Ignacio "Nacho" Ithurralde Sáez (born 30 May 1983 in Durazno) is a Uruguayan football manager and former player who played as a centre back. He is the current manager of Defensor Sporting.
Ithurralde began his playing career in 2002 with Defensor Sporting where he spent 5 years. He played in Mexico with CF Monterrey in 2007 and then in Argentina with Olimpo and Rosario Central.
In 2009, Ithurralde returned to Uruguay to play for Peñarol, and moved to Bolívar in the Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano next year. In 2011, he had a brief spell with Paraguayan club Guaraní before moving to Chile to play for Audax Italiano. He moved to Millonarios FC in the Colombian Primera A in January 2012. The following year he was repatriated by club Rentistas. In 2014 Ithuarralde had a short spell with Bolivian side Blooming before returning to Rentistas later that year.
Ithurralde subsequently represented Racing Montevideo and Deportivo Maldonado before retiring with Cerro in 2017.
After representing Uruguay at under-17 and under-20 levels, Ithurralde made his debut with the full side on 27 September 2006, in a 1–0 friendly loss against Venezuela.
In 2020, Ithurralde returned to his first club Defensor as a manager of the youth sides. On 23 June 2021, he replaced Juan Tejera at the helm of Boston River in the top tier.[1]
Ithurralde qualified Boston River to the 2023 Copa Libertadores, the club's first-ever participation in the tournament, but still left on 4 November 2022.[2] He was named in charge of Montevideo City Torque seventeen days later,[3] but was sacked the following 10 April.[4]
On 27 July 2023, Ithurralde replaced Gustavo Díaz at the helm of River Plate Montevideo.[5] He was sacked from the club on 15 June of the following year.[6]
On 31 March 2025, Ithurralde returned to Defensor, now as first team manager.[7]
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