Wikipedia

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Club(Basque:Bilboko Athletic Kluba;Spanish:Athletic Club de Bilbao), commonly known abroad asAthletic Bilbao(Spanish:Athletic de Bilbao),[4]or simply asAthleticdomestically, is a professionalfootballclub based in the city ofBilbaoin theBasque Country,Spain. They are known asLos Leones(The Lions) because their stadium was built near a church calledSan Mamés,which was named afterSaint Mammes,an early Christian thrown to the lions by theRomans.[5]Mammes pacified the lions and was later made asaint.The team plays its home matches at theSan Mamés Stadium.Its home colours are red and white-striped shirts with black shorts.

Athletic Bilbao
Full nameAthletic Club[1][2]
Nickname(s)Lehoiak(The Lions)
Zuri-Gorriak(The Red and Whites)
Founded18 July 1898;126 years ago(1898-07-18)
GroundEstadio San Mamés
Capacity53,289[3]
PresidentJon Uriarte
Head coachErnesto Valverde
LeagueLa Liga
2023–24La Liga,5th of 20
Websiteathletic-club.eus
Current season

Athletic are the fourth most successful club inLa Ligawith eight titles to their name. In the table ofCopa del Reytitles, Athletic is second only to Barcelona, having won it 24 times.[note 1]It is also the most successful Basque football club in both league and cup titles won. The club also has one of the most successfulwomen's teamsin Spain, which has won five championships in thePrimera División Femenina.

The club is one of three founding members of thePrimera Divisiónthat havenever been relegatedfrom the top division since its inception in 1929, the others beingReal MadridandBarcelona.These three clubs, along withOsasuna,are the only four professional clubs in Spain that are not sports corporations; instead they are owned and operated by club members. Athletic's main rivals areReal Sociedad,against whom it contests theBasque derby,and Real Madrid, due tosporting and political identity;a minor rivalry also exists with Barcelona due tohistorical significance.At various points in the club's history, furtherBasque league derbieshave been contested againstAlavés,Eibarand Osasuna.

The club is known for itscanterapolicy of bringing youngBasqueplayers through the ranks, as well as recruiting players from other Basque clubs.[6]Athletic'sofficial policyis to sign players native to or trained in football in thegreater Basque Country,which includesBiscay,Gipuzkoa,ÁlavaandNavarre(in Spain), as well asLabourd,SouleandLower Navarre(in France). Since 1912, Athletic has played exclusively with players meeting its own criteria to be deemed Basque.[7]It has gained Athletic both admirers and critics. The club has been praised for promoting home grown players and club loyalty. The rule does not apply to coaching staff, with several examples of non-Basques both from Spain and abroad having coached the first team.

Despite the implications of the name 'Athletic Club' in English, and unlike some of the other major Spanish teams which have several departments, it is not amulti-sport club,participating only in football, although sections forcyclingand other sports existed prior to theSpanish Civil Warin the 1930s.[8]

History

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Main article:History of Athletic Bilbao

Bilbao FC, Athletic Club, and Club Bizcaya

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Athletic Club with the firstCopa del Rey,in 1903, with Juan de Astorquia in the center

Football was introduced toBilbaoby two distinct groups with British connections: British workers, and Basque students returning from schools in Britain.[9]In the late 19th century, Bilbao was a leading industrial town, thus becoming the home to a large British colony, mainly made up of migrant workers, including shipyard workers and miners from the northeast of England, such asSouthampton,Portsmouth,andSunderland.[10][11]Along with coal, they brought with them (as in so many other parts of the world) the game of football. Meanwhile, sons of theBasqueeducated classes, such asJuan Astorquia,went to Britain to complete their studies, and while there, they developed a deep interest in football, so when they returned they began to organize games with British workers at theHippodrome of Lamiako,which at the time was the home of organized football in Biscay.[12][13]

In 1898, Juan Astorquia and 6 other Basque students belonging to the Gymnasium Zamacois, began to practice football in Lamiako.[9][14]Three years later, in 1901, at a meeting held at theCafé García,this group of football pioneers, now larger, began conversations to become a legalized official football club, which they calledAthletic Club,using the English spelling.[12]Luis Márquezbecame theclub's first president,while Astorquia andAlfred Mills(the club's only foreign-born founder) were named the team's captain and vice-captain, but in 1902, Astorquia replaced Márquez as president, ruling from 1902 until 1903.[14]Under his presidency, Athletic and their city rivalsBilbao Football Clubreached an agreement to combine the best players of both sides to form a team known asClub Bizcaya,which was created to compete in theCopa de la Coronación(forerunner of theCopa del Reywhich officially began a year later) held inMadrid;Bizcaya returned to Bilbao with the trophy after beatingJoan Gamper'sFC Barcelona2–1 in thefinal.[15][16][17]On 24 March 1903, Bilbao FC and its associates were officially and definitively absorbed by Athletic Club.[9]

