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Juan Antonio Deusto

1946 – 2011

Spanish association football player

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About Juan Antonio Deusto

Lived 1946 – 2011 (aged 65). Juan Antonio Deusto was a Spanish association football player.

Juan Antonio Deusto Olagorta (8 January 1946 – 21 July 2011) was a Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He played 223 La Liga games over 15 seasons, for Atlético Bilbao , Málaga and Hércules, and won the Zamora Trophy for best goalkeeper of 1971–72. He appeared in one game for Spain in 1973.

After retiring, Deusto went through financial and personal issues. He was homeless and untraceable for a period, contributing to his death at age 65.

Deusto was back-up to Spain national team goalkeeper José Ángel Iribar and played only 13 games for Bilbao, with his second coming on 31 December 1967 in an 8–0 win over Real Betis at the San Mamés Stadium. In late 1968, Iribar's injury gave him a run of five league and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cup matches, while the season ended with him on the bench as his team won the Copa del Generalísimo with a 1–0 win over Elche.

Málaga In July 1970, Deusto moved to newly promoted Málaga. In 1971–72, he won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the lowest goals conceded average; while Valencia had a better defence by one goal over the season, they did so with multiple goalkeepers. Deusto is the only Málaga player to win this honour in the top flight, while José Antonio Gallardo and Munir Mohamedi did so in the Segunda División.

Hércules After completing his second five-year spell at a club, Deusto moved in June 1975 to Hércules. Weeks later, he was linked with Barcelona who were reported to double his transfer fee to 17 million Spanish pesetas. Barcelona player Johan Cruyff, known for his forthright views, personally requested for the Hércules administration to sell Deusto, as they already had Argentina international Miguel Ángel Santoro as back-up.

Later life and death After retiring from football, Deusto returned to Bilbao, where he lost his fortune on the ownership of a bar, and was divorced. Though his sister and the Athletic Bilbao veterans' association wished to locate and support him, he disappeared from their radar. When Hércules went to play away to Las Palmas, manager Benito Joanet recognised him as a homeless man on the streets of the Canarian city, and invited him to eat with them.

Deusto returned to Bilbao and was supported by his sister, but avoided contact with anyone else, and had poor health due living on the street. He died on 21 July 2011, aged 65, at the in the city.

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Important facts

People in Juan Antonio Deusto's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

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Frequently asked questions

Who was Juan Antonio Deusto?

Spanish association football player (1946-2011)

When was Juan Antonio Deusto born?

Juan Antonio Deusto was born on 8 January 1946 in Bilbao.

When did Juan Antonio Deusto die?

Juan Antonio Deusto died on 21 July 2011 in Bilbao.

What was Juan Antonio Deusto's occupation?

Juan Antonio Deusto was an association football player.

What nationality was Juan Antonio Deusto?

Juan Antonio Deusto was Spanish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Juan Antonio Deusto

· Wikidata: Q1747783

· DBpedia: Juan Antonio Deusto

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Juan Antonio Deusto. https://biography.guide/juan-antonio-deusto/

MLA: "Juan Antonio Deusto." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/juan-antonio-deusto/.

Chicago: "Juan Antonio Deusto." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/juan-antonio-deusto/.

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