Athletic Bilbao facts for kids
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| Full name | Athletic Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Lehoiak (The Lions) Zuri-Gorriak (The Red-and-Whites) |
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| Founded | 18 July 1898 | ||
| Stadium | Estadio San Mamés | ||
| Stadium capacity |
53,289 | ||
| Stadium coordinates |
43°15′51.0″N 2°56′57.7″W / 43.264167°N 2.949361°W | ||
| President | Jon Uriarte | ||
| Head coach | Edin Terzić | ||
| League | La Liga | ||
| 2022–23 | La Liga, 8th of 20 | ||
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Athletic Club, often called Athletic Bilbao, is a famous professional football team from Bilbao, Spain. Their nickname is Lehoiak, which means "The Lions." This name comes from their stadium, San Mamés, which is near a church named after Saint Mammes. Legend says Saint Mammes was thrown to lions by the Romans. The team plays its home games at the San Mamés Stadium, wearing red and white striped shirts with black shorts.
Athletic Club is one of the most successful teams in La Liga, Spain's top football league, with eight titles. They have also won the Copa del Rey 24 times, making them second only to Barcelona in this competition. Their women's team is also very strong, having won five championships in the Primera División Femenina.
This club is special because it's one of only three founding members of La Liga that have never been relegated to a lower division since the league started in 1929. The other two are Real Madrid and Barcelona. Unlike most professional clubs, Athletic is owned by its members, not by a corporation. Members elect the president, who cannot invest their own money.
Athletic Club is famous for its unique policy called cantera. This means they only sign players who were born or trained in football within the greater Basque Country. This area includes parts of Spain and France. This policy helps promote local talent and loyalty to the club. Many people praise Athletic for supporting home-grown players.
Contents
- Club History: Athletic's Journey
- Early Days: How Football Came to Bilbao
- Pichichi and Early Cup Wins
- Fred Pentland and the "First Historic Attack"
- Telmo Zarra and the "Second Historic Attack"
- The Team of "Eleven Villagers"
- Iribar and the First European Final
- League and Cup Winners with Clemente
- The Fernández Era and European Football
- Athletic in the 21st Century
- Players
- Coaching Staff
- Club Management
- Club Coaches
- Club Crest: Symbols and History
- Club Colours: Red and White Stripes
- Club Honours: Trophies Won
- Recent Season Results
- Club Statistics and Records
- San Mamés Stadium: The Cathedral
- Lezama Training Facilities
- Club Rivalries
- See also
Club History: Athletic's Journey
Early Days: How Football Came to Bilbao
Football arrived in Bilbao thanks to two groups: British workers and Basque students who studied in Britain. In the late 1800s, Bilbao was an industrial city with many British workers. They brought the game of football with them. At the same time, Basque students, like Juan Astorquia, learned about football while studying in Britain. When they returned, they started playing games with the British workers.
In 1898, Juan Astorquia and other students began playing football. In 1901, they officially formed a club called Athletic Club. Luis Márquez was the first president. In 1902, Athletic and another local team, Bilbao Football Club, combined their best players to form Club Bizcaya. This team won the 1902 Copa de la Coronación, an early cup competition. In 1903, Bilbao FC officially joined Athletic Club. The club considers 1898 as its founding year.
Pichichi and Early Cup Wins
Athletic Club quickly became successful in the early cup competitions. After Club Bizcaya's win, Athletic won its first Copa del Rey in 1903. They won again in 1904 when their opponents didn't show up. After a short break, they won the cup again in 1910.
In 1911, Alejandro de la Sota became president. He helped build the first San Mamés Stadium, which opened in 1913. This stadium became a symbol of Athletic's strength. The team won the Copa del Rey three times in a row from 1914 to 1916. They won it again in 1921.
The biggest star of this era was Pichichi, a fantastic goalscorer. He scored the first goal at San Mamés in 1913. He also scored three goals in the 1915 final. Pichichi passed away young in 1922. Today, the award for La Liga's top scorer is called the Pichichi in his honor.
