Athletic Club
Full name	Athletic Club
Nickname(s)	Los Leones (The Lions)
Founded	1898
Ground	San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain (Capacity 39,750[1])
Chairman	Fernando García Macua
League	La Liga
2007-08	La Liga, 11th
Home colours 　 Away colours

Athletic Club is a Spanish football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. Football club names are a part of the sport 's culture reflecting century-old traditions This is a of lists of the use of Nicknames in football (soccer. Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Estadio San Mamés, AKA La Catedral (The Cathedral is a football stadium in Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The following is a list of Association football stadia. They are ordered by their capacity, that is the maximum number of spectators that the The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Population Of the 1133444 people who live in Biscay about 35% live in the capital Bilbao and 88% in its metropolitan area. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or Of the founding members, only Athletic, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona have never been relegated. Fútbol Club Barcelona ( Catalan fudˈbɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona known familiarly as Barça (Spanish ˈbaɾsa Catalan Athletic are historically one of the most successful clubs in Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. They have won La Liga on eight occasions and the Copa del Rey twenty-four times. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams

They are known as the Rojiblancos or Zurigorri because of their red and white striped shirts and as Los Leones because their stadium was built near a church called San Mamés (Saint Mammes). Mammes was an early Christian thrown to the lions by the Romans. "Mammes" redirects here For the cyclist see Bernard Mammes. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The lions refused to eat Mames and he was later made a saint. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity

The club is known for its cantera policy of bringing young Basque players through the ranks, as well as recruiting top Basque players from other clubs (like Joseba Etxeberria or Javi Martínez). Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs The Basques (Euskaldunak are a people who inhabit a region spanning over parts of north-central Spain and southwestern France. Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September, 1977, in Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa, Spain) is a Spanish football Javier Martínez Aguinaga (born September 2, 1988 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Central midfielder who currently plays for Athletic Athletic only signs professional players native to one of the seven Basque provinces: Biscay, Guipúzcoa, Álava and Navarre in Spain and Labourd, Soule and Lower Navarre in France. Population Of the 1133444 people who live in Biscay about 35% live in the capital Bilbao and 88% in its metropolitan area. Guipúzcoa ( Spanish) or Gipuzkoa ( Basque and official is a province of the Basque Country, in Spain. Álava (Araba is a province of northern Spain in the southern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Labourd ( Lapurdi in Basque; from Latin Lapurdum, Labord in Gascon is a former French province and part of the Soule ( Zuberoa, Xiberu or Xüberoa in Basque, Sola in Gascon is a former viscounty and French province and Lower Navarre (Nafarroa Beherea or Baxenabarre Basse-Navarre Baja Navarra is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département This has gained Athletic both admirers and critics. The club has been praised for promoting home grown players and club loyalty.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Bilbao FC, Athletic Club and Team Bizcaya 1.2 Club colours 1.3 Copa del Rey 1.4 Basque nationalism 1.5 The First La Liga 1.6 El Bombín 1.7 Atlético Bilbao 1.8 The Clemente Era 1.9 The Fernandez Era 2 Recent Events 3 Current squad 3.1 Unregistered players 4 Trophies 4.1 Men’s Football 4.2 Women’s Football 5 History 6 Statistics 2007/08 7 Stadium Information 8 Famous players 9 Selected Coaches 10 References 11 External links

History

Bilbao FC, Athletic Club and Team Bizcaya

Football was introduced to Bilbao by two distinct groups of players, both with British connections; British steel and shipyard workers and Basque students returning from schools in Britain. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

In the late 1800s Bilbao was a leading port at the heart of an important industrial area with iron mines and shipyards nearby. It was the driving force of the Spanish economy and as a result attracted many migrant workers. Among them were miners from the north-east of England, and shipyard workers from Southampton and Portsmouth. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which The British workers brought with them (as to so many other parts of the world) the game of football. In the early 1890s these workers came together and formed Bilbao Football Club.

Meanwhile, sons of the Basque educated classes had made the opposite journey and went to Britain to complete their studies in civil engineering and commerce. The Basques (Euskaldunak are a people who inhabit a region spanning over parts of north-central Spain and southwestern France. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located While in the United Kingdom these students developed an interest in football and on their return to Bilbao they began to arrange games with British workers. In 1898 students belonging to the Gymnasium Zamacois founded the Athletic Club, using the English spelling. In 1901 a meeting was held in the Cafe Garcia which established more formal rules and regulations.

