The Language of Athletic Club (pt.5): Zurigorri
The Language of Athletic Club (pt.5): Zurigorri
Athletic’s colours reflect the city of Bilbao and the pride of our fans
Every football club has its own particular set of vocabulary, a glossary of terms that reflects its history and the pride of its fans. And in that sense Athletic Club is no different. However, the Club’s unique history in addition to the blend of Basque, Spanish and English has given Athletic’s vernacular a distinct flavour.
In this series, we go through the origins and meanings behind some of the most popular Athletic Club terms.
Zurigorri
This one has a straightforward explanation. ‘Zurigorri’ is Basque for ‘red and white’, the Spanish translation ‘Rojiblanco’ is also commonly used when referring to Athletic.
Red and white have been Athletic’s home colours since player and board member Juan Elorduy made his historic trip to England in 1910.
At the time, the Lions played in blue and white halves, like Blackburn, and as Elorduy was heading to England, he was asked to bring back some new blue and white kits.
For some reason, he couldn’t purchase them. So, while in Southampton waiting for the ferry back to Bilbao, he brought the red-and-white striped kits instead.
The colours suited the club very much, as the official flag of Bilbao is white with red quarter in the top left.
The strip has changed slightly over time, but the basic design and, most importantly, the colours have always remained the same.