9 9 0 s . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁Club ▁Born ▁in ▁Bil ba o , ▁B isc ay , ▁Al k ort a ▁began ▁playing ▁as ▁a ▁child ▁with ▁local ▁Athlet ic ▁Club ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁senior ▁debut ▁with ▁the ▁second ▁team ▁seven ▁years ▁later , ▁making ▁ 4 4 ▁Segunda ▁División ▁appearances ▁before ▁being ▁promoted ▁by ▁Howard ▁K end all ▁to ▁the ▁senior ▁side ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 – 8 8 ▁season , ▁making ▁his ▁debut ▁in ▁a ▁ 0 – 1 ▁away ▁defeat ▁against ▁Real ▁Vall ad olid ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁played ▁ 1 7 2 ▁La ▁Liga ▁games , ▁and ▁established ▁himself ▁as ▁an ▁out standing ▁man ▁marker . ▁ ▁Al k ort a ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁Real ▁Madrid , ▁for ▁whom ▁he ▁signed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 – 9 4 ▁campaign ▁( he ▁was ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁move , ▁but ▁was ▁persu aded ▁due ▁to ▁Athlet ic ' s ▁poor ▁financial ▁situation ▁which ▁was ▁improved ▁by ▁the ▁ 3 5 0 ▁million ▁pes et as ▁transfer ▁fee ). ▁During ▁his ▁spell ▁at ▁the ▁Santiago ▁Bern ab é u ▁Stadium ▁he ▁formed ▁a ▁notable ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Fernando ▁Hier ro ▁for ▁club ▁and ▁country , ▁and ▁accum ulated ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 5 0 ▁official ▁appearances ▁and ▁two ▁league ▁titles . ▁ ▁Al k ort a ▁returned ▁to ▁Athlet ic