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
Manager	Joaquín Caparrós
League	La Liga
2006-07	La Liga, 17th
Home colours Away colours

Athletic Club is a Spanish football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. Of the founding members, only Athletic, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona have never been relegated. Athletic are historically one of the most successful clubs in Spain. They have won La Liga on eight occasions and the Copa del Rey twenty-four times. Download high resolution version (549x636, 26 KB)Athletic Bilbaos badge Image by http://www. ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Estadio San Mamés, AKA La Catedral (The Cathedral), is a football stadium in Bilbao, Spain. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15... Rungnado May Day Stadium is the worlds largest football stadium. ... Joaquín Caparrós (born November 18, 1955 in Utrera, Seville) is a football (soccer) coach. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The La Liga 2006/2007 season started August 27, 2006 and finished June 17, 2007. ... Image File history File links left arm with red stripes File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Valencia CF Deportivo de La Coruña Y.R. K.V. Mechelen Clube Náutico Capibaribe Template talk:Football kit CS Marítimo U.S. Lecce Ternana Calcio F.C. Crotone Bangu Atlético Clube User:Johan Elisson/football kits Categories... Image File history File links right arm with red stripes File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15... Biscay (Basque Bizkaia, Spanish: Vizcaya) is a province of northern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... 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. The lions refused to eat Mames and he was later made a saint. Saint Mammes (Mamas, Mammas, Mammet) of Caesarea (French: ; Spanish: ) is a semi-legendary child-martyr of the 3rd century. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Saint (disambiguation). ...

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 Loren or Roberto Ríos). Athletic only signs professional players native to one of the seven Basque provinces: Biscay, Guipuscoa, Álava and Navarre in Spain and Labourd, Soule and Lower Navarre in France. This has gained Athletic both admirers and critics. The club has been praised for promoting home grown players and club loyalty. Critics however see the cantera policy as exclusivist. Cantera, literally meaning quarry in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs. ... Language(s) Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religion(s) Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: ) are an indigenous people[5] who inhabit parts of north-central Spain and southwestern... Loren is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs. ... Roberto Ríos Patus (born October 8, 1971 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a former professional footballer. ... Biscay (Basque Bizkaia, Spanish: Vizcaya) is a province of northern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ... Guipuscoa province. ... Álava province Álava (Basque: Araba) is a province of northern Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ... “Navarra” redirects here. ... Coat of Arms of Labourd Labourd (Lapurdi in Basque; from Latin Lapurdum, Labord in Gascon) is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. ... Mauléon, capital of Soule Soule (Zuberoa, Xiberu or Xüberoa in Basque, Sola in Gascon) is a former French province and part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. ... Basse-Navarre (Nafarroa Beherea in Basque) is a former French province, part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. ...

History

Bilbao FC, Athletic Club and Team Bizcaya

The first team of Athletic (1901): R.Ugalde, C.Alzola, E.Mac Lenan. A.Mendiguren, C.Castellanos, S.Ledo. M.Castellanos, A.Guinea, Evans, J.Langford, Davies, and W. L. Dyer.

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. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15...

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. 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. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ... For other places with the same name, see Portsmouth (disambiguation). ...

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. 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. Language(s) Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religion(s) Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: ) are an indigenous people[5] who inhabit parts of north-central Spain and southwestern...

In 1902 the two Bilbao clubs formed a combined team, known as Club Vizcaya , in the first Copa del Rey. They returned with the trophy after defeating FC Barcelona in the final. 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. 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. The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid. ...

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. [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. 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. The Madrid club did it first and they became known as Los Colchoneros - the mattress makers. Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional football club, based at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in North-East England. ... Southampton F.C. (originally St. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15... Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid. ... This article is about the Spanish capital. ...

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 (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Basque Country (Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community of Spain whose capital is Vitoria (Basque Gasteiz). ... Capital Vitoria-Gasteiz Official languages Basque and Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 14th  7 234 km²  1,4% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 7th  2 124 846  4,9%  293,73/km² Demonym  â€“ English  â€“ Spanish  â€“ Basque  Basque  Vasco/a Euskal Herritar, Euskaldun GDP GDP/Cápita 30. ... Ikurriña The Ikurriña flag is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community (Comunidad Autónomas) of contemporary Spain. ...

Copa del Rey

Champions of 1921 Cup; Hurtado, "Pichichi", Laka, Acedo, Rivero, S.Bilbao, R.Belauste, Villabaso, Allende, Beguiristain and J.M Belauste.