Fred Pentland and the "First Historic Attack"
Athletic was a founding member of La Liga in 1928. In 1922, English coach Fred Pentland joined the club. He helped them win the Copa del Rey in 1923. Pentland changed how Athletic played, focusing on short passes. He returned in 1929 and led the team to win both La Liga and the Copa del Rey in 1930 and 1931. Athletic won the Copa del Rey four times in a row from 1930 to 1933. In 1931, they famously beat Barcelona 12–1, which is still La Liga's biggest win.
Another English coach, William Garbutt, led Athletic to win La Liga in 1936. This team had amazing attackers like Lafuente, José Iraragorri, Bata, Chirri II, and Guillermo Gorostiza. They were known as the Primera delantera histórica (First historic attack). Football stopped in July 1936 due to a major conflict in Spain. The league did not restart until 1939.
Telmo Zarra and the "Second Historic Attack"
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In 1941, a government rule required the club to change its name to Atlético Bilbao. The Copa del Rey was also renamed. After the conflict, the club had to rebuild its team. Many players had left due to the political situation. Athletic focused on finding talented young players from the Basque region. This helped them quickly become champions again.
In the 1940s and early 1950s, the team had a legendary group of forwards: Rafa Iriondo, Francisco Gárate, Telmo Zarra, José Luis Panizo, and Agustín Gaínza. They were called the Segunda delantera histórica (Second historic attack). This team won a league and cup double in 1943. They also won the cup again in 1944 and 1945.
Telmo Zarra was the biggest star. He became the club's all-time top scorer with 335 goals. He won six Pichichi Trophies for being La Liga's top scorer, a record for many years. He was also La Liga's top Spanish scorer for a long time.
The Team of "Eleven Villagers"
In 1954, coach Ferdinand Daučík brought in new young players. This new team won a league and cup double in 1956. They also won the cup in 1955 and 1958. The 1958 win was very special because they beat Di Stefano's Real Madrid, who were European champions, in their own stadium. Athletic won 2–0.
After this victory, the team was called el equipo de los once aldeanos (the team of eleven villagers). This was because the club president proudly said, "With eleven villagers, we have beaten them!" This celebrated the club's tradition of only playing with local players. This team also played in the European Cup for the first time, reaching the quarterfinals.
Iribar and the First European Final
The 1960s were tough for Athletic, but goalkeeper José Ángel Iribar became a club legend. Fans would often say, Juegan Iribar y diez más (Iribar and ten others are playing), showing how important he was. The team improved and won a cup in 1969. Other key players were Fidel Uriarte and Txetxu Rojo.
In the 1970s, Athletic won another cup in 1973. In 1976, Iribar and Real Sociedad's captain proudly displayed the Ikurriña, the Basque flag, in public for the first time since a period of strict government rules ended. Around this time, the club also returned to its original name, Athletic. In 1977, Athletic reached the final of the UEFA Cup, a major European competition, but lost to Juventus. They also reached the Copa del Rey final that year. This team is remembered as one of Athletic's best.
League and Cup Winners with Clemente
In 1981, Javier Clemente became the coach. He built a very successful team. In the 1982–83 season, Athletic won La Liga. The next year, they won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. In that cup final, they beat Maradona's Barcelona 1–0. There was a clash between the teams after the match. Earlier, an Athletic player had injured Maradona, leading to a suspension for the Athletic player.
Athletic continued to do well, finishing third and fourth in the following seasons. Clemente later left the club. Other coaches like Howard Kendall and Jupp Heynckes tried to repeat his success, but it was difficult.
The Fernández Era and European Football
In 1998, coach Luis Fernández led Athletic to finish second in La Liga. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League, Europe's biggest club competition. Fernández's success came partly from the club being a bit more flexible with its cantera policy. Key players during this time included Joseba Etxeberria, Ismael Urzaiz, and Julen Guerrero.
Athletic in the 21st Century
The early 2000s were challenging, with the club almost being relegated in 2006 and 2007. However, in the 2009 Copa del Rey, they reached their first final in 24 years, but lost to Barcelona.
In the 2011–12 season, coach Marcelo Bielsa led Athletic to another European final, the 2012 UEFA Europa League Final, where they lost to Atlético Madrid. They also reached the 2012 Copa del Rey Final but lost to Barcelona again.
