[3][5][6] Luis Urquiri was born on 1 September 1906 in Deba, Gipuzkoa, and began his footballing career at CD Lagun Artea [es] in 1923, at the age of 17, with whom he played for two years until 1925, when he was signed by Deportivo Alavés.
[1] When the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, Urquiri joined Atlético Aviación, the future Atlético Madrid, where he was a member of Athletic's historic 1939–40 season, in which the club won the 1939 Campeonato Mancomunado Centro in November, the 1939–40 La Liga in April, and the 1940 Spanish Super Cup in September, under coach Ricardo Zamora, playing seven league matches during that season,[1][8] including in the decisive match against Valencia CF in the last day of the league on 28 April (2–0).
[10] Despite this encouraging first steps with Málaga, the club's president Manuel Navarro Nogueroles fired him with the false allegation of his financial demands, so he went to Zaragoza to achieve his third promotion in as many tries.
[10] Urquiri, who was warned that he had full powers to make the lineup, signed for Zaragoza on 21 June for 100,000 pesetas and a succulent promotion bonus, stating "I promise to work instead of talking.
[13] He signed several players in June, such as the wingers Roig II and Paco Pitarch, the veteran midfielder Isidoro Urra, and the defender Calo, the brother of César.
[13] This heave spending earned Zaragoza the nickname of 'millionaire' and the status of most favorite ascent; between transfers, bonuses, and monthly salaries, the cost of the 1950–51 squad exceeded four million pesetas, a great figure for a Second Division team.
[15] A defeat to the very modest Gimnástica de Tarragona ended up complicating things more because it served as a direct promotion to Gijón, so everyone became nervous due to the colossal economic effort made.
[18] On 15 August 1951, Urquiri replaced De las Alas to take charge of Real Oviedo,[19] which he guided to a streak of 563 minutes without conceding a single goal in the 1951–52 Segunda División, the club's second-best record only behind the 578-minutes in 1971–72 season.
[5] On 2 November 1952, Urquiri led Oviedo to a 3–1 victory over Real Madrid that saw them in fifth position in the league table, shared with Valencia and just five points behind the leader, Espanyol.
[6] The coach kept Celta in the quiet zone in a good season in which the Vigo forward Mauro almost reached the Pichichi Trophy, falling just one goal short of Alfredo Di Stéfano.