Athletic and the Olympics

On July 22, the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo started. Athletic Club shotstopper Unai Simón has been called up to the Spanish national side, making him the 24th Lion to have taken part in the summer event.

Since the Spanish national team took part in the first Games back in Antwerp in 1920. Athletic’s players have been present in ten Olympic events, with the Belgian edition and the subsequent one in Paris in 1924 having most Athletic representation, with five Lions in each one.

In Antwerp, Félix Sesúmaga, Rafael Moreno (Pichichi), Domingo Gómez-Acedo, José María Belauste and Sabino Bilbao won the silver medal, while in Paris, Carmelo Goyenechea, Marcelino Agirrezabala (Chirri I), Jesús Larraza, Domingo Gómez-Acedo and José María Belauste were knocked out of the competition in the first round after losing 1-0 to Italy.

Four years later, at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Athletic only had one representative: José Legarreta. The midfielder played in the first leg of the round of 16, but Spain were eliminated after losing 7-1 to Italy in the second leg.

The next time there was Athletic Olympic representation came at Mexico 1968. In these Games, José María Igartua, the only Lion called up, played against Japan in the third match of the group stage.

Twelve years later, in Moscow 1980, academy products Santiago Urkiaga and Miguel de Andrés put some red and white into José Emilio Santamaría’s squad, but they did not make it beyond the group stages.

At Barcelona 1992, David Billabona became the first Lion to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. The midfielder shared a dressing room with Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, among others.

Four years later, at Atlanta 1996, ex-Athletic coach Javier Clemente, and at the time Spain coach, called up three Lions: Aitor Karanka, Sergio Corino and Jorge Aizkorreta. Spain failed to retain the gold medal after losing 4-0 in the quarter-finals to an Argentina side containing Javier Zanetti, Diego Simeone and Gustavo López.

At the 2000 Olympic Games, another former Lion was at the helm, Iñaki Sáez. He called up Dani Aranzubia and Jesús Mari Lacruz, both of whom were first choice starters throughout the tournament. Those Lions managed to win the silver medal after losing the final on penalties to Cameroon.

Twelve years later, at the 2012 London Games, three Athletic players made the squad: Iker Munian, Ander Herrera and Javi Martinez. The team coached by Luis Milla were unable to make it past the group stage after failing to score a goal in any of the three matches.

This year, in Tokyo 2020, Unai Simon will be the third Athletic keeper in history to play in the Olympic Games, after Aizkorreta and Aranzubia.

Complete list of Athletic players who have competed at the Olympic Games:

• 1920 (Antwerp): Felix Sesumago, Pichichi, Domingo Gomez-Acedo, Jose Maria Belauste, Sabino Bilbao
• 1924 (Paris): Carmelo Goyenechea, Marcelino Agirrezabala (Chirri I), Jesus Larraza, Domingo Gomez-Acedo, Jose Maria Belauste
• 1928 (Amsterdam): José Domingo Legarreta
• 1968 (Mexico): José María Igartua
• 1980 (Moscow): Santiago Urkiaga, Miguel de Andrés
• 1992 (Barcelona): David Billabona
• 1996 (Atlanta): Aitor Karanka, Sergio Corino, Jorge Aizkorreta
• 2000 (Sydney): Dani Aranzubia, Jesús Mari Lacruz
• 2012 (London): Iñigo Martínez (then at Real Sociedad), Javi Martínez, Iker Muniain, Ander Herrera
• 2021 (Tokyo): Unai Simón