Do Athletic Bilbao players have to be Basque?
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In the first decade of their existence Athletic selected English players for the team, but since 1912 they have adhered to a policy of allowing only players born in the Basque Country or who learned their football skills at a Basque club to play for them.
Why are Athletic Bilbao players only Basque?
Why Does Athletic Bilbao Only Have Basque Players? They have their own motto which rather sums it up neatly: “Con cantera y afición, no hace falta importación.” In English, this translates to: “With home-grown talent and local support, there’s no need for imports.”
Do Basque players play for Spain?
Throughout the years, Basque players have helped the Spanish national team achieve success. Legends from the region, such as Joseba Etxeberria, have been regular faces for La Roja, while the likes of Fernando Llorente and Xabi Alonso helped the country win its first World Cup back in 2010.
Are Athletic Bilbao a big club?
Athletic are the fourth most successful club in La Liga with eight titles to their name. In the table of Copa del Rey titles, Athletic is second only to Barcelona, having won it 23 times. It is also the most successful Basque football club in both league and cup titles won.
Who plays for Basque Country?
Current squad
| No. | Pos. | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | FW | Jon Bautista |
| 10 | FW | Iker Muniain |
| 8 | FW | Asier Villalibre |
| 9 | FW | Iñaki Williams |
Is Barcelona a Basque club?
As the most successful clubs in their native regions (the Basque Country for Athletic and Catalonia for Barcelona) and seen by many of their supporters as the sporting embodiment of the native population, the clubs have important and similar roles in the national football culture, with Athletic’s adherence to a unique …
Why did Athletic Bilbao change name?
The then-new game of football was brought to the city of Bilbao by two different groups of people – the British shipyard workers and the Basque students returning from their studies in Britain (which is the reason for the English sounding Athletic instead for the Spanish sounding Atlético).
Where is Athletic Bilbao from?
Athletic Bilbao is an association football club based in Bilbao, in Biscay in the Basque Country of Spain.
Why do Athletic Bilbao only sign Basque players?
Since 1912, Spain-based football club Athletic Bilbao have had an unwritten rule whereby the club will only sign players who were born in the Basque Country or who learned their football skills at a Basque club.
Who has the most goals for Athletic Bilbao in 30 years?
Joseba Etxeberria has the most career appearances and goals among Athletic players in the last 30 years. Athletic Bilbao is an association football club based in Bilbao, in Biscay in the Basque Country of Spain. The club was a founder member of the Spanish league, better known as La Liga, in 1928, and has won the league championship eight times.
What happened between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad?
In 1911 a dispute occurred between Athletic Bilbao and fellow Basque club Real Sociedad regarding the former fielding ineligible English players in the 1911 Copa del Rey; they had also employed the services of several (non-Basque) players from Atlético Madrid which was then a branch of the Bilbao club.