In the same year, Basque students also formed an affiliated team,Athletic Club Madrid,which later evolved intoAtlético Madrid,after watching Athletic's epic triumph in the1903 Copa del Rey Final.The club itself declares 1898 as its foundation date.[18]

Pichichi and Copa del Rey

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Athletic Club champion team in 1915 along with the 1914 and 1915 Copa del Rey trophies.

The club featured prominently in early Copas del Rey. Following their triumph at the Copa de la Coronación byClub Bizcaya,the newly formed Athletic Bilbao won the first Copas del Rey in1903,both times under Juan Astorquia who was president and Captain. In1904,they were declared winners after their opponents failed to turn up. In 1907, they revived the nameClub Vizcayaafter entering a combined team withUnion Vizcaino.After a brief lull, they won again in1910,withLuis Astorquiaas the new captain and goalkeeper.

In 1911, former team captainAlejandro de la Sota,was elected as the 7th president of the club, and he was the driving force behind the construction of theSan Mamés Stadium(whose architect was Manuel María Smith), which opened in 1913 and soon become one of the symbols of Athletic's dominance in the 1910s, winning the Copa del Rey three times in a row between1914and1916,withBilly Barnesas coach. Between 1917 and 1919 the club went through a period of institutional crisis and during that time it did not participate in the Copa del Rey. In 1920, with the return of Billy Barnes, Athletic once again participated in the national championship and in 1921 won the Copa del Rey again.

The star of this team wasPichichi,a prolific goalscorer who scored the first goal at the San Mamés on 21 August 1913[19]and ahat-trickin the1915 final.The last championship won by Pichichi was the 1921 Copa del Rey, before dying aged just 29 in 1922. Today, the La Liga top-scorer is declared thePichichiin his honour.[20]

Fred Pentland and thefirst historic attack

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In the 1930s, Athletic Bilbao won four leagues and four cups in just six years. In the image, the1930–31 La Ligawinning team.

Along with fellow Basque clubs such asReal Unión,Arenas Club de GetxoandReal Sociedad,Athletic was a founding member ofLa Ligain 1928 and by 1930 they were joined byCD Alavés;five of the ten clubs in thePrimera Divisiónwere from the Basque Country. The saying "Con cantera y afición, no hace falta importación"(en:"With home-grown teams and support, there is no need for import" ), made sense during these early days.

In 1922, a new English coach,Fred Pentland,arrived; in 1923, he led the club to victory in the Copa del Rey. He revolutionised the way Athletic played, favouring the short-passing game. In 1927, Pentland left Athletic but returned in 1929 and led the club to La Liga/Copa del Rey doubles in 1930 and 1931. The club won the Copa del Rey four times in a row between 1930 and 1933 and they were also La Liga runners-up in 1932 and 1933. In 1931, Athletic defeated Barcelona 12–1, the latter's worst defeat and the biggest win in LaLiga history.

Athletic's success under English coaches continued withWilliam Garbutt.His first season in Spain was a massive success as he managed to win theLiga[21]that year. He had inherited a talented squad that included one of the best strikers in the club's history, known asPrimera delantera histórica(en:First historic attack), formed byLafuente,José Iraragorri,Bata(top scorer of LaLiga in 1930–31),Chirri IIandGuillermo Gorostiza(top scorer of LaLiga in 1929-30 and 1931–32). GoalkeeperGregorio Blascoalso stood out, who was the most unbeaten goalie in LaLiga on three occasions.

Garbutt promoted the youngÁngel Zubietato the first team, a player who at 17 years of age went on to become the youngest ever to play for the Spanish national team[21]at the time. In the final game of the season, the title was decided when Athletic defeated Oviedo 2–0 at home on 19 April 1936, winning the title just two points clear of Real Madrid.[21]In July 1936, football halted due to the outbreak of theSpanish Civil War.The league did not restart until the1939–40 season.Athletic Club did not win the title again until1943and by that time Garbutt had been exiled.[21]

Zarra and thesecond historic attack

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Atlético Bilbao team with the 1945 Copa del Generalísimo trophy, withTelmo Zarrain the center.

