Name: José Ignacio Churruca Sistiaga



Country: Spain
Club: Sporting Gijon (1968-1976), Athletic Bilbao (1976-1980)
Position: *WF, SS, AMF, SMF
Side: RF/BS
Age: 25-29 years (28/01/1949)

Height: 173 cm
Weight: 72 kg

Attack: 79
Defence: 48
Balance: 79
Stamina: 83
Top Speed: 84
Acceleration: 85
Response: 78
Agility: 83
Dribble Accuracy: 80
Dribble Speed: 84
Short Pass Accuracy: 77
Short Pass Speed: 78
Long Pass Accuracy: 84
Long Pass Speed: 79
Shot Accuracy: 76
Shot Power: 79
Shot Technique: 74
Free Kick Accuracy: 74
Curling: 73
Header: 74
Jump: 76
Technique: 84
Aggression: 82
Mentality: 78
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 82

Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 7
Weak Foot Frequency: 8
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Standard/Lasting

CARDS:
P10 - Incisive Run
S02 - Outside Curve

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Dribbling - Side - Passing - Outside

Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack-Minded


INFO:
Churruca played three seasons in the CD Zarautz youth team and later signed for Real Sporting de Gijón where he spent half the 1967-68 season on loan to CD Ensidesa. Churruca made a name in Sporting Gijon as a left wing but initially his position was on the far right. First with Solabarrieta and later with Quini, already from the left wing, Churruca became a luxury assistant for a team that endured six seasons among the best. He was at Sporting until the team's relegation in 1976, when he was transferred to Athletic Club, in an operation that allowed Sporting to finance Mareo. As a rojiblanco he played 302 games and scored 63 goals.

He was an absolute international with Spain in sixteen games and was also in the under-23 category on two occasions. His debut came on February 20, 1971 in a friendly against Italy. His last game with the Spanish team was on October 26, 1977 against Romania

Churruca was a winger full of skill, dribbling, speed and vision of the game. He also had the clairvoyance necessary not to be selfish in any situation. He invented the play, but always looked for the best-placed teammate to give him the ball. Thanks to the crosses from Churruca, Quini scored a lot of goals. Churruca was a versatile guy, with the ability to act in either of the two wings, without this implying a decrease in his performance. Due to being extraordinary on both wings, handling both legs, he earned the starting spot on the Spanish team. He overcame the rival well, made great crosses and also scored many good goals. With an easy dribbling, somewhat individual, he was not excessively fast, but he was relatively quick with the ball and had an amazing technique that was affirmed over the years. He was right-footed, but he handled himself with both legs, so being ambidextrous he was unpredictable for any defence.