Gari Uranga Explained

Gari Uranga
Fullname:Garikoitz Uranga Luluaga[1]
Birth Date:21 June 1980
Birth Place:Tolosa, Spain
Position:Winger
Youthclubs2:Real Sociedad
Years1:2000–2002
Years2:2002–2008
Years3:2003
Years4:2003–2004
Years5:2008–2010
Clubs3:Eibar (loan)
Clubs4:Getafe (loan)
Clubs5:Castellón
Caps1:67
Caps2:116
Caps3:19
Caps4:38
Caps5:52
Totalcaps:292
Goals1:8
Goals2:9
Goals3:2
Goals4:5
Goals5:6
Totalgoals:30
Nationalyears1:2005–2006
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:1

Garikoitz 'Gari' Uranga Luluaga (born 21 June 1980) is a Spanish former footballer. Usually a left winger, he could also operate as a forward.

Club career

Uranga was born in Tolosa, Gipuzkoa. A product of Basque Country giants Real Sociedad's youth system, he played one game for its first team in 2001–02's La Liga[2] then spent two seasons on loan in the second division, being instrumental to Getafe CF's first ever top-flight promotion.[3]

Over the next four seasons after his return, Uranga would be regularly used by Real Sociedad, for instance going through 33 scoreless matches in 2005–06 and missing several months the following campaign, which ended in relegation after 40 years, due to a knee injury.[4] His father Luis was also club president during that period.[5]

After his contract expired, Uranga signed a two-year deal with CD Castellón also in the second tier.[6] [7] He retired in June 2010 at only 30 after the Valencian Community side suffered relegation, having made 225 appearances at the professional level in an eight-year career (22 goals).[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: GARIkoitz URANGA Luluaga. El Mundo. es. 30 September 2021.
  2. News: Otra puñalada al corazón. Another dagger through the heart. Mundo Deportivo. Xabier. Isasa. es. 8 October 2001. 30 September 2021.
  3. News: Jornada especial y de olvidar para Gari. Special and forgetful day for Gari. Mundo Deportivo. Eneko. De la Cuesta. es. 9 May 2005. 23 October 2012.
  4. News: Gari Uranga, operado con éxito de su rotura de ligamento. Gari Uranga, successful ligament tear surgery. El País. es. 6 February 2007. 12 September 2012.
  5. Web site: Turkey star makes Spanish switch. BBC Sport. 22 May 2000. 16 October 2009.
  6. News: Gari Uranga ya es del Castellón. Gari Uranga is already from Castellón. Mundo Deportivo. J.I.. Lorenzo. es. 19 July 2008. 12 September 2012.
  7. News: Gari Uranga da la cara y explica las causas de su ausencia en los partidos. Gari Uranga steps up and explains absence from games. Las Provincias. G.. Gutiérrez. es. 12 May 2010. 12 September 2012.
  8. News: Este chaval tiene que subir porque está a un nivel muy alto’. "This kid has got to be promoted because his level is very high". Mundo Deportivo. Xabier. Isasa. es. 8 May 2018. 30 September 2021.