In 1941, the club was forced to change its name to Atlético Bilbao, followinga decree issued by Franco,who also changed the name of the Copa del Rey to Copa del Generalísimo, in reference to his own figure.

A year beforeTelmo Zarramade his debut, who became one of the club's great legends and the top scorer in its history with 335 goals. He won six Pichichi Trophies for being the top scorer in LaLiga (a record only surpassed by Messi in 2020), and his 38 goals in the1950–51season stood as a record for 60 years. He was also the top scorer in LaLiga history since 1950 with 251 goals, until in 2014 he was surpassed byLionel Messiand later byCristiano Ronaldo(however, he is still the top Spanish scorer in the championship).

During the 1940s and early 1950s, the club featured the legendary forward line formed byRafa Iriondo,Venancio García,Telmo Zarra,José Luis PanizoandAgustín Gaínza,which was nicknamedSegunda delantera histórica(en:Second historic attack); midfielderNando Gonzálezand goalkeeperRaimundo Lezama(most unbeaten goalie in LaLiga on1946-47) also stood out from this team. This squad won adoublein1943and retained Copa del Generalísimo in both1944and1945.They helped the club win another Copa del Generalísimo and aCopa Eva Duarte(the official precedent of theSupercopa de España) in1950.

The team ofeleven villagers

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Atlético Bilbao team in the 1958 Copa del Generalísimo final.

In 1954, coachFerdinand Daučíkretired the team ofsecond historic attackand gave way to a new generation of players. Daučík managed to form a new champion team that won the double in1956and two other victories in the Copa del Generalísimo in1955and1958.The latter is remembered as one of the club's most important achievements, because Athletic managed to beatDi Stefano'sReal Madrid,which had just won theEuropean Cupand LaLiga, and the Spanish federation also ignored Athletic's request to play in a neutral field and forced the final to be played inChamartin(Real Madrid stadium). However, the Bilbao team won the match 2–0 with goals fromArietaandMauri,and lifted the Cup in Chamartin Stadium. From that moment on, this was remembered asel equipo de los once aldeanos(en:the team of eleven villagers), since club president Enrique Guzmán shouted during the title celebration:"With eleven villagers, we have beaten them!",in allusion to the club's tradition of playing only with players from its homeland. The classic team lineup was:Carmelo;Orue,Garay,Canito;Mauri,Maguregui,Marcaida;Arteche,Arieta(whom they considered Zarra's successor),UribeandGaínza.Thanks to their league title triumph, the team represented Spain in the1956 Latin Cup,where they reached the final and lost toAC Milanby a score of 3–1.

In the same year the club also made their debut in theEuropean Cup,where they reached the quarterfinals after eliminatingFC PortoandFerenc Puskás'sHonvéd FC.They then beatManchester UnitedBusby Babes5–3 atSan Mamés Stadium,but were defeated 3–0 atOld Trafford,in a match in which goalkeeperCarmelohad to play almost the entire match injured because substitutions did not exist at that time.

Iribar and the first UEFA final

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Dani, coach Koldo Aguirre and Iribar in 1978.

The 1960s were dominated by Real Madrid, and Atlético went through a few years of transition in which the only figure that shone was goalkeeperJosé Ángel Iribar,who became one of the club's greatest legends along with Zarra. Due to the team's bad form, the fans used to constantly repeat the phraseJuegan Iribar y diez más(en:Iribar and ten more are playing). The situation improved when in1969Atlético won a Copa del Generalísimo and was runner-up in LaLiga in the1969–70season. The main stars of this team −in addition to Iribar− were the scorerFidel Uriarte(winner of aPichichi Trophy) and the wingerTxetxu Rojo.

The 1970s were not much better, with only another single Copa del Generalísimo win in1973.In December 1976, before a game against Real Sociedad, Iribar and Sociedad captainInaxio Kortabarriacarried out theIkurriña(theBasque nationalistflag), and placed it ceremonially on the centre-circle – this was the first public display of the flag since the death ofFrancisco Franco.By then the Franco regime also ended and the club reverted to using the nameAthletic.In 1977, the club reachedthe finalof theUEFA Cupafter eliminating teams likeAC MilanorFC Barcelona,among others, and only losing onaway goalstoJuventus.They also reached the Copa del Rey final, which they lost toReal Betison penalties (Iribar missed the decisive one, which gave the Sevillians the victory), and reached third position in LaLiga. Despite these defeats, this is remembered as one of the best teams in the history of Athletic Bilbao, which included historical players of the club such as Iribar, Rojo,Guisasola,Alexanko,Goikoetxea,Irureta,DaniorCarlos(last player to win thePichichi Trophywith the club).

