Musician, Joseba Gotzon, will unite 2017 soccer, music and history, with a tour commemorating the 80th anniversary of the famous “Euzkadi” team. This soccer team was created by Lehendakari Agirre in 1937 with Basque players that were international figures, and travelled the world to make people aware of that time war situation in Euskadi. The new tour dates have been confirmed in Ireland, England, Cuba and Argentina, but there are also opportunity to Basque communities interested in organizing more performances.
Donostia-San Sebastian. Next year, 2017, marks the 80th anniversary of the historic tour of the “Euzkadi” team, a selection of Basque soccer players who travelled the world to make others aware in Euskal Herria during the Civil War. The group was full of stars like Blasco, Eguskiza, Aedo, Areso, Zubieta, Muguerza, Zilaurren, Etxeberria, Larrinaga, Luis and Pedro Regueiro, Iraragorri...many of them came from playing the World Cup in Italy in 1934.
Debuting in Paris on April 26, 1937 they travelled through Europe and America filling stadiums. One of its main achievements was the financial support it received thanks to funds raised at European soccer stadiums, the La Rosariae Hospital in Biarritz where war injured were treated. In addition, they put Euskadi on the map. Several of its members remained exiled in Mexico and others settled in Argentina, becoming part of the Basque communities in those countries.
Concert, Documentary and Exhibit
Now, 80 years later, musician Joseba Gotzon will recall this epic adventure with a tour commemorating “Euzkadi.” The tour has various concert dates set, as the artist told EuskalKultura.com: England in May, Havana in July, Ireland in August and Argentina in October/November, with performances in Buenos Aires, Bariloche, La Plata, San Nicolás and Villa Puyrredón. There will also be concerts in Mexico, but dates are yet to be confirmed.
Joseba Gotzon is working on organizing a tribute in Buenos Aires where several of the players like Isidoro Langara, from Pasaia competed in the San Lorenzo team in Almagro.
The show’s format will include music, a documentary about the Euskadi selection and an exhibit with team uniforms and historic photos. Anyone interested in having a concert at their Basque club should get in touch with Joseba via email: josebagotzon@josebagotzon.com.
More information about this historic team, here.
Among other projects related to the Euskadi selection, Joseba Gotzon also authored a book History of the Euskadi’s Soccer Selection (1998) and he was also the curator of the exhibit “Ametsen bila” (2015, In Search of the Dream) on the Basque selections’ centennial.
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