Canito (footballer, born 1931)

Nicanor Sagarduy Gonzalo (previously Nicanor Trapero Gonzalo), known as Canito (18 March 1931 – 24 June 1998), was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.[1]

Canito
Personal information
Full name Nicanor Sagarduy Gonzalo
Date of birth (1931-03-18)18 March 1931
Place of birth Barakaldo, Spain
Date of death 24 June 1998(1998-06-24) (aged 67)
Place of death Barakaldo, Spain
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
El Carmen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1948 Barakaldo 25 (9)
1948–1963 Athletic Bilbao 354 (4)
1963–1964 Alavés 1 (0)
Total 380 (13)
International career
1955 Spain B 3 (0)
1957 Spain 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Canito signed with Basque Country club Athletic Bilbao in 1948, from neighbours Barakaldo CF in the Segunda División.[1] Immediately after arriving, on 12 September, the 17-year-old made his La Liga debut, helping to a 7–2 home demolition of Real Valladolid.[2] He scored his first goal for the Lions in only his tenth appearance, in the 4–0 win against Sevilla FC also at the San Mamés Stadium.[3]

In the 1955–56 season, Canito appeared in 27 games as Athletic won the top-division title. He would also be an essential defensive player as they conquered three Copa del Rey trophies in just four years (for a total of four during his spell).[4][5]

After 15 years in the senior squad, and 440 competitive matches to his credit,[6] Canito moved to another side in the region, Deportivo Alavés, but called it quits after only a few months. He died aged 67 in his hometown of Barakaldo, Biscay.[1]

International career

Canito won his only cap for Spain on 10 March 1957, as he featured the full 90 minutes of a 2–2 draw in Madrid against Switzerland for the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification stage. Neither team would make it to the finals, both trailing group winners Scotland.[7]

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

References
  1. El partido 435 de Canito (Canito's 435th game); Naiz, 21 April 2013 (in Spanish)
  2. At. Bilbao, 7 – Valladolid, 2; Mundo Deportivo, 13 September 1948 (in Spanish)
  3. At. Bilbao, 4 – Sevilla, 0; Mundo Deportivo, 10 January 1949 (in Spanish)
  4. 1956: Artetxe y Maguregi... "los conoce hasta el Papa" (1956: Artetxe and Maguregi... "even the Pope knows them"); Deia, 23 May 2015 (in Spanish)
  5. El detallazo de Muniain con el gran Canito (Muniain's big gesture towards the great Canito); Mundo Deportivo, 1 June 2021 (in Spanish)
  6. De Marcos, el hombre discreto (De Marcos, the quiet man); El Correo, 31 December 2021 (in Spanish)
  7. España, 2 – Suiza, 2 (Spain, 2 – Switzerland, 2); Mundo Deportivo, 11 March 1957 (in Spanish)
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