The Clemente years

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Coach Javier Clemente.

In 1981,Javier Clementebecame manager. He put together one of the most successful teams in the club's history, the main lineup of this team was:Zubizarreta;Urkiaga,Goikoetxea,RockyLiceranzu,De la Fuente;De Andrés,Sola,Urtubi;Dani,SarabiaandArgote.In1982–83season, Athletic became LaLiga champion after surpassingSantillana'sReal Madridin the standings on the last round. The following year they won a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double. In that cup final they beatMaradona'sFC Barcelona1–0; the Argentine player did not take the defeat well and attacked an Athletic player, which caused a brawl between both teams. Months earlier, Goikoetxea had injured Maradona after a hard tackle from behind, from which it took him several weeks to recover, and the Bilbao native was sanctioned with 17 games without playing (although the match referee did not show him any card for this fact).

In 1985 and 1986, Athletic finished third and fourth respectively. During the 1985–86 season Clemente was fired due to a bad relationship with the team's star, Sarabia. A succession of coaches that included José Ángel Iribar,Howard Kendall,Jupp HeynckesandJavier Iruretaand even a returning Clemente failed to reproduce his success.

The Fernández era

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In 1998, coachLuis Fernándezled the club to second in La Liga andUEFA Champions Leaguequalification. Fernández benefited from the club adopting a more flexible approach to thecantera.In 1995, Athletic had signedJoseba Etxeberriafrom regional rivals Real Sociedad, causing considerable bad feeling between the two clubs.[22]Etxeberria was a prominent member of the 1997–98 squad, along withIsmael UrzaizandJulen Guerrero.

21st century

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Marcelo Bielsa led Athletic Bilbao to its second European final.

The club narrowly avoided relegation during the2005–06and2006–07seasons,[23]the latter being the worst in the club's history.[24]In theCopa del Rey,they reached their first final in 24 years,losing 4–1 to Barcelona.[25]

Prior to the2011–12 season,Athletic's new president, former playerJosu Urrutia,brought in coachMarcelo Bielsa;[26][27]Athletic advanced to their first European final since 1977, losing 3–0 to Spanish rivals Atlético Madrid on 9 May in the2012 UEFA Europa League Finalat theArena NaționalăinBucharest.[28]They also reached the2012 Copa del Rey Final,losing again to Barcelona.[29]

After star midfielderJavi Martínezmoved toFC Bayern Munich,Athletic were eliminated from the2012–13 Europa League group stage,and were knocked out of theCopa del Reyby Basque clubEibarof thethird tier.Relegation was a threat until the end of the season, and thefinal league gameat the "old" San Mamés ended in defeat. Athletic would soon move to a new stadium, albeit in a partially completed state. Bielsa promoted young defenderAymeric Laporteinto the side, while strikerFernando Llorentecompleted afree transfertoJuventus.[30]

Aritz Aduriz became one of the top scorers in the club's history with 172 goals.

After Bielsa,Ernesto Valverdereturned for a second spell as manager, and he signed or brought through several new players as Athletic came fourth inthe league,meaning aUEFA Champions Leaguecampaign.Ander Herreratransferred to Manchester United for €36 million deal at the end of the season.[31][32]

Athletic had a triumphant first full-capacity match in the newSan Mamésas they defeatedNapolito qualify for theChampions Leaguegroup stage,[33]however they could only finish 3rd in the group.[34]Athletic reached the2015 Copa del Rey Final,but once again lost to Barcelona, 3–1.[35]

In the first leg of the2015 Supercopa de Españaat San Mamés, Athletic defeated Barcelona 4–0, withAritz Adurizscoring a hat-trick. In the return leg atCamp Nou,Athletic hung on with a 1–1 draw to win their first trophy since 1984.[36][37]Aduriz finished with 36 goals in all competitions. Athletic advanced to the quarter-finals in theEuropa Leaguewhere they were only defeated on penalties by the holders and eventual repeat winnersSevilla FC.