In 1902 the two Bilbao clubs formed a combined team, known as Club Vizcaya , in the first Copa del Rey. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams They returned with the trophy after defeating FC Barcelona in the final. Fútbol Club Barcelona ( Catalan fudˈbɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona known familiarly as Barça (Spanish ˈbaɾsa Catalan This would lead to the eventual merger of the two clubs as Athletic Club de Bilbao in 1903. In the same year Basque students also formed Athletic Club de Madrid. This club later evolved into Atlético Madrid. Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. The club's foundation date is a subject of debate among football historians. The club itself declares 1898, but others claim 1901 is the true founding year. There is also a strong case for 1903.

Club colours

Equally debated, is the origin of the club colours. Although their first colours were blue and white stripes, in 1910 they switched to red and white stripes. There are three schools of thought about why this occurred. The most common theory is that they were changed out of deference to Sunderland and Southampton, cities where the original British founders were from. Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional Association football team based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, which plays in Southampton Football Club is a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. [1]. Another is that an Athletic member was sent to the Britain to buy a batch of blue and white tops but could not find any and returned with red and white tops instead. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Perhaps the most credible theory, however, is that red and white striped tops were the cheapest stripes to make because the same combination was used to make bed mattresses. The left over cloth was easily converted into football shirts. Although both Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid started out with blue and white stripes, the discovery of a cheaper option probably persuaded them to change. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. The Madrid club did it first and they became known as Los Colchoneros - the mattress makers. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain.

Athletic are one of the few clubs who do not have the logo of an official sponsor emblazoned on their kit. However in the UEFA cup and the Copa del Rey of 2004-2005, the shirt sported the word "Euskadi" in green in exchange for hundreds of thousands of euros from the Basque Government^[2] (red, white and green are the Basque colours). The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. The Ikurriña flag is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country Autonomous Community of Spain

Copa del Rey

The club featured prominently in early Copa del Rey competitions. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams Following the inaugural win by Club Vizcaya , the newly formed Athletic Bilbao won it again in 1903. In 1904 they were declared winners after their opponents,Club Español de Madrid, failed to turn up. Club Español de Madrid, is a former Spanish football club based in Madrid. In 1907 they revived the name Club Vizcaya after entering a combined team with Union Vizcaino. After a brief lull they won the competition again in 1911 and then won it three times in a row between 1914 and 1916. The star of this team was Pichichi, a prolific goalscorer who scored the very first goal in the San Mamés stadium, on August 21 1913 and a hat-trick in the 1915 final. Rafael Moreno Aranzadi ( August 8 1892 &ndash March 1, 1922) known by the nickname Pichichi, was a Spanish footballer Today the La Liga top-scorer is declared the Pichichi in his honour. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or In Spanish football, the Pichichi is the trophy awarded by Spanish sports newspaper Marca to the top goalscorer for each league season

Basque nationalism

The club's success gave the Basques something to be proud of and supporting the club became a legitimate way of expressing Basque nationalism during the Franco years. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid Some prominent members of the EAJ-PNV were also Athletic members. Jose Antonio Aguirre, a distinguished player with the club in the 1920s and an EAJ-PNV member, became the first elected Basque president in 1936. José Antonio Aguirre may refer to José Antonio Aguirre (politician (1904&ndash1960 first Basque president ( lehendakari) footballer for Athletic The President of the government of the Basque Country is referred to as Lehendakari (literally "the first one" in Basque, or Eusko Jaurlaritzako Lehendakari

On 5 December 1975 (15 days after the death of Franco), Athletic's Iribar and Real Sociedad's Kortabarria entered the ground of the Real vs Athletic local derby carrying the still illegal Basque flag^[3]. José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena, El Chopo ("the Poplar " (born 1 March 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a former In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby (pronounced 'dur-bee' in American English and 'dar-bee' in British English after the city of Derby

The First La Liga

Athletic were not the only Basque team represented in the 1920 squad. Other clubs such as Real Unión, Arenas Club de Getxo and Real Sociedad also provided players. Real Unión Club de Irún were among the early pioneering Spanish football teams and along with fellow Basque clubs Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad Arenas Club de Getxo is a Spanish football club from the village of Getxo, near Bilbao in Biscay. Real Sociedad de Fútbol (more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad) is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia These four clubs were all founding members of La Liga in 1928 and by 1930 they were joined by CD Alaves. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or Deportivo Alavés, usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish Segunda División football club based in Vitoria-Gasteiz This meant that five of the ten clubs in the Primera Division of Spain’s national league were from the Basque Country. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. The saying Con cantera y afición, no hace falta importación, translated as With home-grown teams and supporters, there is no need for imports made sense during these early days.