The club featured prominently in early Copa del Rey competitions. 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. 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. Today the La Liga top-scorer is declared the Pichichi in his honour. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Club Español de Madrid, is a former Spanish football club based in Madrid. ... Pichichi (born Bilbao,Vizcaya, August 8th 1892; died March 1st , 1922) was a Spanish/Basque footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao and Spain during the 1910s and 1920s. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... In Spanish football, the Pichichi is the trophy awarded to the top scorer for each season. ...

Basque nationalism

The clubs 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. 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. “Franco” redirects here. ... José Antonio Aguirre Lecube (Bilbao, March 6, 1904–Paris, March 22, 1960) was a Spanish political figure. ... The President of the Basque Country is referred to as Lehendakari (literally, firstlier) in Basque, or Eusko Jaurlaritzako Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government); the Spanish title is Presidente del Gobierno Vasco. ...

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 (born March 1, 1943 in Zarauz, Guipúzcoa) is a Spanish Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby (pronounced der-bee in American English and dar-bee in British English after the English city) means a sporting fixture between two (generally local) rivals, particularly in Association Football. ...

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. These four clubs were all founding members of La Liga in 1928 and by 1930 they were joined by CD Alaves. This meant that five of the ten clubs in the Primera Division of Spain’s national league were from the Basque Country. 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. Real Unión Club de Irún is a Spanish football team formed in 1915 and based in Irún. ... Arenas Club de Getxo is a Spanish football club club from the city of Guecho, near Bilbao in Vizcaya. ... Real Sociedad is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia in Guipúzcoa/Gipuzkoa. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... Deportivo Alavés, usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish Segunda División football club based in Vitoria (Gasteiz) in the Basque Country. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ...

El Bombín

In 1921 a new coach, Fred Pentland arrived from Racing Santander. 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 he left Athletic and coached Athletic Madrid, Real Oviedo and Spain. In 1929 he rejoined Athletic and he subsequently led Athletic 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 also defeated FC Barcelona 12-1, the latter’s worst ever defeat. Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland (born Wolverhampton, England, May 5th 1883, died Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, England, March 16th 1962 ) was an English footballer and manager during the early 1900s. ... Categories: Football (soccer) stubs | Spanish football clubs ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid. ... Real Oviedo (Asturian: Real Uviéu) is a football team from Oviedo in Asturias. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... 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. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ...

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"). The same year also saw Zarra make his debut. 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. His 38 goals in the 1950/51 season still stands as a record. Another great player from this era was Panizo. 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. Language politics in Francoist Spain centered on attempts in Spain under Franco to increase the dominance of Castilian (castellano), the most widely used Spanish language, over the other languages of Spain. ... Zarra redirects here: for the town in Spain, see Zarra, Valencia. ... José Luis Lopez Panizo (born Sestao, Vizcaya, January 12th 1922), sometimes shortened to Panizo, was an Athletic Bilbao and Spanish footballer during the 1940s and 1950s. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... 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. They helped the club win another Copa del Generalisimo in 1950. The arrival of coach Ferdinand Daučík improved the club's fortunes further. He led the team to another double in 1956 and to further Copa del Generalisimo victories in 1955 and 1958. In 1956 the club also made their debut in the European Cup, eventually been knocked out by Manchester United. Zarra redirects here: for the town in Spain, see Zarra, Valencia. ... José Luis Lopez Panizo (born Sestao, Vizcaya, January 12th 1922), sometimes shortened to Panizo, was an Athletic Bilbao and Spanish footballer during the 1940s and 1950s. ... Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (born May 28th 1922 in Basauri, Vizcaya; died January 6th 1995) was a Spanish footballer and coach. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Ferdinand Daučík (also known as Fernando Daucik; May 30, 1910 — November 14, 1986) is a former Slovak football player and manager. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... The season 1956-57 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the second time by Real Madrid against ACF Fiorentina. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ...