Valverde left his position at the end of the 2016–17 season after four years.[38]It was confirmed that his successor would be former playerJosé Ángel Ziganda,moving up from Bilbao Athletic.[39]On 29 November the club suffered a shock defeat toSD Formenterain thedomestic cup.[40][41]At the conclusion of a poor season overall, Ziganda was dismissed andEduardo Berizzowas appointed. However, his spell was even less fruitful[42]and in December 2018, having won just two of his fifteen matches at the helm and with the team inthe relegation zone,Berizzo was dismissed. B-team coachGaizka Garitanotook over[43]and oversaw an improvement in results, with the club moving well out of danger and narrowly missing out on a Europa League spot on the last day.[44]

Celebration of the 2024 Copa del Rey victory
Fans and private boats surround the Athletic Bilbao traditional barge.
Athletic Bilbao players riding the traditional barge.

The beginning of the2019–20season saw more consistent results. After the first five games of the season, theLionssat at the top of the table, their best start in 26 years.[45]That form could not be maintained, and by the halfway point they had slipped to mid-table after several draws. However, in theCopa del Rey,they survived two penalty shootouts against second-tier opponents and then defeated Barcelona to reach the semi-finals.[46]The club then defeatedGranada CFin the semi-final on away goals to meet local rivals Real Sociedad in the final[47]– which was then postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Spain,both clubs happy to delay in the hope of supporters being able to attend the historic Basque derby occasion. This did not come to pass, andthe finalwas eventually played in an empty stadium on 3 April 2021, Real Sociedad emerging winners by a 1–0 scoreline.[48]By that time, Aduriz had finally retired from playing, Garitano had been replaced as coach byMarcelino,and the2020–21 Supercopa de Españaoriginally intended to follow the delayed cup final was contested, Athletic defeating Real Madrid then Barcelona to claim the trophy.[49]They also defeated Levante in the semi-final of the2020–21 Copa del Reyto reach the final on 17 April 2021, making them the only team to take part in the showpiece event twice in as many weeks;[50]however, Athletic lostthat finalas well, to Barcelona by a 4–0 scoreline.[51]In October 2021, a report from theInternational Centre for Sports Studies (CIES)showed that Athletic Bilbao andDesna Chernihiv(Ukraine) were the only teams in European continental competitions without foreign players.They ended the season on 10th place.[52]

The next two seasons saw the same results, narrowly missing out on the Europa Conference League by finishing in 8th and consecutive Copa del Rey Semi final exits although they did finish as Supercopa de Espanã Runners-up in the 2021–22 season, defeating Atlético Madrid and losing to Real Madrid. In the 2023–24 season however, saw Athletic Bilbao end their 40-year Copa del Rey drought by winning the2023-24 Copa del ReyagainstRCD Mallorca4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in normal time and Extra time.[53] The campaign included some memorable victories, including a 4–2 win against Barcelona at home and a 4–0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid.

Crest

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Athletic's shield has incorporated the escutcheons of Bilbao and Biscay. From the shield of Bilbao, it takesthe bridgeand thechurch of San Anton,and the wolves from the powerfulHaro family,who were lords of Biscay and founders of Bilbao in 1300. From the shield of Biscay, it takes theGernikako Arbola(Guernica's tree) and thecross of Saint Andrew(saltires). Its first documented use dates from 1922.

The first official club crest was a blue circle surrounded by a belt with the letters A and C in the centre in white (as the club colours were at that point).[54]The second was from 1910, consisting of a red-and-white flag (newly adopted as the shirt colours) with a red square in the top left corner, containing the initials of the club in white. The third, from 1913, involved the same flag, but in this case shown on a pole wrapped around a football (this is very similar to theReal Sociedadcrest still in use today, ignoring the crown of royal patronage).[54]

The first version of the current crest, roughly an inverted triangular shield shape with a section of red-and-white stripes and a section of local motifs, is from 1922; this was a really simple version which was adapted several times, some of which closely resembled the crest ofAtlético Madrid,originally a branch of the Bilbao club.[54]Finally, in 1941 the first version of the current shield was created, but the name "Atlético Bilbao" was used whenGeneral Francisco Francooutlawed all non-Spanish names during his fascist reign. In 1972, the club added full colour to the design and recovered the original English "Athletic Club" name.[54]In 2008, the shape of the shield was slightly altered and a new "Athletic Club" typeface was introduced.

