Juan Alonso

Juan Adelarpe Alonso, known as Juanito Alonso, was a Spanish footballer, born on December 13, 1927, in Fuenterrabía (Guipúzcoa) and died on September 8 1994, in Fuenterrabía (Guipúzcoa).

Career

Juan Adelarpe Alonso was born in the Guipuzcoan town of Fuenterrabía in 1927, in the San Nicolás neighborhood. He was the younger brother of fellow soccer player Gabriel Alonso, four years older than him. Curiously, both brothers did not share the same surnames as the eldest was Alonso Aristiaguirre and the youngest Adelarpe Alonso. This fact has been attributed to the fact that Gabriel was born when her mother was still single, so she received both of her surnames, while Juan had a legitimate father. As Gabriel's career developed before that of his brother and he was already known when Juan debuted as a professional, the younger brother of the two was known as "Juanito Alonso", even though this was his maternal surname and the most normal thing is that he would have been known as Adelarpe

Juan Alonso began playing on the beach of Fuenterrabía and in the ranks of Kerizpe, a local team, whose goal he began defending when he was 15 years old. In his adolescence he worked in Irún in construction. At 18 years of age he received an offer to sign as a goalkeeper for Club Deportivo Logroñés, a Third Division team whose team he defended brilliantly during the 46-47 season. At the end of that season he tried out with Celta de Vigo, a First Division team where his brother Gabriel had started playing a year before, but his signing was rejected by the Celtic coach, the legendary goalkeeper. Ricardo Zamora:

"This boy is no good to me, he'll never be a doorman. No, he definitely doesn't care about the Celtic."

Ricardo Zamora

Called up to perform mandatory military service in Ferrol, Juanito Alonso obtained permission from the military authorities to play for the local team, Racing de Ferrol, which was playing at that time in the Second Division. Juanito Alonso played for the Galician team during the two seasons in which he had to perform his military service in Ferrol, where he was able to demonstrate his qualities, which did not go unnoticed by many teams.

Real Madrid

After finishing his military service, Juanito Alonso signed for Real Madrid in 1949. His signing was recommended by José Bañón, the Real Madrid team's starting goalkeeper who had to retire prematurely from football that same year due to a lung injury. Juanito Alonso arrived a priori as the team's third goalkeeper behind Adauto and García Martín, who were already on the team previously.

However, due to the injuries of the starters, on the fourth day of the League Juanito Alonso already had his opportunity and debuted with Real Madrid in the Spanish First Division. He had to do it almost at home, since it was at the Atocha Stadium in San Sebastián where Real Sociedad and Real Madrid tied 1-1 on September 25, 1949. Juanito Alonso took over the title that same season and did not abandon it during a decade, becoming one of the pillars of the great Real Madrid of the 5 European Cups.

His style as a goalkeeper was characterized by its regularity, security, sobriety and tranquility. He had good positioning, good reflexes, good punch clearance and great intuition to anticipate the opponent. He was not a goalkeeper given to exhibitions. In his case, he owes it to his short stature, since he only measured 1m72, which caused him problems on occasion. He had a reputation for being hard-working and conscientiously training.

He played for Real Madrid for thirteen seasons -1949 to 1962- where he forged a career full of success. During three of those seasons (1951-54) he shared a locker room with his older brother Gabriel, who played defense.

Juanito Alonso's career was not easy at Real Madrid as he had to fight season after season for the position of starting goalkeeper. Real Madrid was reinforced year after year with new signings in goal, but none of his teammates finally managed to take his position permanently. Among his "victims" Goalkeepers such as Adauto, García Martín, Greus, Cosme, Pazos, Juanito, García Pérez-Chuecos, Visa, Berasaluce and the Argentine Rogelio Domínguez were found.

Juanito Alonso's consecration came at the 1952 Club World Cup held in Caracas, in which Real Madrid won the unofficial title of best club in the world. Juanito Alonso had a great performance, with great saves in the final match of the tournament against Botafogo and was named best player of the tournament. From then on no one argued with him in the position and he was an idol of the fans.

From the 1953-54 season, with Alfredo Di Stéfano in Madrid, titles began to arrive at the club, creating one of the most legendary teams in the history of football, in which Juanito Alonso kept the goal.

With Juanito Alonso in goal, Real Madrid won the 1953-54 League. In 1954-55 they repeated the League title and also won the Latin Cup. That season Juanito Alonso also won the only Zamora Trophy of his career. Juanito Alonso won the League championship two more times, in the 1956-57 and 1957-58 seasons, the Club Mundialito in 1956 and the Latin Cup in 1957.

His legend gained greater importance, however, due to his direct participation in Real Madrid's first European Cups. Juanito Alonso played in the first three European Cup finals that Madrid won. The first final was played on June 13, 1956, when Real Madrid defeated Stade de Reims 4-3 in Paris. The second, on June 30, 1957, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and Real Madrid defeated Fiorentina by two goals to zero and won their second Cup. The third, on May 28, 1958, at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, and Real Madrid beat AC Milan 3-2.

He finally lost his position in 1959 due to a rare lung condition, which prevented him from playing the last third of the 1958-59 campaign and what would have been his fourth European Cup final (he played until the quarterfinals of that edition of the European Cup which was their fourth European Cup title). After his withdrawal, Juanito Alonso was practically inactive for a year due to this ailment, since although apparently it was not serious, he did not get the sports mutual authorization to continue playing.

When he obtained permission, after almost a year of inactivity, he was injured again in his comeback match, a derby against Atlético de Madrid that was played at the Santiago Bernaubeu on February 21, 1960. A clash against Adelardo It caused a broken collarbone and another prolonged absence. Given this fact, Real Madrid extended his contract for another year, but the Basque goalkeeper did not play another official match in the white shirt. Juanito Alonso won his fifth European Cup, the first Intercontinental Cup and the 1960-61 League without participating directly in any of those tournaments.

His last game defending the Madrid goal was played on the day of his tribute match, which pitted Real Madrid against the famous River Plate of Argentina.

Juanito Alonso ended his official career with Real Madrid at the end of the 1961-62 season. During his last year he reinforced AD Plus Ultra, a subsidiary team that played in the Second Division.

Later he took coaching courses, although he never worked professionally. He coached a Regional team, C.F. Pardiñas, in the seventies, but only as a hobby. After retiring from football he set up a chain of hospitality businesses.

On September 8, 1994, he died in Fuenterrabía, the city where he was born.

International

His participation with the national team is reduced to five games: three with team B and two with team A.

With the B National Team he made his debut on October 10, 1955 in Madrid against France, a match that ended with a Spanish victory by three goals to one. With the Absolute he debuted on October 15, 1958 against Northern Ireland.

In the National Team he did not have much luck, since Ignacio Eizaguirre, Carmelo and Ramallets stopped his path to ownership. He alone played for Spain twice, in friendlies against Northern Ireland and Italy in 1958 and 1959.

Clubs

Club	Country	Year
Kerizpe
CD Logroñés	Spain	1946-1947
RC Ferrol		1947-1949
Real Madrid		1949-1961
AD Plus Ultra		1962-1963

Palmarés

National Championships

Title	Club	Country	Year
League Championship	Real Madrid C. F.	Spain	1954
League Championship			1955
League Championship			1957
League Championship			1958
League Championship			1961

International championships

Title	Club	Headquarters	Year
Latin Cup	Real Madrid C. F.	Paris	1955
European Cup			1956
European Cup		Madrid	1957
Latin Cup			1957
European Cup		Brussels	1958
European Cup		Stuttgart	1959
European Cup		Glasgow	1960
Intercontinental Cup		Madrid	1960