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. The 1960s, however were dominated by Real Madrid and Atlético Bilbao only had a single Copa del Rey win in 1969. Real Madrid redirects here. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... Alfredo Di Stéfano (born July 4, 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine-born former footballer and coach. ... Ferenc Puskás (April 2, 1927–November 17, 2006) (Hungarian: Puskás Ferenc, nickname Puskás Öcsi, Spanish: Ferenc Puskas Biro), was a legendary Hungarian football forward and coach. ... José Emilio Santamaria is a football player and later, manager. ... Ladislao Kubala Stecz (born June 10, 1927, Budapest; died May 17, 2002, Barcelona), also referred to as Kubala László or Ladislav Kubala, is a former footballer and manager who played as a forward with various European clubs including Ferencváros TC, Å K Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, CF Barcelona and... Cantera, literally meaning quarry in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... 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. However during 1960s other players such as Jesus María Pereda, Miguel Jones, and José Eulogio Gárate were overlooked. Although none of them were Basques by birth, all three grew up in the Basque Country and could be classified as naturalised Basques. Gárate even had Basque parents. Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Armando Merodio Pesquera (b. ... Jesus María Pereda Ruiz de Temiñó ( born Medina de Pomar, Burgos, June 23rd, 1938), also known as Chus Peredá or Txus Pereda, was a Spanish football player and coach. ... Miguel Jones Castillo (born Santa Isobel, Fernando Poo, October 10th 1938) was a Spanish footballer during the 1960s. ... José Eulogio Gárate Ormaechea (born September 20, 1944 in Sarandí, Buenos Aires) was a Spanish footballer. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ...

On a positive note the 1960s saw the emergence of an Athletic legend José Ángel Iribar. The 1970s were not much better with only another single Copa del Rey win in 1973. 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. This was the first public display of the flag since the death of Franco. In 1977 the club reached the UEFA Cup final, only losing on away goals to Juventus. By now the club had reverted to using the name Athletic Bilbao. José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena (born March 1, 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Real Sociedad is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia in Guipúzcoa/Gipuzkoa. ... Ikurriña The Ikurriña flag is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community (Comunidad Autónomas) of contemporary Spain. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... “Franco” redirects here. ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Juventus Football Club (from Latin [1] iuventus: youth, IPA: ); (pronounced yoo-ven-toos) also known as Juventus Turin (or Juventus Torino), Juventus, or simply Juve, is a football club from Turin, Italy. ...

The Clemente Era

In 1981 the club appointed Javier Clemente as 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. In his first season in charge, Clemente led the team to 4th place in La Liga. In 1983 the club won La Liga and in 1984 they won a La Liga/Copa del Rey double. 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. 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. Javier Clemente is a Spanish football coach. ... 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, and the all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team. ... Daniel Ruiz Bazán (born 28 June 1951), nicknamed Dani, is a former Spanish footballer. ... Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (born Alonsotegui, Vizcaya, May 23, 1956), also known as Goikoetxea or Goiko, is a Spanish/Basque footballer and coach. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (born Alonsotegui, Vizcaya, May 23, 1956), also known as Goikoetxea or Goiko, is a Spanish/Basque footballer and coach. ...

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 (born March 1, 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. ... Josef Jupp Heynckes (b. ... Javier Iruretagoyena Amianó (born April 1, 1948, Irún, Guipúzcoa) is a Spanish footballer and coach. ...

The Fernandez Era

The most successful Athletic coach since Clemente has been Luis Fernández, appointed in 1996. In 1998 he led the club to second in La Liga and UEFA Champions League qualification. Fernandez benefited from the club adopting a more flexible approach to the cantera. Now anybody could play for Athletic, just as long as they acquired their skills in the Basque Country. 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. 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. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The 1998-99 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Manchester United, coming back from a goal down in the last two minutes of injury time to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a memorable final. ... Cantera, literally meaning quarry in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... Salamanca (population 160,000) is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community (region) of Castile-Leon (Castilla y León). ... José Vicente Fernandez Biurrun (born Brazil, September 9th 1959). ... Roberto López Ufarte (born April 19th 1958, Fes, Morocco) is a Spanish footballer, nicknamed the little devil. ... Benjamín Zarandona Esono (born Valladolid, Spain, March 2, 1976), also referred to as Benjamín, is a Spanish footballer who has played as a central or left-sided midfielder who plays for Real Betis and Equatorial Guinea. ...