Historical evolution of the shield
  • First own shield with intertwined initials (1901-02)
  • Shield stylization and chromatic adjustment (1903-10)
  • The initials are transferred to a flag with the new colors (1910-13)
  • A ball is added to the one that embraces the flag (1913-22)
  • The signs of the city and club are collected on a shield (1922)

Players

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Main article:List of Athletic Bilbao players

Current squad

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As of 30 September 2024[55]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK ESP Unai Simón
2 DF ESP Andoni Gorosabel
3 DF ESP Dani Vivian
4 DF ESP Aitor Paredes
5 DF ESP Yeray Álvarez
6 MF ESP Mikel Vesga
7 FW ESP Álex Berenguer
8 MF ESP Oihan Sancet
9 FW GHA Iñaki Williams(vice-captain)
10 FW ESP Nico Williams
11 FW ESP Álvaro Djaló
12 FW ESP Gorka Guruzeta
13 GK ESP Julen Agirrezabala
14 DF ESP Unai Nuñez(on loan fromCelta Vigo)
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF ESP Iñigo Lekue
16 MF ESP Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta
17 DF ESP Yuri Berchiche
18 DF ESP Óscar de Marcos(captain)[56]
19 FW ESP Javier Martón
20 MF ESP Unai Gómez
21 MF ESP Ander Herrera
22 FW ESP Nico Serrano
23 MF ESP Mikel Jauregizar
24 MF ESP Beñat Prados
26 GK MEX Álex Padilla
28 MF ESP Peio Canales
32 DF ESP Adama Boiro

Reserve team

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Main article:Bilbao Athletic

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
34 GK ESP Oier Gastesi

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF ESP Hugo Rincón(atMirandésuntil 30 June 2025)
— DF ESP Unai Egiluz(atMirandésuntil 30 June 2025)
— MF ESP Unai Vencedor(atRacing Santanderuntil 30 June 2025)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW ESP Malcom Adu Ares(atZaragozauntil 30 June 2025)
— FW ESP Urko Izeta(atMirandésuntil 30 June 2025)

Coaching staff

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Ernesto Valverde, current Athletic Bilbao coach
Position Name
Head coach Ernesto Valverde
Assistant head coach Jon Aspiazu
Goalkeeper coach Aitor Iru
Fitness coach José Antonio Pozanco
Analyst Alberto Iglesias
Head of medical services Josean Lekue
Nurse Juan Manuel Ipiña
Álvaro Campa
Physiotherapist Isusko Ortuzar
Imanol Martín
Sports therapist Xabier Clemente
Match delegate Sendoa Agirre
Kit manager Jon Escalza
Iker López
Josu Arambarri
Director of football Mikel González

Presidency

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See also:List of Athletic Bilbao presidents

The current club president (elected in June 2022, followingAitor Elizegi) is Jon Uriarte.[57][58]

The board of the Athletic Club is composed of the following directors:[59][60]

  • President:Jon Uriarte.
  • Vice-president:Mikel Martínez.
  • Secretary:Fernando San José.
  • Vice-Secretary:María Tato.
  • Treasurer:Aitor Bernardo.
  • Accountant:Jon Ander de las Fuentes.
  • Board members:Begoña Castaño, Goyo Arbizu, Itziar Villamandos, Óscar Beristain, Joana Martínez, Iker Goñi, Óscar Arce, Ricardo Hernani, Tomás Ondarra, Jorge Gómez, Manu Mosteiro.
  • Managing Director:Jon Berasategi.
  • General Secretary:Juan Ignacio Añibarro.
  • Sporting Director:Víctor Moreno.

Coaches

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See also:List of Athletic Bilbao managers

Club colours

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Snapshot with the first blue and white quartered kit.
First photograph with the new red and white kit (1910).

Athletic began playing in an improvised white kit, but in the 1902–03 season, the club's first official strip became half-blue, half-white shirts similar to those worn byBlackburn Rovers,[61]which were donated by Juan Moser. Later, a young student from Bilbao named Juan Elorduy, who was spending Christmas 1909 inLondon,was charged by the club to buy 25 new shirts, but was unable to find enough. Waiting for the ship back to Bilbao and empty handed, Elorduy realised that the colours of the local teamSouthampton[62]matched the colours of the City of Bilbao, and bought 50 shirts to take with him. Upon arriving in Bilbao, the club's directors decided almost immediately to change the team's strip to the new colours, and since 1910, Athletic Club have played in red and white stripes. Of the 50 shirts bought by Elorduy, half were then sent toAtlético Madrid,where Elorduy was a committee member and a former player; it had originally begun as a youth branch of Athletic Bilbao.[63][64][65][66][67]Before the switch, only one other team in Spain wore red and white:Sporting de Gijón,since 1905. Change colours have often been blue and/or white, or black. In 2011, Athletic released a green, white and red away kit inspired by theBasque flag(this was worn against Atlético Madrid in the2012 UEFA Europa League final).

