Enrique Iturra Explained

Enrique Iturra
Fullname:Enrique Iturra Díaz
Birth Date:27 June 1946
Birth Place:Santiago, Chile
Death Place:Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Santiago, Chile
Height:1.88 m
Position:Centre-back
Youthclubs1:Enrico Caruso
Youthclubs2:Cultural PAC
Youthclubs3:Unión Española
Years1:1967–1968
Years2:1969
Clubs2:Naval
Years3:1970–1971
Years4:1972
Clubs4:Santiago Morning
Years5:1973
Clubs5:Pachuca
Years6:1973–1975
Clubs6:Alianza FC
Years7:1975
Clubs7:Tapachulteca
Years8:1976
Clubs8:Sonsonate

Enrique Iturra Díaz (27 June 1946 – 10 November 2021) was a Chilean professional footballer who played as a centre-back for clubs in Chile, Mexico and El Salvador.

Club career

Iturra came to Pedro Aguirre Cerda commune at the age of 4 and played for the local clubs Enrico Caruso and Cultural Pedro Aguirre Cerda.[1] A product of Unión Española youth system, in his country of birth he played for Trasandino, Naval, Ferroviarios and Santiago Morning.[2]

He emigrated to Mexico in 1973 looking for a chance in the Mexican football, getting trials in both América thanks to Carlos Reinoso and Cruz Azul thanks to Alberto Quintano, but he finally joined Pachuca and made his debut playing alongside the Mexican Javier Bazán in a match where he was sent off.[3]

Then he moved to El Salvador, met his compatriot Miguel Hermosilla and played for Alianza,[4] Deportivo Tapachulteca and Sonsonate, his last club in 1976.[3]

Personal life

As a child, Iturra was nicknamed El Cabeza de Juguera (The Blender Head),[1] but he is better known by the nickname that gave him when he was a player of Ferroviarios, El Chacal Iturra (The Jackal), due to the fact that he injured to a player of Naval with a sweep.[2]

He married in El Salvador with María Elena Rodas and had two children, Antonio José and Anabella. Back in Chile, they separated.[2]

Outside of a football field, he was known for a controversial personality,[5] in addition to have fell into alcoholism and suffered for the deaths of his father and his brother.[2] In 1991, he was stabbed by a drug addict and fell into depression. Thanks to his friend Miguel Merello, a journalist who said him "you have reached further than anyone could have thought, others did better, but nobody gave a peso for you", he moved forward and spent time as a motivational speaker and therapist on public buses.[3]

He died on 10 November 2021 due to multiple health issues.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.facebook.com/439332076237453/posts/485039711666689/ Enrique Iturra Díaz . (el Chacal)o el (Kiko)
  2. Web site: Fernández . Denís . La historia más triste del fútbol . . 29 October 2022 . es . 22 January 2018.
  3. Web site: Abarzúa . Esteban . Secretos de camarín . DeadBall . 28 October 2022 . es . 30 March 2020.
  4. Web site: Hace 7 años nos dejó Raúl "La Araña" Magaña . Victor Zelada . 29 October 2022 . es . 30 September 2016.
  5. Web site: Salviat . Julio . Las pequeñas y grandes perversidades en las canchas de fútbol: entre la "chispeza" y la crueldad . El Ágora . 29 October 2022 . es . 1 December 2016.
  6. Web site: Abarzúa . Esteban . Hace unos días murió el Chacal Iturra . LUN . . 29 October 2022 . es . 15 November 2021.