Athletic Club and the national teams

Athletic Club faced the first national team of a country today, 96 years ago. The red-and-white team played two consecutive matches at San Mamés against Uruguay on April, 20 and 21, in 1924. In both matches, the Uruguayan team defeated us (1-2 and 0-2). Indeed, one month later, they won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. When they arrived in Bilbao, the Uruguayan team still did not enjoy the prestige that it would deserve during the following decade, winning the gold medal again at the Olympic Games of Amsterdam celebrated in 1928 and winning the first World Cup, held in their country in 1930.

Uruguayan National Team in 1924.

Athletic, led by Mr. Pentland, stood up to a team led by Josemari Belauste, along  with his brother Patxo, Larraza, Legarreta or Aguire, that later on become Lehendakari. The chronicles of the time praised the game of the South Americans in San Mamés, but also censured the partiality of the designated referee, of Uruguayan nationality.

Throughout its history, Athletic Club has played against six other national teams, including a U-20 team, in addition to match that women’s’ team played against Namibia.

Mexico
In 1949, the red-and-white team received a visit from Mexico, a national team that was defeated by six goals to three. The lions, coached by that time by José Iraragorri, jumped into the field with legendary strikers like Iriondo, Venancio, Zarra, Panizo and Gainza. Zarra scored three goals, and Iriondo, Venancio and Panizo one goal. In 1976, Athletic Club returned to the Mexican national team and lost 3-0 at the Azteca stadium.

England
In the months before the 1982 World Cup started, where San Mamés was one of the host cities, Athletic Club faced two of the teams that qualified for the finals. In 1982, March 23^rd, the lions drew 1-1 against England, a match that served as a tribute to Txetxu Rojo and in which Iribar’s replacement, Andoni Zubizarreta, did shine. The Pross came to Bilbao with their best players, a generation of footballers in which the English supporters had placed great hopes: Kevin Keegan, Trevor Francis, Brian Robson, Glenn Hoddle… In the 82 World Cup they won their three matches held in San Mamés, against France, Czechoslovakia and Kuwait, but they would fall in the second round, drawing with Spain and Germany.Video summary

Moment of the game against England.

Poland
The other national team that visited Athletic on the eve of the 82^nd World Cup was Poland, which won in San Mamés by a resounding 0-4 on May 4^th of that year. The Polish team would finish third in the World Cup, after being defeated in the semi-finals to the winning Italy. It was the Poland of Zbigniew Boniek , who could not play the semi-final against the Azzurri, but played at San Mamés.

Brasil
The match between Athletic and Brazil was the highlight of the Club’s centenary year in 1998. It is worth remembering the Brazilian team drew 1-1 at San Mames: Taffarel, Cafu, Aldair, Junior Baiano, Roberto Carlos, Doriva, Sampaio, Giovanni, Rivaldo, Bebeto and Ronaldo. Ze Carlos, Leonardo, Edmundo and Denilson also played. Patxi Ferreria and Jorge Pérez, second coaches of Athletic and Bilbao Athletic, and Sendoa Agirre, delegate of the first men’s team, played that legendary match together with Valencia, Lacruz, Lasa, Carlos García, Urrutia, Javi González, Nagore, Ziganda, Alkiza, Urzaiz, Josemari, Larrazabal, Huegun and Mario. Video summary

Line-up for the game in San Mames.

Paraguay
With the aim of raising funds for football of Bizkaia, Athletic Club faced Paraguay in San Mamés in March, 2010. Led by Gerardo Martino, Paraguay faced the match against the lions as part of their preparation for the South African World Cup, for which they had qualified brilliantly and where they reached the quarterfinals, the greatest achievement in their history, falling to the future champions of the tournament, Spain. The Paraguayan team was a very competitive team, with high quality players such as Cardozo, Riveros, Morel and Roque Santa Cruz, and they won 3-1 at La Catedral. A player of the current team played a good part of this match, Oscar de Marcos. Video summary

Venezuela
Athletic Club faced the national team from Venezuela U-20 in Lezama in October 2018. Most of the players that took part in this friendly that served as training during a break time at the League still plays in the first team. Herrerín, Yeray, San José, Córdoba, Mikel Rico, De Marcos, Raúl García, Unai López, Balenziaga, Guruzeta and Nolaskoain completed the starting line-up. The lions won 3-0, with goals scored by Guruzeta, Unai López and Raúl García scored. Video summary

Photo of the game played in Lezama.

Athletic’s women team against Namibia
To finish, our first women’s team has also faced a national team: African Namibia. It was in 2015, in one of the four matches that Athletic played and let him won at the L’Alcudia Stadium (Valencia), a match played within the IV COTIF Tournament. Our team beat the African team by 1-0, with a goal scored by Nekane. The red-and-white team, lead by Joseba Aguirre, ended up having an extraordinary season, winning the League ahead of FC Barcelona.

* France. Although there is no record that it was the French official team, on March 27, 1930, Athletic Club faced a team from France, called the Blue Devils, in Paris, composed almost entirely of French international footballers. The result was a draw at one.

Photos: AC Museoa