▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 9 8 , ▁sw apping ▁teams ▁with ▁fellow ▁def ender ▁A itor ▁Kar anka . ▁He ▁helped ▁the ▁Bas que ▁side ▁finish ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁campaign ▁upon ▁his ▁return ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁feature ▁regularly ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁years ▁but , ▁after ▁only ▁six ▁matches ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 – 0 2 , ▁was ▁released ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁ret ire ▁from ▁the ▁game ▁aged ▁nearly ▁ 3 4 . ▁ ▁International ▁An ▁international ▁since ▁ 2 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁( a ▁ 1 – 0 ▁friendly ▁away ▁win ▁with ▁Y ug oslav ia ), Al k ort a ▁earned ▁ 5 4 ▁caps ▁for ▁Spain ▁during ▁the ▁next ▁eight ▁years . ▁He ▁played ▁in ▁three ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cu ps ▁– ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁– ▁and ▁UEFA ▁Euro ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁also ▁representing ▁the ▁country ▁at ▁under - 1 6 , ▁under - 1 8 ▁and ▁under - 2 1 ▁levels . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁competition , ▁in ▁Italy , ▁Al k ort a ▁played ▁ten ▁minutes ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 – 1 ▁group ▁stage ▁win ▁over ▁Belg ium , ▁starting ▁in ▁a ▁further ▁ 1 1 ▁matches ▁( ten ▁complete ) ▁in ▁the ▁other ▁senior ▁tournament s ▁combined . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁and ▁administrative ▁career ▁Al k ort a ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁manager ▁to ▁former ▁Real ▁Madrid ▁team mate ▁M