The Basque Country's influence on Spanish football

euronews (in English)

With its unique culture and regional pride, the Basque Country holds an important place in the history of Spanish football.

Transcript

00:00Spain is a country with incredible rich heritage when it comes to football.

00:05It's home to some of the world's biggest clubs, but also has culture you won't find anywhere else.

00:11Not least in the Basque Country, where fans and players have an extra special relationship with their teams.

00:23Hello and welcome to Football Now, here from the Albayt Stadium in Qatar.

00:29This week we're taking an in-depth look at the unique football culture of Spain's Basque Country.

00:35It's an area that's home to four clubs who played a vital role in making Spanish football what it is today.

00:44The Basque Country covers areas in both northern Spain and southwestern France.

00:49Despite accounting for only 1.4% of Spanish territory,

00:53four of the ten founding members of the inaugural Spanish League in 1929 were from the Basque Country.

01:00The two main metropolitan areas within the region are Bilbao and San Sebastian,

01:05which are home to two of the country's biggest clubs in Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad.

01:11Both Real Union and Arenas were also among those founding clubs

01:17and had silverware success in the early formative years.

01:21The Basque Country Country has a key role in the creation of what we know today as the Liga.

01:26It's true that it has a reduced size of 10 teams.

01:28These are the fundamental ones for the Athletic Club and Real Sociedad.

01:31And the Athletic was also a pioneer in organizing competitions and promoting that professional football in Spain.

01:36The Basque Country has been reflected in that style of game,

01:39which was characterized by an intensity and an emphasis on a local football,

01:43not so polarized or open as today.

01:48And thanks to these clubs, the football in Spain began to become professional,

01:53to structure in a competitive way and marked the beginning of a league

01:57that is one of the most prestigious in the world.

01:59The Basque Country not only sees itself as unique from a football perspective,

02:04but also from a political perspective as well.

02:07The region has long regarded itself as distinct from the rest of the nation.

02:12It has its own language, its own culture, its own identity.

02:17It even has its own flag.

02:19And you are far more likely to see the Icarina flying high when Spain are competing in major tournaments,

02:26rather than the traditional national flag.

02:29The region's most iconic club, without doubt, is Athletic Club Bilbao.

02:57They actually haven't won La Liga since 1984,

03:01but they are Spain's third most successful team in terms of trophies lifted.

03:06So, what makes them special?

03:08Well, a long-standing tradition since their inception,

03:12and to this day, they only field players who were born in the Basque Country.

03:17In the modern game, that makes it a little bit more difficult to compete with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

03:23But despite having such a small talent pool to choose from, they remarkably have never been relegated from Spain's top division.

03:32It's true that the philosophy of Athletic is almost known in the entire world.

03:38This tradition, this philosophy, is also seen as a way to preserve the values and identity cultural of the Basque Country.

03:45And I think it demonstrates that for the Athletic, football is not only about winning titles, but about how you win them,

03:51and what you represent and what you link to when you win a title.

03:56I think the Athletic will never lose this tradition and this philosophy.

04:00As I said, it's a way to represent in the world what the Basque Country is,

04:05what the football is from here, in a small region where there are so good players,

04:09and so useful in other bigger teams.

04:13Basque players are extremely proud to represent their clubs,

04:17so much so that it can be difficult to convince them to leave.

04:21This was experienced by several Premier League clubs last summer,

04:24in their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

04:29However, this summer could be different.

04:32Zubimendi has been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid ahead of the 2025-26 season.

04:38Both clubs have ties to his Basque heritage, from old teammates to coaches who are also from the region.

04:46So, could the midfielder finally be set for a new challenge from this summer onwards?

04:52The feeling here in San Sebastián is that Zubimendi is going to leave in summer.

04:57We have a bit of fear in Arsenal because they are going to join Isaac, Odegaard, Merino,

05:04all of them who have played with Zubimendi in the Real Sociedad,

05:07and now Zubimendi.

05:09It seems like a continuation of playing in the Real,

05:13they are going to play in Arsenal.

05:15There is also a bit of the Real Madrid, because if Zubimendi is going to leave,

05:20but Xavi Alonso can throw a lot, because he was his coach,

05:23and Zubimendi has always said that he is his idol.

05:25We want him to leave, but I think the thing can be between Arsenal and Real Madrid.

05:30The Basque Country in Spain will always be known for being slightly different to the rest of the country,

05:36due to their cultural differences and traditions.

05:39Let us know if you think the likes of Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad

05:43can reach the pinnacle of Spanish football once again, using the hashtag

05:48FootballNowBasqueCountry.

05:50That's all we've got time for, though, here this week.

05:53We'll see you next time.

05:54Bye for now.

05:55Bye for now.

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