A League of Its Own – Athletic Club de Bilbao
In our series In 80 Clubs Around the World, we take a closer look at the unique in a football world often dominated by routine: club models that are creative and possibly a little unconventional, as well as academies and youth departments that have found their own path to success. This edition turns its attention to Spain, more specifically, the Basque Country, focusing on Athletic Club de Bilbao.
Top Division Stalwart with Self-Imposed Rules
Athletic Club de Bilbao, or just "Athletic Bilbao" as it's known to many, is undoubtedly a special club. The red-and-whites from the Basque Country have been continuously present in Spain’s top tier since the founding of the Primera División (now La Liga) in 1928. Alongside the "Leones" (Lions), only the two top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, have managed this feat – three true top-flight veterans who have remained in the elite league for nearly a century. The club's own youth academy, "Lezama," is one of the most renowned talent factories in world football. Few academies can match its track record of promoting youth players to the senior team. While the Basques didn't necessarily reinvent the wheel in youth development, they did build a massive one. The reason behind this lies not in innovation, but in a rule dating back to 1912. After the 1898-founded "Athletic Club" merged with the "Bilbao Football Club" founded by English workers in 1903, the club established a significant rule: only Basque players could play for the team. The Basque Country is an autonomous community in the northeastern part of Spain and southwestern France, and some of its people, like the Catalans, aspire for independence. Around 25% of Basques speak the Basque language at home. With a population of around 2.7 million, the region's talent pool was quite limited by this self-imposed rule, but that's where the Lezama academy comes into play. In the late 1990s, the rule was slightly relaxed, allowing players who were trained in Basque youth teams to join the club.
Lezama – Bilbao's Lifeline
As mentioned, Athletic didn't necessarily reinvent the wheel of youth development, but they built a massive one. To support the youth development program despite the relatively small population of 2.7 million, the club has partnered with 170 local clubs spread across the Basque Country. The primary goal of these partnerships is to provide the best possible football training to as many Basque children as possible. These partner clubs follow Athletic's methods and training concepts. The best talents then make their way to Lezama, where they receive the final polish before advancing to the professional team. The path to the first team here is a little different from many other clubs. Athletes are given more time and a clearer development trajectory. Since 1997, "CD Basconia" has served as a secondary development team for Athletic Bilbao. After graduating from the academy, players are loaned to Basconia for one or two years to gain experience in the fourth tier of Spanish football. Afterward, they return to the club and spend one or two more years in the second team, "Bilbao Athletic." The final step is joining the senior squad. The strong Basque identity means that many players stay with the club for years, as seen with current examples like Iker Muniain, Óscar de Marcos, and Iñaki Williams. Muniain will leave the club in the summer after joining the youth ranks in 2005 and playing for the first team since 2009. Similarly, de Marcos has been with the club since 2009. Williams followed the traditional path: after spending time at Lezama, he had one season at CD Basconia, then another at Bilbao Athletic before stepping up to the senior team in 2014. By the way, Williams holds an impressive record: between April 2016 and January 2023, the winger played an incredible 251 consecutive matches for Athletic in the top Spanish league.
Impressive Youth Stats and Success
According to a "CIES Football Observatory" study, players from Athletic's youth academy played 55.8% of the game minutes in the 2021/22 season, placing the club at the top of the charts in the top five leagues. This success is mirrored in other statistics: in the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup), they rank second with 24 wins, just behind FC Barcelona. Their most recent triumph came in the 2023/24 season. The club also boasts 8 La Liga titles, although the last one was 40 years ago. In recent years, Athletic has earned substantial transfer fees. The four record departures – Ander Herrera (2014/15), Javi Martínez (2012/13), Aymeric Laporte (2017/18), and Kepa Arrizabalaga (2018/19) – have collectively brought in €221 million to the Basque club's coffers, a sum that has been reinvested largely into the youth academy and its partner clubs.
Athletic Bilbao is a unique club in the often stereotypical world of football. One can only hope that their nearly 100 years in the top division will be the start of many more.
Athletic Bilbao's Top-11 of the Last 20 Years