After Bielsa, Ernesto Valverde returned as manager. In 2014, Athletic finished fourth in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League once more. In 2015, Athletic reached the Copa del Rey final again, losing to Barcelona. However, they won their first trophy since 1984 by defeating Barcelona in the 2015 Supercopa de España. Star player Aritz Aduriz scored three goals in the first leg of that final. Aduriz became one of the club's top scorers with 172 goals.
In the 2020 Copa del Rey, Athletic reached the final against local rivals Real Sociedad. This final was delayed due to a global health situation and was played in April 2021 without fans, with Real Sociedad winning 1–0. Just weeks later, under new coach Marcelino, Athletic won the 2020–21 Supercopa de España by beating Real Madrid and Barcelona. They also reached another Copa del Rey final in April 2021, but lost to Barcelona.
The club continued to compete strongly. In the 2023–24 season, Athletic Bilbao ended their 40-year wait for a Copa del Rey title. They won the 2023-24 Copa del Rey by beating RCD Mallorca 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. This victory included memorable wins against Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
Players
Current squad
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Reserve team
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Other players under contract
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Players on loan
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Coaching Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Edin Terzić |
| Assistant head coach |  Peter Gaydarov Óscar de Marcos Álex Albístegui |
| Fitness coach | Luis Prieto |
| Analyst | Sebastian Geppert Pablo Orbaiz |
| Head of medical services | Josean Lekue |
| Nurse | Juan Manuel Ipiña Álvaro Campa |
| Physiotherapist | Isusko Ortuzar Imanol Martín |
| Sports therapist | Xabier Clemente |
| Match delegate | Sendoa Agirre |
| Equipment manager | Jon Escalza Iker López Josu Arambarri |
| Director of football | Mikel González |
Club Management
The current club president, elected in June 2022, is Jon Uriarte.
The board of Athletic Club includes these directors:
- President: Jon Uriarte
- Vice-president: Mikel Martínez
- Secretary: Fernando San José
- Vice-Secretary: María Tato
- Treasurer: Aitor Bernardo.
- Accountant: Jon Ander de las Fuentes
- Board members: Begoña Castaño, Goyo Arbizu, Itziar Villamandos, Óscar Beristain, Joana Martínez, Iker Goñi, Óscar Arce, Ricardo Hernani, Tomás Ondarra, Jorge Gómez, Manu Mosteiro
- Managing Director: Jon Berasategi
- General Secretary: Juan Ignacio Añibarro
- Sporting Director: Víctor Moreno
Club Coaches
Club Crest: Symbols and History
Athletic's club badge combines symbols from Bilbao and Biscay. From Bilbao's shield, it features the bridge and the church of San Anton. It also shows wolves from the powerful Haro family, who founded Bilbao. From Biscay's shield, it includes the Gernikako Arbola (Guernica's tree) and the cross of Saint Andrew. The first official use of this design was in 1922.
The club's first badge was a blue circle with the letters A and C in white. In 1910, they used a red-and-white flag with the club's initials. The current shield design, with stripes and local symbols, appeared in 1922. Over time, it changed slightly. In 1941, during a period of government rules against non-Spanish names, the badge used "Atlético Bilbao." In 1972, the club added full color and brought back the original "Athletic Club" name. The shield's shape was updated in 2008.
- Historical evolution of the shield
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First own shield with intertwined initials (1901–1902)
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Shield stylization and chromatic adjustment (1903–1910)
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The initials are transferred to a flag with the new colors (1910–1913)
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A ball is added to the one that embraces the flag (1913–1922)
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The signs of the city and club are collected on a shield (1922)
Club Colours: Red and White Stripes
Athletic first played in white kits. In 1902, their official uniform became blue and white shirts, similar to those of Blackburn Rovers. A popular story tells of a student named Juan Elorduy who was supposed to buy new shirts in London in 1909. He couldn't find enough blue and white ones. He noticed that the local team, Southampton, wore red and white, which were also the colors of Bilbao. So, he bought 50 red and white shirts.
