On Monday, just retired on Saturday, Julen Aginagalde (40) received a small tribute from Asobal, with half a dozen great players from the League who also say goodbye; He had just received recognition from Bidasoa, who removed his shirt on the historic Arteleku trackand this Saturday the Spanish Federation will impose one of its most distinguished medals because Julen is not just another player; He becomes a legend, the Spanish pivot who has dominated the decade, as Rolando Urios did before.
–Don’t you think you still had one more season in the League?
-Do you continue to suffer, that everything hurts after each game? No, the time has come to quit. It’s been a great experience, a long career, and this is my moment,
Julen stood out in Bidasoa, went to Ademar, Ciudad Real and Atlético de Madrid, emigrated to Poland to win the Champions League with Kielce scoring the decisive goal in the penalty shootout, and he returned home to hang a shirt that now the club that his brother Gurutz presides over withdraws his thirteen forever: “When you start your career you never imagine or dream that something like this is going to happen. Irún is the place for handball, and for me that detail of my club is a source of pride”.
He leaves with 203 international matches for Spain, once World Champion and twice in Europe, and with the bronze medal at the Olympic Games, with an international background that makes him one of the myths of Spanish handball of all times
-And now what are you going to do in handball?
-This season I have combined the role of player with that of sports director of the club, which I will continue to exercise exclusively next season.