Athletic also began to recruit players from the canteras of other Basque clubs, leading to allegations of poaching. In 1995 Athletic signed Joseba Etxeberria from Real Sociedad, causing considerable bad feeling between the two clubs. 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. Cantera, literally meaning quarry in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... Joseba Andoni Lizardi Etxeberría (born September 5, 1977 in Elgoíbar) is a Basque football (soccer) winger, who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spains Liga. ... Real Sociedad is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia in Guipúzcoa/Gipuzkoa. ... Bixente Lizarazu (Basque: //; French: //) (born December 9, 1969 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France) is a former football (soccer) left defender for Bayern Munich and three other professional teams, as well as the French national team. ... Ismael Urzaiz Aranda (born October 7th 1971, Tudela, Navarre) is a Basque professional footballer who currently plays in the La Liga for Athletic Bilbao. ... Joseba Andoni Lizardi Etxeberría (born September 5, 1977 in Elgoíbar) is a Basque football (soccer) winger, who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spains Liga. ... Rafael Alkorta Martinez ( born Bilbao, Vizcaya, September 16th 1968) was a Spanish footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid and Spain. ... Julen Guerrero López (born Portugalete, Vizcaya, January 7, 1974 is a recently retired Spanish/Basque footballer who played as a midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, Spain and the Euskadi XI. During the early 1990s he was the golden boy of Spanish and Basque football. ...

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. 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. 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. Javier Clemente is a Spanish football coach. ... El Mundo is the second largest newspaper in Spain, with a circulation of 350,297 copies (2003). ... Cantera, literally meaning quarry in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies organized by sports clubs. ... The Superliga is the highest level of league competition for Spanish womens football. ...

Current squad 2007/2008

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Gorka Iraizoz 2 DF Unai Expósito 3 DF Asier del Horno 4 DF Ustaritz 5 DF Fernando Amorebieta 6 DF Iban Zubiaurre 7 MF Tiko 8 MF Joseba Garmendia 9 FW Fernando Llorente 10 MF Fran Yeste 11 MF Igor Gabilondo 12 DF Koikili 13 GK Daniel Aranzubía

No. Position Player 14 DF Luis Prieto 15 DF Andoni Iraola 16 MF Pablo Orbaiz 17 FW Joseba Etxeberria (Captain) 18 MF Carlos Gurpegi (Suspended) 19 DF Ander Murillo 20 DF Aitor Ocio 21 MF David Cuéllar 22 MF Iñaki Muñoz 23 FW Aritz Aduriz 24 MF Javi Martínez 25 MF David López

Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Gorka Iraizoz Moreno, (born 6 March 1981 in Iruña) is a football (soccer) player from The Basque Country. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Unai Expósito Medina, born January 23, 1980 in Barakaldo, Spain is a Spanish defender currently playing for Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Asier del Horno Cosgaya (born January 19, 1981 in Barakaldo, Spain) is a Biscain professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Athletic Bilbao on loan from Valencia CF and also represents Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Ustaritz Aldekoaotalora Astarloa (born February 16, 1983) is a Spanish professional football player from Abadiano, Biscay, Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Fernando Amorebieta Mardaras (born March 21, 1985) is a Venezuelan-Spanish football player. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Iban Zubiaurre Urrutia (born January 22, 1983, Mendaro, Guipuzcoa, is a Spanish Basque footballer who currently playes for Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Roberto Martínez Rípodas, more commonly known as Tiko, is a Spanish midfielder born on September 15, 1976 in Pamplona, Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Joseba Garmendia (born October 4, 1985) is a Spanish Football player, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, and formerly inside forwards, are the players on a team in football in the row nearest to the opposing teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ... Fernando Llorente Torres (born in Iruñea , Nafarroa on February 26, 1985) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga as a forward. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Francisco Javier Yeste Navarro (born December 6th 1979, Bilbao) is a footballer who plays Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Igor Gabilondo del Campo (born 10 February 1979 in Donostia, Basque) is a football (soccer) player from Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Koikili Lertxundi Del Campo (better known just as Koikili) is a Spanish Basque footballer born December 23, 1980 in Otxandio, Biscay. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Daniel Aranzubía Aguado (born September 18, 1979) is a Spanish Football player, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Luis Prieto Zalbidegoitia (born February 19, 1979) is a Spanish Football player, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Andoni Iraola Sagama (born June 22, 1982) is a Spanish Football player, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Pablo Orbaiz Lesaka is a Spanish footballer (Born February 6, 1979, Pamplona, Navarre). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, and formerly inside forwards, are the players on a team in football in the row nearest to the opposing teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ... Joseba Andoni Lizardi Etxeberría (born September 5, 1977 in Elgoíbar) is a Basque football (soccer) winger, who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spains Liga. ... The team captain of a football team, sometimes known as the skipper, is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team: it is often one of the older or more experienced members of the squad, or a player that can heavily influence a game. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Carlos Gurpegi Nausia (born September 19, 1980) is a Spanish Football player who plays for Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Ander Murillo Garcia (born 22nd July, 1983) is a Spanish Football player who plays for Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Aitor Ocio Carrión (born 28 November 1976 in Vitoria-Gasteiz) is a Spanish footballer central defender. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... David Cuéllar Tainta is a Spanish footballer born November 1, 1979 in Pamplona, Navarre. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Iñaki Muñoz Oroz is a Spanish footballer born July 2, 1978, in Pamplona, Navarre. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, and formerly inside forwards, are the players on a team in football in the row nearest to the opposing teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Javier Martínez Aguinaga, (born September 2, 1988 in Pamplona, Navarre, Spain), is a central midfield player who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... David López Moreno is a Spanish footballer who currently plays in midfield for Osasuna. ...