Between 2001 and 2009 Athletic also manufactured their own playing kit, under the brand100% Athleticand utilising the small design from their centenary celebrations as a manufacturer's logo.

Athletic were one of the last major clubs which did not have the logo of an official sponsor emblazoned on their kit. In theUEFA Cupand the Copa del Rey of 2004–05, the shirt sported the word "Euskadi"in green with sponsorship from theBasque Government.[68]This policy was changed in 2008, when Athletic made a deal with theBiscay-basedPetronoroil company[69]to wear their logo in exchange for over €2 million. TheKutxabanklogo now adorns the front of Athletic's kits.

Kit evolution

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Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toAthletic Bilbao kits.
Period[67] Kitmanufacturer[67] Shirt sponsor[67]
1980–1991 Adidas None
1991–1999 Kappa
1999–2001 Adidas
2001–2008 100% Athletic
2008–2009 Petronor
2009–2013 Umbro
2013–2015 Nike[nb 1]
2015–2017 Kutxabank
2017–2023 New Balance[71]
2023– Castore[72]
  1. ^The English-based kit manufacturerUmbrotook responsibility for supplying the team in 2009, having agreed to a long-term contract which was supposed to expire in 2017.[70]However,Nikesold subsidiary Umbro, the kits were manufactured by Nike from season 2013–14 onwards.

Honours

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See also:Athletic Bilbao honours

Results

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See also:List of Athletic Bilbao seasons
Season League Cup[76] Europe Other Comp. Top scorer(s)[77]
Div Pos Pld W D L GF GA Pts Player(s) Goals
2014–15 1D 7th 38 15 10 13 42 41 55 RU Champions League
Europa League 		GS
R32 		Aritz Aduriz 26
2015–16 1D 5th 38 18 8 12 58 45 62 QF Europa League QF Supercopa de España W Aritz Aduriz 36
2016–17 1D 7th 38 19 6 13 53 43 63 R16 Europa League R32 Aritz Aduriz 24
2017–18 1D 16th 38 10 13 15 41 49 43 R32 Europa League R16 Aritz Aduriz 20
2018–19 1D 8th 38 13 14 11 41 45 53 R16 Iñaki Williams 14
2019–20 1D 11th 38 13 12 13 41 38 51 RU Raúl García 15
2020–21 1D 10th 38 11 13 14 46 42 46 RU Supercopa de España W Raúl García 10
2021–22 1D 8th 38 14 13 11 43 36 55 SF Supercopa de España RU Iñaki Williams 8
2022–23 1D 8th 38 14 9 15 47 43 51 SF Iñaki Williams 11
2023–24 1D 5th 38 19 11 8 61 37 68 W Gorka Guruzeta 16[a]

Pos.= Position;Pld= Matches played;W= Matches won;D= Matches drawn;L= Matches lost;GF= Goals for;GA= Goals against;Pts= Points

Winners
Runners-up
Champions League Qualification
Europa League Qualification
Zarra Trophy

Statistics and records

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Main article:List of Athletic Bilbao records and statistics

Statistics

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Institutional information:

  • Associates:43,699 (2023)
  • Official fans groups:485 (at 2023)
  • Budget:€135,889,275 (at 2022–23 season)
  • TV income:€66,560,000 (at 2022–23 season)[78]

Best positions

  • Seasons in La Liga:all[79]
  • Best position in La Liga:1st (8 times)
  • Worst position in La Liga:17th (once)
  • Historical position in the ranking of La Liga:4th[80]
  • Best position in UEFA Champions League / European Cup:Quarter-finals (1956–57)
  • Best position in UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup:Runners-up (1976–77,2011–12)
  • Entries in UEFA competitions:32 (until the 2023–24 season)
5participations in theUEFA Champions League / European Cup
19participations in theUEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup
2participations in theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup
5participations in theInter-Cities Fairs Cup
1participation in theUEFA Intertoto Cup

Goals records

  • Most goals scored in one match home:Athletic 12–1Barcelona(1930–31)
  • Most goals scored in one match away:Osasuna1–8 Athletic (1958–59)
  • Most goals scored in one match inCopa del Rey:Athletic 12–1Celta Vigo(1946–47)
  • Most goals scored in one match in European competitions:Standard Liège1–7 Athletic (2004–05)