El Bombín

In 1921 a new coach, Fred Pentland arrived from Racing Santander. Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland ( 29 July 1883 — 16 March 1962) was an English footballer and manager Real Racing Club de Santander, sometimes abbreviated to Racing or Racing Santander, is a Spanish La Liga football club In 1923 he led the club to victory in the Copa del Rey. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams He revolutionised the way Athletic played, favouring the short-passing game. In 1927 he left Athletic and coached Athletic Madrid, Real Oviedo and Spain. Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. Real Oviedo ( Asturian: Real Uviéu) is a football team from Oviedo in Spain. The Spanish National Football Team, commonly referred to as La Selección, is the national football team of Spain and is controlled by the es [[Spanish In 1929 he rejoined Athletic and he subsequently led Athletic to La Liga/Copa del Rey doubles in 1930 and 1931. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams 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. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or In 1931 Athletic also defeated FC Barcelona 12-1, the latter’s worst ever defeat. Fútbol Club Barcelona ( Catalan fudˈbɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona known familiarly as Barça (Spanish ˈbaɾsa Catalan

Atlético Bilbao

In the 1941 the club changed its name to Atlético Bilbao, following a decree issued by Franco, banning the use of non-Spanish language names and refuting the policy of only letting Basque-born players in the team (see origins of the "grandparent rule"). Language politics in Francoist Spain centered on attempts in Spain under Franco to increase the dominance of the Spanish language over the other Languages of The same year also saw Zarra make his debut. Telmo Zarraonaindía Montoya ( 20 January, 1921, in Vizcaya, Basque Country, Spain - 23 February, 2006, Over the next thirteen seasons he went on to score 294 goals in all competitions for Atletico, plus another 20 for Spain in as many games. The Spanish National Football Team, commonly referred to as La Selección, is the national football team of Spain and is controlled by the es [[Spanish His 38 goals in the 1950/51 season still stands as a record. Another great player from this era was Panizo. José Luis López Panizo (born Sestao, Vizcaya, January 12 1922) usually shortened to Panizo, was a Spanish / Basque In the 1943 the club won a La Liga/Copa del Generalisimo double and they subsequently retained the Copa del Rey in both 1944 and 1945. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams

During the early 1950s the club featured the legendary forward line of Zarra, Panizo, Rafa Iriondo, Venancio and Agustín Gaínza. Telmo Zarraonaindía Montoya ( 20 January, 1921, in Vizcaya, Basque Country, Spain - 23 February, 2006, José Luis López Panizo (born Sestao, Vizcaya, January 12 1922) usually shortened to Panizo, was a Spanish / Basque Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (May 28 1922 &ndash January 6 1995 was a Spanish / Basque footballer and coach born in Basauri, Vizcaya. They helped the club win another Copa del Generalisimo in 1950. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams The arrival of coach Ferdinand Daučík improved the club's fortunes further. Ferdinand Daučík (also known as Fernando Daucik; May 30, 1910 &mdash November 14, 1986) is a former Slovak football He led the team to another double in 1956 and to further Copa del Generalisimo victories in 1955 and 1958. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams In 1956 the club also made their debut in the European Cup, eventually been knocked out by Manchester United.