Important reserve players

No. Position Player 27 MF Markel Susaeta 28 FW Ion Vélez

Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Markel Susaeta Laskurain, born December 14, 1987 in Eibar, is a Basque midfielder playing for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, and formerly inside forwards, are the players on a team in football in the row nearest to the opposing teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ... Ion Vélez Martínez (born February 17, 1985 in Tafalla, Navarre is a Spanish/Basque footballer currently playing for Athletic Bilbao as a Striker. ...

Unregistered players

No. Position Player - DF Javier Casas

Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Javier Casas Cuevas, (born May 9, 1982 in Bilbao, Biscay) is a Spanish/Basque defender currently contracted to Athletic Bilbao. ...

Trophies

Men’s Football

• Liga titles: 8 (1930, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1943, 1956, 1983, 1984).

• 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 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.

• Spanish SuperCup: 1 (1985).

• 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)

(Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The Royal Spanish Football Federation (Spanish: , RFEF) is the governing body of football in Spain. ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... Vizcaya province Vizcaya (Basque Bizkaia) is a province of northern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ...

Women’s Football

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

Athletic v Celta Vigo,2005

The Superliga is the highest level of league competition for Spanish womens football. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2109x916, 494 KB) Sumario es: Descripción: Partido de fútbol entre el Athletic Club de Bilbao y el Real Club Celta de Vigo SAD en la catedral de San Mamés, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2109x916, 494 KB) Sumario es: Descripción: Partido de fútbol entre el Athletic Club de Bilbao y el Real Club Celta de Vigo SAD en la catedral de San Mamés, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España. ...

History

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

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Notes
1996/1997	1D	6	42	16	16	10	72	57	64
1997/1998	1D	2	38	17	14	7	52	42	65		UC	2nd round
1998/1999	1D	8	38	17	9	12	53	47	60		UCL	Group Stage
1999/2000	1D	11	38	12	14	12	47	57	50
2000/2001	1D	12	38	11	10	17	44	60	43
2001/2002	1D	8	38	14	11	13	54	66	53
2002/2003	1D	7	38	15	10	13	63	61	55	semi-final
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 32
2005/2006	1D	12	38	11	12	15	40	46	45	last 16
2006/2007	1D	17	38	10	10	18	44	62	40

European Cup redirects here. ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... The UEFA Intertoto Cup is a summer football competition for European clubs that have not qualified for one of the main UEFA competitions (the Champions League and the UEFA Cup). ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... The 1996/1997 La Liga season saw 22 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league it was won by Real Madrid with Barcelona finishing runners up. ... The 1997/1998 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league it was won by Barcelona with Athletic Bilbao finishing runners up. ... The UEFA Cup 1997-98 was won by Inter Milan comfortably in an all-Italian final against S.S. Lazio. ... The 1998/1999 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league it was won by Barcelona with Real Madrid finishing runners up. ... The 1998-99 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Manchester United, coming back from a goal down in the last two minutes of injury time to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a memorable final. ... La Liga seasons 1991/92 | 1992/93 | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 Categories: | | | | | ... The La Liga Season 2000/01 was won by Real Madrid. ... The La Liga Season 2001/2002 was won by Valencia CF. La Liga seasons 1991/92 | 1992/93 | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 Categories: | | | | | ... The La Liga Season 2002/2003 was won by Real Madrid. ... The La Liga Season 2003/04 was won by Valencia CF. La Liga seasons 1991/92 | 1992/93 | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 Categories: | | | | | ... // FC Barcelona -- UEFA Champions League Directly Real Madrid -- UEFA Champions League Directly Villarreal CF -- UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round Betis -- UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round RCD Espanyol -- UEFA Cup Sevilla FC -- UEFA Cup CA Osasuna -- UEFA Cup Runners-Up of Kings Cup Valencia CF -- Intertoto Cup Deportivo de La... The UEFA Cup 2004-05 fixtures and results. ... // 1st -- FC Barcelona -- UEFA Champions League Directly and Champion 2nd -- Real Madrid UEFA Champions League Directly 3rd -- Valencia CF UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round 4th -- CA Osasuna UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round Winners of Kings Cup: RCD Espanyol -- UEFA Cup 5th -- Sevilla FC UEFA Cup 6th -- Celta de Vigo... The La Liga 2006/2007 season started August 27, 2006 and finished June 17, 2007. ...