When he returned, the club decided to change their team colors to red and white stripes, starting in 1910. Half of these shirts were sent to Atlético Madrid, which was originally connected to Athletic Bilbao. An alternative theory suggests the colors came from Sunderland, another city with club connections. Before this change, only Sporting de Gijón in Spain wore red and white. Away kits have often been blue, white, or black. In 2011, Athletic even used a green, white, and red away kit inspired by the Basque flag.
For a while, from 2001 to 2009, Athletic made their own kits under the brand 100% Athletic. They were also one of the last big clubs not to have a sponsor's logo on their shirts. This changed in 2008 when they partnered with the Petronor oil company. Now, the Kutxabank logo is on the front of their kits.
Kit evolution
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Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (Front) | Shirt sponsor (Back) | Shirt sponsor (Sleeve) | Shorts sponsor |
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| 1980–1991 | Adidas | None | None | None | None |
| 1991–1999 | Kappa | ||||
| 1999–2001 | Adidas | ||||
| 2001–2008 | 100% Athletic | ||||
| 2008–2009 | Petronor | ||||
| 2009–2010 | Umbro | Euskadi | Diputación Foral de Vizcaya | ||
| 2010–2011 | None | ||||
| 2011–2013 | None | ||||
| 2013–2014 | Nike | ||||
| 2014–2015 | BBK | ||||
| 2015–2017 | Kutxabank | None | |||
| 2017–2022 | New Balance | ||||
| 2022–2023 | Digi | B2BinPay | |||
| 2023– | Castore | Vueling |
Club Honours: Trophies Won
| Honour | No. | Years |
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| La Liga | 8 | 1929–30, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1942–43, 1955–56, 1982–83, 1983–84 |
| Copa del Rey | 24 | 1903, 1904, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1943, 1944, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1969, 1972–73, 1983–84, 2023–24 |
| Supercopa de España | 3 | 1984, 2015, 2021 |
| Copa Eva Duarte | 1 | 1950 |
| Honour | No. | Years |
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| Copa Vasca | 1 | 1936 |
| Campeonato Regional del Norte | 5 | 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1919–20, 1920–21 |
| Campeonato Regional de Vizcaya | 12 | 1922–23, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40 |
Recent Season Results
| Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other Comp. | Top scorer(s) | |||||||||||
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| Div | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Player(s) | Goals | ||||||
| 2015–16 | 1D | 5th | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 58 | 45 | 62 | QF | Europa League | QF | Supercopa de España | W | Aritz Aduriz | 36 |
| 2016–17 | 1D | 7th | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 53 | 43 | 63 | R16 | Europa League | R32 | Aritz Aduriz | 24 | ||
| 2017–18 | 1D | 16th | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 41 | 49 | 43 | R32 | Europa League | R16 | Aritz Aduriz | 20 | ||
| 2018–19 | 1D | 8th | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 41 | 45 | 53 | R16 | Iñaki Williams | 14 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 1D | 11th | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 41 | 38 | 51 | RU | Raúl García | 15 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 1D | 10th | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 46 | 42 | 46 | RU | Supercopa de España | W | Raúl García | 10 | ||
| 2021–22 | 1D | 8th | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 43 | 36 | 55 | SF | Supercopa de España | RU | Iñaki Williams | 8 | ||
| 2022–23 | 1D | 8th | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 47 | 43 | 51 | SF | Iñaki Williams | 11 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 1D | 5th | 38 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 61 | 37 | 68 | W | Gorka Guruzeta | 16 | ||||
| 2024–25 | 1D | 4th | 38 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 54 | 29 | 70 | R16 | Europa League | SF | Supercopa de España | SF | Oihan Sancet | 17 |
| 2025–26 | 1D | 12th | 38 | 17 | 6 | 19 | 43 | 58 | 45 | SF | Champions League | LP | Supercopa de España | SF | Gorka Guruzeta | 17 |
Pos. = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
Winners Runners-up Champions League Qualification Europa League Qualification Zarra Trophy
Club Statistics and Records
Key Club Information
- Members: 43,649 (as of 2024)
- Official fan clubs: 466 (as of 2025)
- Budget: €155,816,797 (for the 2024–25 season)
- TV income: €67,560,000 (for the 2023–24 season)
Best Achievements
- Seasons in La Liga: All seasons since it began.
