Christmas Day matches at San Mamés

One hundred years ago today, on Christmas Day 1921, Athletic Club took on Danish side Boldklubben 1893 in a friendly match at The Cathedral.

The Lions won 4-3 in what was the first of a festive double header in Bilbao, with the Copenhagen-based side winning 2-3 in the Boxing Day fixture, which was refereed by none other than Athletic legend Pichichi.

Festive matches were a regular occurrence at San Mamés in the first half of the 20th century. The fixtures would take place on any date over the holiday period. But curiously, from 1919/20 until 1952/53, Athletic played a total of 15 Christmas Day matches, most of which were part of a series of exhibition fixtures against a foreign opponent.

In fact out of those 15 matches, only one was an official LaLiga clash, a 0-2 win over Deportivo Alavés at Mendizorrotza in the 1932/33 campaign.

Before the advent of professional football or the creation of national leagues, winter friendlies, especially those against foreign sides, served two crucial purposes: filling the stadium and thus raising funds for the Club and testing the squad’s strength against unknown opposition.

There was plenty of anticipation in the city ahead of Boldklubben’s visit. It was the first time a Danish team had visited San Mamés and the Copenhagen-based outfit were one of the best sides in Denmark at that time.

Furthermore, it was reported they were coming to the Basque Country with reinforcements in the shape of four Danish international players brought in from other teams. Denmark had been silver medallists at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics and were still seen as one of the strongest national teams in world football.

The strong winds and wet conditions, typical of winter in Bilbao, did not stop local fans turning up to The Cathedral in their droves on Christmas day, all eager to see Athletic pit their strengths against a foreign team with a big reputation.

The San Mamés crowd was treated to a spectacle. The Danes, with their powerful attacking play and “precise crosses into the box” were 0-2 up within 18 minutes. Just before half-time Elexpuru pulled one back to make it 1-2.

The Lions came out firing after the break, but Boldklubben soon re-established themselves, scoring a goal in the 57th minute to put the score at 1-3.

Los Rojiblancos decided to throw caution to the wind and eventually the pressure paid off, with Elexpuru firing in a second “well-placed” shot from distance. The comeback was on.

Athletic went for the equaliser but found a major obstacle in Boldklubben’s “calm and collected” keeper. Nonetheless, the equaliser came in the 83rd minute. Acedo converted from the penalty spot after a Danish defender handballed in the box.

The winning goal came in stoppage time. José Antonio Agirre’s shot was blocked by the keeper, but Carmelo Goienetxea stormed in to finish off the rebound. Ninety seconds later the referee blew for full-time and all 22 players received a standing ovation as they walked off the pitch.

With the establishment of LaLiga in 1929 and its subsequent growth, plus the introduction of official European competitions, winter friendlies -especially Christmas day matches- have became less and less frequent.

Although fixtures have occasionally taken place on other dates around the holiday period until more recently, Athletic’s last match on December 25 was a 4-6 win over Sestao Sport at Las Llanas in 1952.

Athletic Christmas Day Fixtures

1. 1919/20 – VS NAC Breda 5-1
2. 1920/21 – VS FC Bienne 2-0
3.  1921/22 – VS Boldklubben 1893 4-3 
4. 1922/23 – VS FK Austria Wien 4-5
5. 1923/24 – VS Slavia Prague 4-4
6. 1924/25 – VS Boldklubben 1903 3-4
7. 1925/26 – VS Sparta Prague 0-0
8. 1926/27 – VS FK Austria Wien 1-2
9. 1927/28 – VS Real Madrid 4-0
10. 1930/31 – VS Real Murcia CF 6-0
11. 1932/33 – VS Deportivo Alavés 0-2 (LaLiga fixture at Mendizorrotza)
12. 1945/46 – VS Invitational XI 3-7
13. 1949/50 – VS Newell’s Old Boys 1-3
14. 1951/52 – VS Bizkaia Select XI 2-3 (La Florida, Portugalete)
15. 1952/53 – VS Sestao Sport 4-6 (Las Llanas, Sestao)

*Photo from AC Museum depicts Boldklubben’s starting XI from a friendy at San Mamés on December 24, 1950.