Statistics 2006/07

• Top Scores:
  • Aduriz - 9 goals
  • Urzáiz - 8 goals
  • Iraola - 5 goals
• Top Goalkeepers
  • Aranzubía - 42 goals In 28 Matches
  • Aranzubia - 20 goals In 11 Matches

Stadium Information

San Mamés Stadium in June 2007
(Athletic Club 2 - Levante UD 0)

• Name - San Mamés Stadium
• City - Bilbao
• Capacity - 39,750^[4]
• Inauguration - 1913
• Pitch size - 103 x 68 m
• Other Facilities: Lezama

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Estadio San Mamés, AKA La Catedral (The Cathedral), is a football stadium in Bilbao, Spain. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15...

Famous players

see also Cat:Athletic Bilbao footballers Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... José Ramón Alexanko Ventosá (born Barakaldo, Vizcaya, Spain, May 5, 1956), also referred to as Alesanco or Alexanco, is a former Spanish/Basque footballer and manager. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Rafael Alkorta Martinez ( born Bilbao, Vizcaya, September 16th 1968) was a Spanish footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid and Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Agustín Sauto Arana (May 11, 1908 - August 21, 1986), known as Bata, was a Spanish football forward. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... José María Belausteguigoita Landaluce (born May 15th 1889, Bilbao, Vizcaya) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder and captain for Athletic Bilbao and Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Daniel Ruiz Bazán (born 28 June 1951), nicknamed Dani, is a former Spanish footballer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Joseba Andoni Etxeberría Lizardi (born September 5, 1977 in Elgoíbar) is a Basque football (soccer) winger, who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spains La Liga. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (born May 28th 1922 in Basauri, Vizcaya; died January 6th 1995) was a Spanish footballer and coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga (born Alonsotegui, Vizcaya, May 23, 1956), also known as Goikoetxea or Goiko, is a Spanish/Basque footballer and coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Jon Andoni Goikoetxea Lasá (b. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Guillermo Gorostiza Paredes (February 15, 1909 - August 23, 1966), known as Gorostiza on the pitch, was a Spanish football forward for Athletic Bilbao from 1929 to 1940. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Julen Guerrero López (born Portugalete, Vizcaya, January 7, 1974 is a recently retired Spanish/Basque footballer who played as a midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, Spain and the Euskadi XI. During the early 1990s he was the golden boy of Spanish and Basque football. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena (born March 1, 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Javier Iruretagoyena Amianó (born April 1, 1948, Irún, Guipúzcoa) is a Spanish footballer and coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Aitor Karanka de la Hoz (born September 18, 1973 in Vitoria, Álava) is a Spanish footballer, who last played for the Colorado Rapids of the MLS. He has previously played for Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid, Spain and the Euskadi XI. His brother, David Karanka, is also a footballer and has... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Raimundo Pérez Lezama (born Barakaldo, Vizcaya November 29, 1922) is a Spanish/Basque footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Southampton, Arenas Club de Getxo, Atlético Bilbao, SD Indautxu, Sestao, and Spain. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Bixente Lizarazu (Basque: //; French: //) (born December 9, 1969 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France) is a former football (soccer) left defender for Bayern Munich and three other professional teams, as well as the French national team. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta (born October 23, 1961 in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Araba) is a former Spanish football goalkeeper, and the all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... José Luis Lopez Panizo (born Sestao, Vizcaya, January 12th 1922), sometimes shortened to Panizo, was an Athletic Bilbao and Spanish footballer during the 1940s and 1950s. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Pichichi (born Bilbao,Vizcaya, August 8th 1892; died March 1st , 1922) was a Spanish/Basque footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao and Spain during the 1910s and 1920s. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Julio Salinas Fernández (born Bilbao, Vizcaya, September 11th 1962) was a Spanish football player during the 1980s and 1990s. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Ismael Urzaiz Aranda (born October 7th 1971, Tudela, Navarre) is a Basque professional footballer who currently plays in the La Liga for Athletic Bilbao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Zarra redirects here: for the town in Spain, see Zarra, Valencia. ...

