Dead Xabier Azkargorta, centered a historic World Cup qualifier

Xabier Azkargorta passed away Friday at the age of 72. The news was made public by the press office of’Espanyol, one of the teams he had coached during his career.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Xabier Azkargorta, coach of Espanyol between 1983 and 1986. He led the team in 134 games, becoming the seventh coach with the most appearances in the club’s history. We express our condolences to his loved ones. May he rest in peace,” reads the message posted by the Barcelona club on X.

Azkargorta’s playing career was brief: he played for Real Sociedad and Bilbao Athletic, but a serious injury forced him to stop early. However, it was as a coach that he achieved notoriety. At only 29 years old, he made his debut in the Primera División, becoming the youngest coach to lead a team in Spain’s top league, just with Espanyol. Subsequently, he sat on the benches of Valladolid, Sevilla, and Tenerife.

In 1993 he came to lead the Bolivian national team, marking a historic page: he led the country to qualification for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Bolivia’s first (and so far only) since 1950. This achievement made him a much-loved and respected figure in the South American soccer scene.

He continued his career abroad, managing Chile’s national team between 1995 and 1996, then moving to Japan (1997-1998) and later to Mexico (2005).

Azkargorta returned to Bolivia between 2012 and 2014 for a second stint as technical commissioner, and during those years he also led several local clubs: Bolívar, Oriente Petrolero, Sports Boys Warnes, and Club Atlético Palmaflor.