Athletic Club’s Caledonian adventures

Besides the cultural similarities between Scots and Basques, Athletic Club have several proud connections with Scotland and have taken on Scottish clubs several times over the past 100 years.

Here's some more information about those clashes and the different Scottish teams we’ve faced in our history.
 

Dundee FC

On 20 May 1923, Dundee FC became Athletic Club's first Scottish opponent. The Dark Blues, on a wider tour of the Spanish peninsula at the time, played two back-to-back matches at San Mamés.

One match report described the Scots as "a formidable team” and “the best visiting side to have ever played at San Mames”. Dundee won the first clash 0-3 and we drew 1-1 in the second game.
 

*Photo from report on Dundee FC website.  

Only a week prior to those matches, Athletic, led by the legendary Mr Fred Pentland, had defeated CE Europa 1-0 in the Copa final. In fact, the first match against Dundee acted as a tribute to the coach, with all the proceeds given to him as a bonus.

Click here to read a more extensive report about our historic duels with Sandy MacFarlane’s Dundee FC team.
 

Motherwell FC

In 1927, the Steelmen became the second Scottish side to visit The Cathedral. In a similar vein to Dundee, Motherwell also undertook a wider tour of Spain.

Curiously, Motherwell also won an unofficial Copa del Rey during their time in Spain. Due to the interest generated by their tour and along with that of Welsh side Swansea FC, both teams played off for a chance to take on Real Madrid. The Well overcame Swansea and then defeated Los Blancos 3-1 at Chamartin. Although Real Union had won the real deal, Motherwell were presented with a replica trophy by the then king of Spain.
 

*Photo from Motherwell FC website. Report about 1927 tour and the Copa del Rey. 

Their match at San Mames was hotly anticipated. Before kick-off the Motherwell players laid a bouquet of flowers next to Pichichi’s bust and received a huge standing ovation.

Athletic Club, reinforced with four Arenas Club de Getxo players for the occasion, were 3-1 winners. Robus, Ayarza and Areta got on the scoresheet for the Lions, while Andrew McMurtrie scored for the Well.

The Zurigorri faced Motherwell again almost three decades later in 1960, this time at Fir Park. 
A five-goal thriller, the hosts won 3-2. The score was 2-2 at half-time with Ian St John, who would go on to become a Liverpool FC legend and play Athletic again in the 1968/69 UEFA Cup, and Willie Hunter scoring for Motherwell, while Mauri and Markaida got the Lions’ goals. St John got the decisive goal two minutes after the restart.
 

Dunfermline FC

Los Leones met Dunfermline in the third round of the 64/65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The Zurigorri won the first leg 1-0 at San Mames, Nando Yosu scoring in the 87th minute.

On Dunfermline’s website, they also single out an impressive performance by Jose Angel Iribar between the sticks as a significant factor in Athletic’s win. The Pars drew level on aggregate at East End Park thanks to an Alex Smith goal in the 20th minute.

*Photo from AC Museoa. Captains line-up before first-leg match in Bilbao.

After a coin-toss it was decided that the third match would be played at San Mames. Los Leones won the play-off tie 2-1 and progressed to the next round. Koldo Aguirre converted a penalty in the first half and Smith equalised in the second, but Fidel Uriarte put the game to bed with a strike in the 85th minute.

Curiously, Alex Ferguson lined up for The Pars in the first two legs, and he would go on to face Athletic a couple more times as both a player and a manager.
 

*Photo from AC Museoa. Dunfermline XI for first match at San Mames. Alex Ferguson is centre right on front row.

 

Rangers FC

Athletic took on Glasgow Rangers in the quarter-finals of the 68/69 Fairs Cup. Although Rangers won 4-1 at Ibrox, the match was tighter than the scoreline suggests. Ferguson opened the scoring and Andy Penman double their lead in the 26th minute.
 

*Photo from AC Museoa. Pennant exchange before second leg at San Mames.
 

Javier Clemente pulled one back a few minutes later. Athletic had more chances but Rangers were more clinical as Orjan Persson and Colin Stein netted in the dying minutes to put the tie beyond the Lions’ reach.

Athletic showed steel and determination at San Mames in the second leg, but it wasn’t to be. The Cathedral erupted in the 12th minutes when Nicolas Estefano found the back of the net and the second goal came in the 55th minute courtesy of Ricardo Ibáñez.

Los Leones put the Scottish side under siege, launching attack after attack, put a fine display by Norrie Martin and a lack of luck saw Rangers squeeze through.
 

Celtic FC

The match most had been waiting and hoping for finally came in March 2011, when Athletic hosted Celtic at San Mames for a mid-season friendly.
 

*Photo belongs to AC Museoa. Anthony Stokes placing flowers next to Pichichi's bust.
 

While the fixture ended 0-0, it is better remembered for what happened off the pitch as Celtic fans and Athleticzales sat together in the stands and created a festival-like atmosphere in the streets of Bilbao.

The Lions visited Paradise for the first time in August 2023 after being invited to take part in James Forrest’s testimonial match.
 

An absolute thriller of a game, Athletic took an early lead via Unai Gómez, his first senior goal. Reo Hatate levelled the scores in the 37th minute before Iker Muniain restored the Zurigorri’s lead 60 seconds later.

Alexandro Bernabei and David Turnbull scored in the second half to give the home side a 3-2 victory.
 

*Both line-ups together before Forrest's testimonial at Celtic Park.

 

Other Athletic-Scotland connections

There are a few other Athletic Club connections with Scotland. In 2019, Athletic paid tribute to Billy McNeill’s career with Celtic giving him the One-Club Man award in honour of his 18 seasons and 822 appearances for the Bhoys.

As McNeill passed away shortly after the announcement his daughter, Susan, and former teammate, John Clark, came to Bilbao to collect the accolade in Billy’s honour.
 

Former Bilbao Athletic striker Ewan Urain, half-Scottish on his mother’s side, turned out for Scotland’s Under-21s in a friendly whilst contracted to Athletic Club. The tall striker never made an official debut as a Lion, but he did come on as a substitute in a couple of 2020/21 pre-season exhibitions under then manager Gaizka Garitano. 

 

On 5 December 1909, Athletic took on a combined XI of Scottish Sailors docked in the Port of Bilbao. Not much is known about the match other than that it took place at Lamiako and Athletic won 8-0.