Player records

Records

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  • Together with Real Madrid and Barcelona, Athletic is one of only three teams to have contested all editions of La Liga,without ever having been relegated[89]
  • In the 1929–30 season, finished the league unbeaten over 18 games[89]
  • Has the record for the biggest win in La Liga (12–1 over Barcelona, 1931)[89]
  • Has the record for the biggest win in Copa del Rey (12–1 overCelta Vigo,1947)[89]
  • Has the record for the biggest wins away to Real Madrid (0–6 atSantiago Bernabéu), Barcelona (0–6 atCamp Nou),Espanyol(1–5) andOsasuna(1–8)[89]
  • Zarra is the Spanish player with the most goals in La Liga history (251)[89]
  • Zarra is the Spanish player with the most goals in a single La Liga season (38)[89]
  • Zarra is the Spanish player with the most top scorer awards in La Liga history (6)[89]
  • Zarra is the Spanish player with the most hat tricks in La Liga history (23)[89]
  • Gaínza has the record of most goals scored in a Liga match (8)[89]
  • Gaínza has the record of most appearances in the Copa del Rey by an outfield player (99)[90]
  • Zarra is the top scorer in the history of the Copa del Rey (81)[89]
  • Zarra holds the record for most goals in a Copa del Rey final (4)[89]

Stadium information

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San Mames exterior view
  • Name:San Mamés
  • Nickname:La Catedral (en:The cathedral)
  • City:Bilbao
  • Opened:September 2013
  • Capacity:53,289[3]
  • Beginning construction:25 May 2010
  • End construction (partial):September 2013
  • End construction (total):August 2014
  • Pitch size:105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
  • Sports Facilities:Lezama
Panoramic view of San Mames stadium

Lezama facilities

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An aerial view of the Lezama complex, 2019

TheLezama Facilitiesis the complex where all of the categories of Athletic train. It was opened in the 1971–72 season, under the presidency of Felix Oráa. At present, facilities include,inter alia,five natural grass fields, a gymnasium, a pediment, a medical center and a residence for young players. Lezama has undergone remodeling since 1995 under the presidency of José María Arrate with the construction of new roads and parking entry and exit able to absorb the large number of vehicles that come every day, and a platform cover bringing greater convenience to fans attending the matches of the youth teams and other youth football teams.

These facilities are located in the municipality ofLezama,approximately ten miles fromBilbao.

Future

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The Board has given the green light to the so-called "Lezama Master Plan"[when?],which was founded with the purpose of modernizing the structures of both the youth teams and first team. The "Plan" is the result of a rigorous study of the basic needs for the future of the Athletic Club. The work will take place over the course of two to three years and its budget is around €12 million. The club is committed to consolidate its cantera structure, which is the basis for the future of the club and in this regard Lezama will be expanded to classrooms for youth work in the lower categories and create an audiovisual department.

Club rivalries

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Real Sociedad

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Main article:Basque derby

Athletic Club's main historical rival isReal Sociedad,a neighboring club against which it plays the classic Basque derby.[91]Both teams have maintained a great rivalry since their beginnings, and although Athletic had a notably superior trajectory for many decades, since the 1980s the differences between both clubs have equalized significantly and, at the same time, the rivalry has increased.[92][93]

Real Madrid and Barcelona

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Main articles:El Viejo ClásicoandAthletic–Barcelona clásico

AgainstReal MadridandBarcelona,Athletic has competed for many league and cup titles throughout its history.[94][95][96]Athletic has recorded the most victories against both opponents (79 wins over Barcelona and 76 over Madrid, as of 2024), ahead of the likes ofAtlético Madrid,Valencia,SevillaandReal Sociedad.[97][98][99]

Osasuna

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See also:Basque football derbies § Osasuna and Navarre

Athletic also maintains a significant rivalry withOsasuna,and there has been continuous friction between the clubs in recent years.[100][101]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^abcThe number ofCopa del Reywins Athletic Club have been credited with is disputed. The1902 Copa de la Coronaciónwas won byClub Bizcaya,a team made up of players fromAthletic ClubandBilbao FC.In 1903 these two clubs merged asAthletic Cluband took part in the first official Copa del Rey in1903.The 1902 trophy is on display in the Athletic museum[73]and the club includes it in its own honours list for a total of 25 Copas; however, theLFPandRFEFofficial statistics do not regard this as an official edition of the Copa del Rey won by Athletic.[74][75]
  2. ^Cup awarded automatically as the club won both theCopa del ReyandLa Liga.
  3. ^The "Eva Duarte Cup" competition was the predecessor of the current "Spanish Supercup", with the league champion meeting the winner of the "Copa del Generalísimo".
  1. ^14 goals in LaLiga
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