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Athletic Club versus teams in Euros and Copa America

Athletic Club versus teams in Euros and Copa America

With Euro 2020 and the Copa America kicking off, we take a look back at Athletic’s historic fixtures against international sides competing in this year’s editions of those tournaments

Euro 2020 and the 2021 Copa America are on the minds of every football fan at the moment, and both tournaments contain some familiar foes for Athletic Club. Throughout our history, the Lions have faced several international sides. So, to mark the start of a summer full of international football, we’ve taken a look back at Athletic’s matches against sides who have qualified for this year’s editions of the competitions:

URUGUAY
97 years ago, Athletic Club faced an international side for the first time, playing two consecutive matches against Uruguay at San Mamés on April 20 and 21 in 1924. The visitors won both matches (1-2 and 0-2). Just a month later, they won the gold medal at the Olympics in Paris.

When they came to Bilbao, the Uruguayans did not yet have the same reputation which they would gain over the following decade. They won gold again at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games and won the first ever World Cup, which was held in their country in 1930.


Uruguay XI in 1924.

Athletic, coached by Mr. Pentland, put out a side featuring Josemari Belauste, along with his brother Patxo, Jesus Larraza (the goalscorer), José Legarreta and José Antonio Aguirre, who later became the president of the Basque Country. Match reports from the time praised the South Americans’ style of play, but also criticised what they believed was bias refereeing on behalf of the Uruguayan official.

ENGLAND
In the months leading up to the 1982 World Cup, in which San Mamés was one of the host venues, Athletic Club played against two sides that had qualified for the tournament. On March 23, 1982, the Lions drew 1-1 (goal by Sarabia) against England, a match that acted as a testimonial for Txetxu Rojo and in which Andoni Zubizarreta shone in goal.

The Three Lions came to Bilbao with their best players, it was a generation in which the English fans had placed great hopes, containing the likes of Kevin Keegan, Trevor Francis, Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle and so on. At World Cup 82, they won their three matches at San Mamés, against France, Czechoslovakia and Kuwait, but they fell in the second round, after drawing with Spain and Germany. Highlights

POLAND
Poland was the other national side to visit Athletic on the eve of World Cup 82, winning 0-4 at San Mamés on May 4, 1982. The Polish team finished third at the World Cup, losing to eventual winners Italy in the semi-finals. It was a Poland side which contained legendary player Zbigniew Boniek. He was unable to play in the semi-final against the Azzurri, but did play in San Mames.

BRAZIL
The match between Athletic and Brazil was the highlight of the club’s centenary year in 1998. The Brazilians put out a strong XI at San Mamés and drew 1-1: Taffarel, Cafú, Aldair, Junior Baiano, Roberto Carlos, Doriva, Sampaio, Giovanni, Rivaldo, Bebeto and Ronaldo.

Zé Carlos, Leonardo, Edmundo and Denilson also played. Patxi Ferreria, Jorge Pérez and Sendoa Agirre, the current first-team matchday delegate, played in the famous match along with Valencia, Lacruz, Lasa, Carlos García, Urrutia, Javi González, Nagore, Kuko Ziganda, Alkiza, Urzaiz, Josemari, Larrazabal, Huegun and Mario.
Highlights.


Brazil’s XI in 1998.

PARAGUAY
With the aim of raising funds for football in Biscay, Athletic Club took on Paraguay at San Mamés in March 2010. Coached by Gerardo Martino, Paraguay used the clash against the Lions as part of their preparation for the World Cup in South Africa.

They played brilliantly during qualifying for the tournament and went on to reach the quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Spain. The Paraguayans were a very competitive team, with talented players like Cardozo, Riveros, Morel and Roque Santa Cruz, and they won 1-3 at The Cathedral. Óscar de Marcos was involved throughout most of this particular fixture.
Highlights.

VENEZUELA
Athletic Club hosted the Venezuela Under-20s at Lezama in October 2018. Most of the squad that played in this friendly, which was a training match during an international break, still play for the first team. Thes starting XI consisted of: Iago Herrerín, Yeray, Mikel San José, Iñigo Córdoba, Mikel Rico, Oscar de Marcos, Raúl García, Unai López, Mikel Balenziaga, Gorka Guruzeta and Peru Nolaskoain. The Lions won 3-0, with Guruzeta, Unai López and Raúl García scoring the goals.
Highlights.


A shot from the fixture at Lezama in October 2018.

*France. Although there is no record of it being the official French national team, on March 27, 1930, Athletic Club faced a French team in Paris, called the Blue Devils, which made up almost entirely of French international players. The result was a 1-1 draw.

Photos: AC Museum