LaLiga

Shot stoppers across the country and world have been invited to wear black as a tribute to one of Spain's greatest goalkeepers.

The flag was now made and secretly transported to Real Sociedad’s Atotxa Stadium in the spare wheel compartment of De la Hoz’s car, before being stuffed inside a bag of water and sponges to get it past the police inside the ground. He idealised about one day flying the illegal Ikurriña, the Basque flag, and thought football was the way to make change happen: he would present the flag to the stadium before a game with Athletic Club de Bilbao. The police decided not to intervene, making it the first time the Ikurriña was flown since Franco’s death without police repercussions. De la Hoz drove his blue FIAT 128 to Zarautz, where, incidentally, Iribar was born, and bought the green, red and white fabrics needed for the still illegal flag. At this time, in 1962, he didn’t know it, but Iribar would become one of the figures and images of the legalisation of the Basque flag and an icon of change in the country. Iribar, also known as ‘Txopo’, was born in Zarautz, in the Basque Country in northern Spain.