What helped the club succeed in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s were the strict limits imposed on foreign players. In most cases clubs could only have three foreign players in its squad, meaning that at least eight local players had to play in every game. While Real Madrid and FC Barcelona circumnavigated these rules by playing dual citizens such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, José Santamaria and Ladislao Kubala, Athletic adhered strictly to their cantera policy, showing little or no flexibility. Fútbol Club Barcelona ( Catalan fudˈbɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona known familiarly as Barça (Spanish ˈbaɾsa Catalan Alfredo di Stéfano Laulhé (born 4 July 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine - Spanish former footballer and Ferenc Purczeld Biró ( 2 April 1927 &ndash 17 November 2006) or "Ferenc Puskás", was a legendary Hungarian José Emilio Santamaría Iglesias (born 31 July 1929 is an Spanish - Uruguayan former football player and coach Ladislao Kubala Stecz ( June 10, 1927 &ndash May 17, 2002) also referred to as Kubala Stécz László or Ladislav Kubala Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs The 1960s, however were dominated by Real Madrid and Atlético Bilbao only had a single Copa del Rey win in 1969. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams

Like international teams, the club has used the grandparent rule, allowing the recruitment of some players of Basque descent. This enabled Barcelona-born Armando Merodio to play for the club. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia Armando Merodio Pesquera (b Barcelona, August 28 1935) was a Spanish footballer during the 1950s and 1960s However during 1960s other players such as Jesus María Pereda, Miguel Jones, and José Eulogio Gárate were overlooked. Jesús María Pereda Ruiz de Temiño, (born Medina de Pomar Burgos, June 23, 1938) also known as Chus Pereda or Txus Pereda, was Miguel Jones Castillo (born Santa Isabel, Fernando Poo, October 10 1938) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder José Eulogio Gárate Ormaechea (born Sarandí, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 20 September 1944) was a Argentine - Although none of them were Basques by birth, all three grew up in the Basque Country and could be classified as naturalised Basques. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. Gárate even had Basque parents.

On a positive note the 1960s saw the emergence of an Athletic legend José Ángel Iribar. José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena, El Chopo ("the Poplar " (born 1 March 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a former The 1970s were not much better with only another single Copa del Rey win in 1973. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams In December 1976, before a game against Real Sociedad, Iribar and the Real captain Ignacio Kortabarria, carried out the Ikurriña, the Basque flag and placed it ceremonially on the centre-circle. Real Sociedad de Fútbol (more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad) is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia The Ikurriña flag is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country Autonomous Community of Spain The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. This was the first public display of the flag since the death of Franco. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid In 1977 the club reached the UEFA Cup final, only losing on away goals to Juventus. The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. By now the club had reverted to using the name Athletic Bilbao.

The Clemente Era

In 1981 the club appointed Javier Clemente as manager. Javier Clemente Lázaro (born March 12, 1950 Barakaldo, Biscay, Spain) is a Spanish football manager He soon set about putting together one of the most successful Athletic Bilbao teams in the clubs history. Young players from the cantera such as Santiago Urkiaga, Miguel De Andres, Ismael Urtubi, Estanislao Argote and Andoni Zubizarreta joined veterans Dani and Goikoetxea. Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta (born October 23, 1961 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba) is a former Spanish football goalkeeper Daniel Ruiz-Bazán Justa (born 28 June 1951) nicknamed Dani, is a former Spanish footballer. Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (born Alonsotegi, Vizcaya, May 23 1956) also known as Goikoetxea or Goiko, is a In his first season in charge, Clemente led the team to 4th place in La Liga. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or In 1983 the club won La Liga and in 1984 they won a La Liga/Copa del Rey double. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams In 1985 and 1986 Athletic finished 3rd and 4th respectively. Clemente’s Athletic acquired notoriety for its aggressive style of play, personified by hard man Goikoetxea. Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (born Alonsotegi, Vizcaya, May 23 1956) also known as Goikoetxea or Goiko, is a He favoured two defensive midfielders playing in front of twin centre backs and a sweeper and as a result critics regarded his teams as dour but effective.

Athletic Bilbao has failed to win a major trophy since the success of the Clemente era. A succession of coaches including José Ángel Iribar, Howard Kendall, Jupp Heynckes and Javier Irureta and even a returning Clemente failed to reproduce his success. José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena, El Chopo ("the Poplar " (born 1 March 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a former Howard Kendall (born 22 May 1946 in Ryton Tyne and Wear) is an English football manager and former player Josef "Jupp" Heynckes (b 9 May 1945 in Mönchengladbach, Germany) is a former German football player and coach Javier Iruretagoyena Amiano (born April 1, 1948 in Irún, Guipúzcoa) also referred to as Javier Irureta, is a Spanish