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 Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Frederick Beaconsfield Pentland (born Wolverhampton, England, May 5th 1883, died Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, England, March 16th 1962 ) was an English footballer and manager during the early 1900s. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Czechoslovakia. ... Ferdinand Daučík (also known as Fernando Daucik; May 30, 1910 — November 14, 1986) is a former Slovak football player and manager. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (born May 28th 1922 in Basauri, Vizcaya; died January 6th 1995) was a Spanish footballer and coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Ronnie Allen (15 January 1929 - 1 June 2001) was an English footballer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Serbia. ... Milorad Miša Pavić (November 11, 1921 in Valjevo - August 16, 2005 in Valjevo) was a Yugoslavian football player and coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Javier Clemente is a Spanish football coach. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena (born March 1, 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Josef Jupp Heynckes (b. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Javier Iruretagoyena Amianó (born April 1, 1948, Irún, Guipúzcoa) is a Spanish footballer and coach. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

Deià (Castilian: Deyá) is a small coastal village in the northern ridge of the Spanish island of Majorca. ... El Mundo can refer to: El Mundo (Spain), Spanish newspaper El Mundo (Puerto Rico), Puerto Rican newspaper El Mundo (Argentine), Argentine newspaper El Mundo (game), four player tables game described in the Alfonso X manuscript This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might...