- Best La Liga position: 1st place (8 times).
- Worst La Liga position: 17th place (once).
- Historical La Liga ranking: 4th place.
- Best in European Cup: Quarter-finals (1956–57).
- Best in UEFA Cup: Runners-up (1976–77, 2011–12).
- European competitions played: 33 times (until the 2024–25 season).
Goal Records
- Most goals in a home match: Athletic 12–1 Barcelona (1930–31).
- Most goals in an away match: Osasuna 1–8 Athletic (1958–59).
- Most goals in a Copa del Rey match: Athletic 12–1 Celta Vigo (1946–47).
- Most goals in a European match: Standard Liège 1–7 Athletic (2004–05).
Player Records
- Top goalscorers: Telmo Zarra (335), Dani (199), Aritz Aduriz (172).
- Most games played: José Ángel Iribar (614), Óscar de Marcos (573), Iker Muniain (560).
- Most seasons at the club: Agustín Gaínza (21 seasons).
- Most professional titles won: Agustín Gaínza (10 titles).
- Youngest player to debut (professional): Iker Muniain (16 years, 7 months, 11 days).
- Youngest goalscorer (professional): Iker Muniain (16 years, 7 months, 18 days).
- Oldest goalscorer: Aritz Aduriz (38 years, 302 days).
- Most expensive player signed: Iñigo Martínez (2018 for €32M).
- Most expensive player sold: Kepa Arrizabalaga (2018 for €80M).
Club Achievements and Unique Facts
- Athletic is one of only three teams, along with Real Madrid and Barcelona, that have played in every La Liga season without ever being relegated.
- The club finished the 1929–30 league season unbeaten in 18 games.
- Holds the record for the biggest win in La Liga (12–1 against Barcelona in 1931).
- Holds the record for the biggest win in Copa del Rey (12–1 against Celta Vigo in 1947).
- Telmo Zarra is the Spanish player with the most goals in La Liga history (251).
- Zarra also holds the record for most goals in a single La Liga season by a Spanish player (38).
- Zarra won the top scorer award in La Liga (Pichichi Trophy) a record 6 times.
- Agustín Gaínza scored 8 goals in one Liga match, a record.
- Zarra is the top scorer in Copa del Rey history (81 goals).
San Mamés Stadium: The Cathedral
- Name: San Mamés
- Nickname: La Catedral (The Cathedral)
- City: Bilbao
- Opened: September 2013
- Capacity: 53,289 fans
- Pitch size: 105 × 68 meters
- Training Facilities: Lezama
Lezama Training Facilities
The Lezama Facilities are where all Athletic Club teams, from the youngest players to the first team, train. They opened in the 1971–72 season. These facilities include five natural grass fields, a gym, a medical center, and a place for young players to live. Lezama has been updated over the years with new roads and parking. This makes it easier for fans to watch youth team matches.
These facilities are located in the town of Lezama, about 13 kilometers from Bilbao. The club is always working to improve Lezama to support its cantera system, which is key to Athletic's future.
Club Rivalries
Athletic vs. Real Sociedad
Athletic Club's biggest rival is Real Sociedad, a team from a nearby city. Their matches are known as the Basque derby. Both teams have had a strong rivalry for a long time. While Athletic was stronger for many decades, the teams have become more evenly matched since the 1980s, making the rivalry even more exciting.
Athletic vs. Real Madrid and Barcelona
Athletic has also competed against Real Madrid and Barcelona for many league and cup titles throughout history. Athletic has won more games against both Barcelona (79 wins) and Real Madrid (76 wins) than many other clubs.
Athletic vs. Osasuna
Athletic also has a rivalry with Osasuna. There has been ongoing competition between these clubs in recent years.
See also
In Spanish: Athletic Club para niños
- Bilbao Athletic – Athletic's reserve team.
- Athletic Bilbao cantera – Information about Athletic's youth system.
- Athletic Bilbao (women) – Athletic's successful women's team.
- List of Athletic Bilbao records and statistics
- Athletic Bilbao signing policy
- One Club Award – An award given by Athletic to players who played for only one club in their career.