The Fernandez Era

The most successful Athletic coach since Clemente has been Luis Fernández, appointed in 1996. Luis Fernández (born on 2 October 1959 in Tarifa, Spain) is a Spanish - French former Football (soccer defender / In 1998 he led the club to second in La Liga and UEFA Champions League qualification. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or Fernandez benefited from the club adopting a more flexible approach to the cantera. Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs Now anybody could play for Athletic, just as long as they acquired their skills in the Basque Country. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. Thus Patxi Ferreira from Salamanca and Biurrun, a Brazilian-born player who immigrated to the region at a young age, played for the club in the late 1980s. Geography The city lies on a mountain by the Tormes River which is crossed by a bridge 150 m long built on 26 arches fifteen of which are of Roman origin, while José Vicente Fernández Biurrun, commonly known as Biurrun, (born São Paulo, Brazil, September 1, 1959) was a football player who |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Despite this new approach, their definition of a Basque is still open to interpretation, with both Roberto López Ufarte and Benjamín being overlooked despite having Basque parents. Roberto López Ufarte (born April 19, 1958, Fes, Morocco) is a Spanish footballer nicknamed the little devil. Benjamín Zarandona Esono, Benjamín (born March 2, 1976 in Valladolid) is a Spanish - Equatorial Guinean footballer

Athletic also began to recruit players from the canteras of other Basque clubs, leading to allegations of poaching. Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. In 1995 Athletic signed Joseba Etxeberria from Real Sociedad, causing considerable bad feeling between the two clubs. Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September, 1977, in Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa, Spain) is a Spanish football Real Sociedad de Fútbol (more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad) is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia Although Lizarazu left after one season, Urzaiz, José Mari and Etxeberria, were prominent members of the 1997/98 squad along with Rafael Alkorta, Julen Guerrero and Patxi Ferreira. Bixente Lizarazu ( Basque: /bi'ʃente lisa'rasu/ French: /bi'gzɑ̃t lizaʀa'zy/ (born Vicente Lizarazu on December 9, 1969 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz Ismael Urzaiz Aranda, Urzaiz (born October 7, 1971 in Tudela Navarre) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a Centre Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September, 1977, in Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa, Spain) is a Spanish football Rafael Alkorta Martinez, Alkorta (born September 16, 1968 in Bilbao, Vizcaya) is a former Spanish footballer Julen Guerrero López (born January 7 1974 in Portugalete, Biscay) is a retired Basque footballer who played as a midfielder for

Recent Events

In recent seasons Athletic Bilbao have languished in mid-table and the club was embroiled in a relegation battle during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons. In 2006 top-flight survival was ensured on the 37th match day when Deportivo de la Coruña were beaten at Riazor 2-1. Javier Clemente began his third spell as club coach in 2005, at a time when the club were last in the table. Javier Clemente Lázaro (born March 12, 1950 Barakaldo, Biscay, Spain) is a Spanish football manager He is widely acknowledged to have brought defensive stability to the team, and so is also credited with having saved the club from relegation, despite this he was not left in charge for the 2006-2007 season. The 2006-2007 season has been the worst in the club's history, top-flight survival was ensured on the last match day when Levante were beaten at San Mamés 2-0. Despite the lack of on-field success, a majority of the club's supporters think the club's identity is more important than winning trophies. According to an El Mundo survey in the 1990s, 76% of Athletic fans would rather see the club relegated than give up the cantera policy. El Mundo ( Spanish for "The World" full name El Mundo del Siglo Veintiuno, "The World of the 21st century" is the second largest Cantera, literally meaning " Quarry " in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs The most successful Athletic team of recent times has been the women’s football team who have won the Superliga Femenina four times between 2003 and 2007. The Superliga is the highest level of league competition for Spanish women's football.