External links

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

La Liga • 2007-08 clubs v • d • e
Almería • Athletic • Atlético • Barcelona • Betis • Deportivo • Espanyol Getafe • Levante • Mallorca • Murcia • Osasuna • Racing • Real Madrid Recreativo • Sevilla • Valencia • Valladolid • Villarreal • Zaragoza Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... UD Almería Athletic Bilbao Atlético Madrid FC Barcelona Betis Deportivo de La Coruña RCD Espanyol Getafe CF Levante UD RCD Mallorca Murcia CA Osasuna Racing de Santander Real Madrid Recreativo de Huelva Sevilla FC Valencia CF Valladolid Villarreal CF Zaragoza The 2007–08 La Liga season, the... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Unión Deportiva Almería, usually known simply as Almería, is a Spanish top division football club based in Almería, Province of Almería, South East of Spain . ... Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... Real Betis Balompié is a Spanish football club in Seville founded in 1907. ... Deportivo redirects here. ... RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (Catalan: ) is a Spanish sports club based in Barcelona. ... Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Getafe, a city in the metropolitan area of South Madrid, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983. ... Levante Unión Deportiva (Spanish), also known as Llevant Unió Esportiva (Valencian), is a Spanish football club based in Valencia. ... Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team from Palma. ... Real Murcia is a Spanish football club based in Murcia, they were founded in 1908. ... Club Atlético Osasuna, usually known as Osasuna, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Pamplona in Navarra, founded in 1920. ... Real Racing Club de Santander, sometimes abbreviated to Racing or Racing Santander, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Santander which was founded in 1913. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... Real Club Recreativo de Huelva is a Spanish football team formed on December 23, 1889. ... Sevilla Fútbol Club is a Spanish professional football club that plays in the top-flight Spanish La Liga championship. ... Valencia Club de Fútbol (also known as Valencia CF or Valencia) are a Spanish professional football club based in Valencia. ... Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club. ... Villarreal Club de Fútbol SAD, usually abbreviated to Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a small town in the province of Castellon. ... Real Zaragoza is a Spanish football team from Zaragoza in Aragón. ...
La Liga seasons
1929 • 1929-30 • 1930-31 • 1931-32 • 1932-33 • 1933-34 • 1934-35 • 1935-36 • 1939-40 1940-41 • 1941-42 • 1942-43 • 1943-44 • 1944-45 • 1945-46 • 1946-47 • 1947-48 • 1948-49 1949-50 • 1950-51 • 1951-52 • 1952-53 • 1953-54 • 1954-55 • 1955-56 • 1956-57 • 1957-58 1958-59 • 1959-60 • 1960-61 • 1961-62 • 1962-63 • 1963-64 • 1964-65 • 1965-66 • 1966-67 1967-68 • 1968-69 • 1969-70 • 1970-71 • 1971-72 • 1972-73 • 1973-74 • 1974-75 • 1975-76 1976-77 • 1977-78 • 1978-79 • 1979-80 • 1980-81 • 1981-82 • 1982-83 • 1983-84 • 1984-85 1985-86 • 1986-87 • 1987-88 • 1988-89 • 1989-90 • 1990-91 • 1991-92 • 1992-93 • 1993-94 1994-95 • 1995-96 • 1996-97 • 1997-98 • 1998-99 • 1999-00 • 2000-01 • 2001-02 • 2002-03 2003-04 • 2004-05 • 2005-06 • 2006-07 • 2007-08 (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga and also known as Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. ... La Liga 1929 season started February 10, 1929 and finished June 23, 1929. ... La Liga 1929/1930 season started December 1, 1929 and finished March 30, 1930. ... La Liga 1930/1931 season started December 7, 1930 and finished April 5, 1931. ... La Liga 1931/1932 season started November 22, 1931 and finished April 3, 1932. ... La Liga 1932/1933 season started November 27, 1932 and finished March 28, 1933. ... La Liga 1933/1934 season started November 5, 1933 and finished March 4, 1934. ... La Liga 1934/1935 season started December 2, 1934 and finished April 28, 1935. ... La Liga 1935/1936 season started November 10, 1935 and finished April 19, 1936. ... La Liga 1956-57 season is twenty-Sixth League Championship of Spain. ... The 40th League Championship of Spain saw Valencia CF claim its first Liga title since 1947, and its fourth overall. ... The 1971/1972 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1972/1973 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1973/1974 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1974/1975 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1975/1976 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1976/1977 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1977/1978 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1978/1979 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1979/1980 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1980/1981 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1981/1982 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1982/1983 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1983/1984 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1984/1985 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1985/1986 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1986/1987 La Liga season saw 18 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1987/1988 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1988/1989 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league it was won by Real Madrid with FC Barcelona finishing runners up. ... The 1989/1990 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... The 1990/1991 La Liga season saw 20 teams participate in the top flight Spanish league. ... La Liga 1991/1992 season started August 31, 1991 and finished June 7, 1992. ... La Liga 1992/1993 season started September 5, 1992 and finished June 20, 1993. ... La Liga 1993/1994 season started September 4, 1993 and finished May 15, 1994. ... La Liga 1994/1995 season started September 3, 1994 and finished June 18, 1995. ... La Liga 1995/1996 season started September 9, 1995 and finished May 26, 1996. ... La Liga 1996/1997 season started August 31, 1996 and finished June 23, 1997. ... La Liga 1997/1998 season started August 30, 1997 and finished May 16, 1998. ... La Liga 1998/1999 season started August 29, 1998 and finished June 20, 1999. ... La Liga 1999-00 season, the sixty-ninth since its establishment, started on August 21, 1999 and finished on May 20, 2000. ... La Liga 2000/2001 season started September 9, 2000 and finished June 17, 2001. ... La Liga 2001/2002 season started August 25, 2001 and finished May 11, 2002. ... La Liga 2002/2003 season started August 27, 2002 and finished June 26, 2003. ... La Liga 2003/2004 season started August 30, 2003 and finished May 23, 2004. ... La Liga 2004/2005 season started August 28, 2004 and finished May 29, 2005. ... La Liga 2005/2006 season started August 27, 2005 and finished May 20, 2006. ... The La Liga 2006/2007 season started August 27, 2006 and finished June 17, 2007. ... UD Almería Athletic Bilbao Atlético Madrid FC Barcelona Betis Deportivo de La Coruña RCD Espanyol Getafe CF Levante UD RCD Mallorca Murcia CA Osasuna Racing de Santander Real Madrid Recreativo de Huelva Sevilla FC Valencia CF Valladolid Villarreal CF Zaragoza The 2007–08 La Liga season, the...