They are no longer the last heroes

For too many years that June 27, 1987 was remembered as the last great deed of the Real. It was the last notch of the best generation of footballers that the txuri urdin squad has given in its 113-year history: the Copa del Rey title achieved in La Romareda de Zaragoza after the victory in the penalty shootout in the final against Atlético from Madrid. Today marks the 35th anniversary of that torrid afternoon-night full of emotions until the final stop of the hero of that episode, Luis Miguel Arconada Etxarri.

To stage the passage of time, it should be remembered that yesterday the royalist family congratulated the San Sebastian goalkeeper on his 68th birthday through social networks. In all this time, 12,784 days in particular, perhaps there have been very few that the then best goalkeeper in the world has not been entertained on the street or some royalist has not congratulated him, thanked him or said that it was (and is) his idol.

Arconada He is almost septuagenarian and until last year he was the last great txuri urdin hero, the last captain to lift a title. 34 years of missed opportunities. But the Real was finally able to renew its Olympus of gods in 2021, that April 3 in La Cartuja, which no realist will forget, although some, just in case, have already tattooed it on his skin.

relieved heroes

Illarra finally raised the Cup to the sky and at the same time the spirit of a txuri urdin family even more extensive than in 1987. In this way, after defeating Athletic 0-1, the Oyarzabalauthor of the penalty goal, Merinowho charted attendance, Portuwho forced the penalty, Silva, Remiro, Zubimendi, The Norman and company finally took over from Arconada, Red, Zamora, Lopez Ufarte, Jeans, Small and the whole troupe somewhat tired of being the last realistic reference when it comes to titles and glory.

As there are many Txuri Urdin members and fans who were not born that day 35 years ago, it is necessary to remember that Real Madrid faced Atlético de Madrid that night, already chaired by Jesús Gil. played Abel, Tomás, Setien, landáburu, Julius Salinas and the former realist Uraldeamong others, under the baton of Luis Aragones.

La Real, with eleven homegrown players led by Toshackwent ahead 2-0 with goals from Lopez Ufarte y Little Begiristain in a great first half, but Da Silva and Rubio took the match to extra time, where there were no goals. In the penalty shootout, the four Blue and Whites who shot were right: Jeans, Musti Mujika, Martin Begiristain y Larrañaga. Arconada he intuited all the mattress releases and stopped the final one of Quique Ramos.

It was the second Copa del Rey de la Real, now there are three.