José María Acha
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José María Acha Larrea | ||
| Date of birth | 4 September 1889 | ||
| Place of birth | Las Arenas, Getxo, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 14 May 1929 (aged 39) | ||
| Place of death | Castillejo de Mesleón, Spain | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1901–1903 | RCD Espanyol | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
José María Acha Larrea (4 September 1889 – 14 May 1929) was a Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for RCD Espanyol between 1901 and 1903.[1][2] He went to became a lawyer and a sports leader, playing a crucial role in the creation of the Spanish league.[3]
Playing career
[edit]José María Acha was born on 4 September 1889 in Getxo, but it was in Barcelona where he began to play football at Club Español in late 1901, at the age of 12.[2] After a first season with many changes in goal, Acha arrived at the club to provide stability under the posts because despite his tender age and small stature, he was quick and agile.[2] Together with Ángel Ponz, Enrique Montells, Joaquim Carril, and club founder Ángel Rodríguez, he helped Espanyol win its very first title, the 1902–03 Copa Macaya, playing in a total of five matches.[2]
On 17 May 1903, Acha was a substitute to Samuel Morris and Vicente Reig in a friendly match at Muntaner between teams made up of the best players in Barcelona.[4]
Founding the Spanish league
[edit]At some point in the early 1920s, Acha became the vice president of Arenas Club de Getxo and the de facto leader of the club.[3] With his personal wealth, he built the Ibaiondo field, which Arenas began using in September 1925, becoming the club's headquarters in its time of splendor.[3]
As the president of the Vizcaya Football Federation in 1925, Acha was one of the architects of the implementation of professionalism in Spanish football, which occurred in 1926.[3] Coincidentally, in 1927, the then Arenas Club president Luis Lazúrtegui was replaced by José Gandarias, who like Acha also had played at the age of 12, doing so for Real Madrid CF, although in a friendly match.[5]
After professional football was legalized in Spain, the country's main clubs organized the creation of a league, inspired by the English format, and Acha was the initial driving force behind the project, being one of the basic pillars for the creation of the Torneo de Campeones, a competition to which he provided an organizational scheme similar to that used in England and that served as the forerunner for La Liga, founded in the following year, in 1929, with Arenas Club being one of its founders.[3][5][6][7] For his important role in the founding of the first League championship, he was recognized with a bronze bust given by the rest of the clubs and that today rests in the club offices.[8][9]
Death
[edit]Acha died in a car accident in Castillejo de Mesleón while traveling from Bilbao to Madrid on 14 May 1929, at the age of 39.[3] He died to attend Spain's first match against England, which took place the following day.[3]
Honours
[edit]RCD Espanyol
- Copa Macaya:
- Champions: 1902–03
- Copa Barcelona:
- Runner-up: 1902–03
References
[edit]- ^ "Acha, José María de Acha - Footballer". www.bdfutbol.com. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d "José María de ACHA". www.periquito.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "José María Acha Larrea - Real Academia de la Historia" [José María Acha Larrea - Royal Academy of History]. dbe.rah.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "La selección de Barcelona y el primer intento de un campeonato de España de regiones" [The Barcelona team and the first attempt at a regional Spanish championship] (in Spanish). CIHEFE. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ a b "José Gandarias, el jugador más joven en la historia del Real Madrid" [José Gandarias, the youngest player in the history of Real Madrid] (in Spanish). CIHEFE. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Historia del club - Arenas Club de Getxo" [History of the club - Arenas Club de Getxo]. arenasclub.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "El 10 de Febrero de 1.929 se disputó la primera jornada de la Liga Española" [On 10 February 1929, the first day of the Spanish League was played]. www.ondacero.es (in Spanish). 10 February 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Historia y solera" [History and tradition]. www.elprogreso.es (in Spanish). 11 November 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Jose Maria Acha - Hace 87 años" [Jose Maria Acha - 87 years ago]. www.flickr.com (in Spanish). 10 October 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2024.