Manuel Sarabia

Manuel 'Manu' Sarabia López (born 9 January 1957) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker.

He amassed La Liga totals of 363 games and 101 goals over the course of 14 seasons, mainly with Athletic Bilbao but also with Logroñés. He won four major titles with the former, notably two national championships, and scored 182 times in all competitions.

Left-footed, Sarabia represented Spain at Euro 1984.

Club career Born in Abanto y Ciérvana-Abanto Zierbena, Biscay, Sarabia came through the ranks of Lezama, Athletic Bilbao's prolific youth system, making his debut for the main squad on 19 September 1976 in a 1–1 home draw against CD Málaga. He was particularly determined to succeed at the club after his elder brother was rejected due to his birthplace in Torres, Jaén (despite spending most of his life in Biscay), as this did not fit the criteria for their signing policy at the time.

A full first-team member from 1978–79 onwards, having served a loan with neighbours Barakaldo CF the previous year,

Sarabia retired aged 34 in 1991, after three seasons with modest CD Logroñés also in the top tier. He took up coaching three years later, having brief stints in the Segunda División – the only season he started and finished, with Bilbao Athletic, ended in relegation.

International career Sarabia played 15 times with Spain in a two-year span, scoring twice.

Sarabia was selected for the tournament's finals in France, making three substitute appearances for the runners-up.

Personal life Sarabia's son, Eder, was also a footballer, albeit only in the amateur level, before becoming a coach with youth teams such as Danok Bat CF and serving as assistant to Quique Setién (former teammate of his father) at UD Las Palmas.

Career statistics Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sarabia goal. + List of international goals scored by Manuel SarabiaNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 21 December 1983 Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain 11–1 12–1 Euro 1984 qualifying 2 12 June 1985 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland 1–1 2–1 1986 World Cup qualification

Honours Athletic Bilbao La Liga: 1982–83, 1983–84 Copa del Rey: 1983–84; runner-up 1976–77, 1984–85 Supercopa de España: 1984 (automatically awarded after winning the double) UEFA Cup: runner-up 1976–77

Spain UEFA European Championship: runner-up 1984