La Línea de la Concepción for the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.6–0: Despertó el fútbol de ataque español (6–0: Spanish attacking football awoke); Mundo Deportivo, 16 October 1969 (in Spanish)

Personal life and death Gaztelu's son Agustín was also a footballer. A defender, he too played for Real Sociedad and Spain.Qué fue de... Aranzabal (What happened to... Aranzabal); La Liga, 21 April 2014 (in Spanish)

The former died in his hometown on 30 December 2020, aged 74.Jose Agustin Aranzabal 'Gaztelu' zendu da, Realeko jokalari historikoetako bat (Death of José Agustín Aranzábal 'Gaztelu', one of Real's historic players); Goiena, 30 December 2020 (in Basque)

Honours La Liga: 1980–81 Segunda División: 1966–67

Gaztelu (footballer)

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