Current squad

The numbers are established according to the official website:www.athletic-club.net and www.lfp.es

No. Position Player 1 GK Armando 2 DF Expósito 3 DF Del Horno 4 DF Ustaritz 5 DF Amorebieta 6 DF Zubiaurre 7 MF Tiko 8 MF Joseba Garmendia 9 FW Fernando Llorente 10 MF Yeste 11 MF Gabilondo 12 DF Koikili 13 GK Aranzubía 14 DF Prieto

No. In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Armando Riveiro de Aguilar Malda, Armando (born January 16, 1971 in Sopelana) is a In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Unai Expósito Medina, Expósito (born January 23, 1980 in Barakaldo, Biscay) is a Spanish / Basque defender In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Asier del Horno Cosgaya (born January 19 1981 in Barakaldo) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a Left back In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Ustaritz Aldekoaotalora Astarloa, Ustaritz (born February 16, 1983 in Abadiño, Biscay) is a Spanish - Basque In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Fernando Amorebieta Mardaras, Amorebieta (born March 29, 1985 in Cantaura, Anzoátegui, Venezuela) is a Spanish In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Iban Zubiaurre Urrutia, Zubiaurre (born January 22, 1983 in Mendaro, Guipuzcoa) is a Spanish - Basque For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Roberto Martínez Rípodas, aka Tiko (born September 15, 1976 in Pamplona) is a Basque footballer, who plays for For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Joseba Garmendia Elorriaga, Garmendia (born October 4, 1985 in Basauri) is a Spanish footballer, currently with Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Fernando Llorente Torres (born February 26, 1985 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for Athletic For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Francisco Javier Yeste Navarro (born December 6, 1979 in Bilbao) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao. For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Igor Gabilondo del Campo (born 10 February, 1979 in Donostia, Guipuscoa, Basque country) is a Football (soccer player In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Koikili Lertxundi del Campo, known just as Koikili (born December 23, 1980 in Otxandio, Biscay) is a Spanish / Basque In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Daniel Aranzubia Aguado (born September 18, 1979 in Logroño, La Rioja) is a Spanish Football player who plays for In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Luis Prieto Zalbidegoitia, Prieto (born February 19, 1979 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a Spanish / Basque Position Player 15 DF Iraola 16 MF Pablo Orbaiz 17 FW Etxeberria (Captain) 18 MF Gurpegi 19 DF Murillo 20 DF Aitor Ocio 21 MF Cuéllar 22 MF Muñoz 23 FW Aduriz 24 MF Javi Martínez 25 MF David López 26 GK Raúl 27 MF Susaeta 45 FW Aitor Ramos

Unregistered players

No. In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Andoni Iraola Sagarna, Iraola (born June 22, 1982 in Usurbil, Gipuzkoa) is a Spanish footballer, currently For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka, Orbaiz (born February 6, 1979 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Spanish footballer, who currently Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September, 1977, in Elgoibar, Gipuzkoa, Spain) is a Spanish football For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Ander Murillo García (born 26 July, 1983) is a Spanish / Basque football player who plays for Athletic Bilbao. In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Aitor Ocio Carrión, Ocio (born 28 November 1976 in Vitoria-Gasteiz) is a Spanish football defender. For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. David Cuéllar Tainta, Cuéllar (born November 1, 1979 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Spanish footballer, currently For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Iñaki Muñoz Oroz, Muñoz (born July 2, 1978, in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Spanish footballer. Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Aritz Aduriz Zubeldia, Aduriz (born February 11, 1981 in San Sebastián) is a Spanish / Basque football player For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Javier Martínez Aguinaga (born September 2, 1988 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Central midfielder who currently plays for Athletic For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. David López Moreno (born 10 September 1982 in Logroño) is a Spanish football player who currently plays as Midfielder In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Raúl Fernández-Cavada Mateos (born March 13, 1988 in Bilbao, is a Spanish Football player who plays for Athletic Bilbao For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Markel Susaeta Laskurain (born December 14, 1987 in Eibar) is a Basque midfielder playing for Athletic Bilbao in La Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Aitor Ramos Leniz (born June 11, 1985 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a Spanish / Basque footballer currently playing for Position Player — GK Iraizoz (injured) — DF Casas (left out of squad)

Trophies

Men’s Football

National titles:

• Liga titles: (8) (1930, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1943, 1956, 1983, 1984). In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Gorka Iraizoz Moreno, Iraizoz (born March 6, 1981 in Pamplona, Navarre) is a Spanish footballer. In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Javier Casas Cuevas, Casas (born May 9, 1982 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a Spanish / Basque defender currently The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or

• Copa del Rey: (24) (1902, 1903, 1904, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1969, 1973, 1984). The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams
  • The number of Copa wins Athletic Club have been credited with is disputed. The 1902 competition was won by Club Vizcaya, a team made up of players from Athletic Club and Bilbao FC. In 1903 these two clubs merged as Athletic Club. The 1902 cup is on display in the Athletic museum [2] and the club includes it in its own honours list. [3]. However LFP and RFEF official statistics do not include this as an Athletic win. The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or

• Spanish SuperCup: (1) (1985). The Supercopa de España is a two-leg Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

• Northern Championship: (3) (1914, 1915, 1916).

