Four new world champions

Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams, led by Luis de la Fuente, have been crowned world champions following the Spanish national team’s victory over Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

What's more, the three Athletic players were instrumental in Spain's run. Nico Williams provided the assist for the decisive goal in the final, Unai Simón won the Golden Glove and is now the goalkeeper who conceded the fewest goals in World Cup history, whilst Aymeric Laporte, alongside Pau Cubarsí, formed the tournament's most reliable centre-back partnership.

Fernando Llorente and Javi Martínez previously achieved this historic milestone at the 2010 World Cup. Consequently, there are now six past or present Athletic Club players who have reached the top of football – world champions! – proudly carrying the name and values of a club that is #UniqueInTheWorld to every corner of the globe.

The new champion ‘Lions’ – Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams – are all products of Athletic Club’s youth academy, and their successful international careers can be traced back to Lezama, where they grew and developed as footballers. 
 

The ideal starting eleven and Luis de la Fuente’s stamp

If the roles played by Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte – undisputed first-team regulars and part of the World Cup’s dream team – and Nico Williams – hampered by injuries, but no less important – are to be highlighted, it is thanks to the stamp that Luis de la Fuente has put on the Spanish national team, a stamp inevitably shaped – as Luis himself has acknowledged on several occasions – by his past with Athletic Club.

Not surprisingly, De la Fuente won LaLiga and Copa with Athletic in 1983 and 1984 (a double), and develoiped as a coach in the Lezama youth academy.

Beyond the technical differences dictated by the players’ profiles, if there is one thing that has characterised Luis de la Fuente’s side, it is their collective game – the importance of the team as a whole, in which the pieces always fit together. It is the very same principle that has enabled Athletic Club to successfully remain among football's for 128 years, fielding only players born or developed in the land it represents, the Basque Country. 
 

Six more ‘Lions’ crowned European champions

Added to the historic milestone – given the significance it holds for Athletic Club – of six ‘Rojiblancos’ now being world champions, is the fact that a further six – four of whom are repeat winners – are European champions: Jose Ángel Iribar, Javi Martínez, Fernando Llorente, Unai Simón, Dani Vivian and Nico Williams