One Club Awards

The first woman to receive this distinction was Sweden’s Malin Mostrom. Malin was a benchmark in women’s football in her country, where she played for Umea for 12 seasons. A six-time League winner and four-time Cup winner, Malin led a humble club, almost unknown on the continental stage, to win the Champions League twice in 2003 and 2004. 113 times international, she was also world runner-up and European runner-up with Sweden.

Mostrom received her award in the match that Athletic played in San Mamés against Alavés. In the break of the match, she went out to the field accompanied by her two daughters -who for the occasion wore zurigorri with the 6 on the back that which her mother so often wore- and by another symbol of our Club like Eli Ibarra. Malin also had time to soak up all that Athletic means. She was able to share a few minutes with the first male squad, went to the Museum to give up his Umea shirt and even went to Lezama, where she was able to experience first hand the match that Athletic played against Málaga.

In this case, the male prize had a special emotional charge. The One Club Man was awarded to Billy McNeill, Celtic’s mythical captain, the footballer who has worn the most white-and-green shirt with a total of 822 matches in 18 seasons. A trajectory crowned by the achievement of the European Cup in 1967, leading that team that beat Inter with an eleven composed of Scottish players who had also been born in a radius of less than 50 kilometers around Glasgow.

McNeill’s delicate health prevented Billy from collecting his prize personally at San Mamés. Instead, an expedition led by José Ángel Iribar and manager Aitor Bernardo travelled to Glasgow to join McNeill’s family and Celtic representatives. After touring with them the heart of Celtic Park, Billy’s youngest son, Martin, received the One Club Man from his aita next to the impressive statue that ‘The Lion of Lisbon’ has in the vicinity of the field. As if he wanted to be a wink of fate, McNeill left us a few days after receiving this tribute.

Celtic, the footballer’s family and you could say that all Athletic was at the height of such a football figure when the tribute to ‘Cesar’ moved to the last home league match against Celta. His daughter Susan and defensive partner John Clark received the award from José Ángel Iribar and Aner Rodríguez, the youngest player in Lezama’s youth academy. The video that recognised the career of the great Scottish player and the sounds of ‘You’ll never walk alone’ wrapped the stands of San Mamés with an aura of uncontrollable emotion.