• Bizkaia Championship: (13) (1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1940)

• Basque Cup: (1) (1935)

International titles:

• UEFA Cup Subchampionship^[4]: (1977)

Women’s Football

• SuperLeague:
  • 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07 : 4

History

• 4 Participations in the UEFA Champions League
• 16 Participations in the UEFA Cup
• 1 Participation in the Intertoto Cup
• 77 seasons (All) in La Liga

Season		Pos. Population Of the 1133444 people who live in Biscay about 35% live in the capital Bilbao and 88% in its metropolitan area. The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. The Superliga is the highest level of league competition for Spanish women's football. See also List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup is a seasonal club The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Notes
1996/1997	1D	6	42	16	16	10	72	57	64	Rd 4
1997/1998	1D	2	38	17	14	7	52	42	65	quarterfinal	UC	2nd round
1998/1999	1D	8	38	17	9	12	53	47	60	Rd 5	UCL	Group Stage
1999/2000	1D	11	38	12	14	12	47	57	50	Rd 2
2000/2001	1D	12	38	11	10	17	44	60	43	Rd 3
2001/2002	1D	8	38	14	11	13	54	66	53	semi-final
2002/2003	1D	7	38	15	10	13	63	61	55	Rd 2
2003/2004	1D	5	38	15	11	12	53	49	56
2004/2005	1D	9	38	14	9	15	59	54	51	semi-final	UC	last 16
2005/2006	1D	12	38	11	12	15	40	46	45	last 16
2006/2007	1D	17	38	10	10	18	44	62	40
2007/2008	1D	9	38	13	11	14	40	43	50	quarterfinal

Statistics 2007/08

La Liga	Position	Pts	P	W	D	L	F	A
Athletic Club	8	43	31	11	10	10	31	29

• Top Scores:
  • Fernando Llorente - 11 goals
  • Aduriz - 5 goals
  • Susaeta and Etxeberria - 4 goals
• Top Goalkeepers
  • Iraizoz - 12 goals in 13 Matches
  • Armando - 7 goals In 9 Matches
  • Aranzubía - 8 goals In 10 Matches

Stadium Information

• Name - San Mamés Stadium
• City - Bilbao
• Capacity - 39,750^[5]
• Inauguration - 1913
• Pitch size - 103 x 68 m
• Other Facilities: Lezama

Famous players

José Ramón Alexanko Rafael Alkorta Bata José María Belauste Dani Joseba Etxeberría "Piru" Gainza Andoni Goikoetxea Jon Andoni Goikoetxea Guillermo Gorostiza Julen Guerrero José Ángel Iribar Javier Irureta Aitor Karanka Raimundo Lezama

Bixente Lizarazu Andoni Zubizarreta José Panizo Pichichi Iriondo Julio Salinas Victorio Unamuno Fidel Uriarte Ismael Urzaiz Telmo Zarra Villar Rojo Sarabia

see also Cat:Athletic Bilbao footballers

Selected Coaches

• Fred Pentland: 1921-1927, 1929-1933
• "Fernando" Daučík: 1954-1957
• Agustín Gaínza: 1964-1968
• Ronnie Allen: 1968-1972
• Milorad "Michel" Pavić: 1972-1974
• Juan Urquizu
• Javier Clemente: 1981-1986,1991-1992,2005-2006
• José Ángel Iribar: 1986-1987
• Howard Kendall: 1987-1989
• Jupp Heynckes: 1992-1994, 2001-2003
• Javier Irureta: 1994-1995
• Luis Fernández: 1996-2000

see also Cat:Athletic Bilbao managers

References

External links

• (Basque) (Spanish) (English) Athletic Club Official Website
• (Spanish) Voluntad de tradición, an article on the cantera in Spanish.
• (Spanish) San Mamés Stadium
• (Spanish) Principal forum of Athletic Club
• Keep San Mames
• English forum about Athletic

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