Proud to be Different | Athletic Bilbao

[AJ_Josh]

Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao, is one of Spain’s most historic football clubs, founded in 1898 and based in Bilbao, Basque Country. The team is renowned for its unique philosophy of fielding only players of Basque origin, a tradition that symbolizes regional pride and identity. Athletic plays at San Mamés Stadium and has won eight La Liga titles and 24 Copa del Rey trophies, making it one of Spain’s most decorated clubs. Alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona, Athletic is among the few teams never to have been relegated from La Liga.

Nicknames- Lehoiak (The Lions) and Zuri-Gorriak (The Red and Whites)
Founded 18 July 1898; 127 years ago
Stadium: Estadio San Mamés

Trophies
La Liga (8) 1929–30, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1942–43, 1955–56, 1982–83, 1983–84
Copa del Rey (24) 1903, 1904, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1943, 1944, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1969, 1972–73, 1983–84, 2023–24
Supercopa de España (3) 1984, 2015, 2021
Copa Eva Duarte (1) 1950

[AJ_Josh]

Career Mode Rules

Gameplay settings
PS5
Legendary difficulty
Full Manual
Custom sliders
10 min halfs



Squad Rules
Must abide by real life policy of only Basque players
Must follow LaLige league squad limits
Must follow European squad restrictions



Transfer Policy
Can only sign Basque players
Can only scout in Spain and France
Must use at least one new academy player per season in regular first team
Must negotiate if player is rated over 82 and a bid more than his value comes in
Negotiating is offering player a new contract without breaking wage structure. If not accepted, must sell
Will not sell Nico Williams based off real life recent events
Must include a release clause in all contracts
Nico Williams must remain top earner
New signings cannot make more than the top 7 current wages

[AJ_Josh]

The Athletic Bilbao Transfer Policy

Basque-Only Recruitment
Athletic Bilbao signs or promotes only players born in the Basque Country or with strong Basque heritage/footballing roots (trained in Basque youth academies, even if not born locally).

The “Basque-only” rule applies to both senior and youth squads.

Academy Reliance (Lezama)
The club’s academy, Lezama, is central to its success.
Most first-team players are developed internally rather than bought.

Transfers In
Athletic may sign players from:

• The Basque Autonomous Community (Spain).
  Navarre.
  Northern Basque Country (France).

Examples: Aymeric Laporte (born in Agen, France, raised at Bayonne); Javi Martínez (from Navarre).

Transfers Out
When top players leave, it is often due to release clauses being paid (e.g., Javi Martínez to Bayern, Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea).
The club rarely sells by choice.

No Foreign Signings Outside Policy
Unlike rivals, Athletic does not scout globally. Its identity rests on this unique tradition.


For this career mode to stay realistic and also be an interesting challenge, I will be doing the scouting both in game and in real life. I will fully scout a Spanish or French player in the game, if the player is someone I am interested in signing, I will look up where they are from in real life to determine if they meet the requirements. All youth players from Spain will be considered ok to sign. There are players not from France or Spain that are still eligible (the Williams brothers as example) if I sign anyone like that in the future, it will be explained in the signing article.

[djp73]

[Captain Canada]

Oh we here

[RMJH4]

Ah yes good choice. Nice challenge with the basque players.

[AJ_Josh]

appreciate it

Oh we here

Yes we are. American football is not for me, back to my world.

Ah yes good choice. Nice challenge with the basque players.

Thanks, that is what I'm hoping. Keep the career more interesting and challenging.

[kibaxx7]

Following for sure, I've always loved their transfer policy and it makes for a nice challenge.

[AJ_Josh]

Following for sure, I've always loved their transfer policy and it makes for a nice challenge.

Appreciate it. The policy is unique for sure.

[AJ_Josh]

Andoni Iraola Returns Home: Athletic Club Appoint Former Captain as Manager
By: Jesus Madone | July 2, 2025

Athletic Club have confirmed the appointment of Andoni Iraola as their new head coach for the 2025–26 season, marking the return of one of San Mamés’ most beloved figures. The decision follows Iraola’s record-breaking campaign in the Premier League with AFC Bournemouth, where he guided the Cherries to their highest-ever league finish and European qualification.

Iraola, 43, earned widespread acclaim in England during the 2024–25 season. Bournemouth played an energetic, high-pressing style under his leadership, setting club records for both points and goals in a Premier League campaign. His success drew attention across Europe, but when Athletic came calling, the lure of home proved irresistible.

“Iraola represents everything this club stands for—commitment, identity, and ambition,” said Athletic Club president Jon Uriarte in a statement. “He returns not only as a legend of the pitch but as a proven coach who has thrived at the highest level.”

Born in Usurbil, Iraola spent 12 years as a player at Athletic, amassing over 400 appearances and serving as captain. His deep ties to the club’s philosophy and unique Basque-only player policy made him an ideal candidate to succeed Ernesto Valverde, who stepped down at the close of last season.

Iraola’s coaching journey has mirrored his playing career in terms of discipline and tactical clarity. Before Bournemouth, he impressed with stints at AEK Larnaca, Mirandés, and Rayo Vallecano, guiding the latter back to La Liga.

Athletic enter the new season with optimism after consecutive top-six finishes in La Liga and a Copa del Rey semifinal run. Supporters hope Iraola’s pressing style and attacking philosophy will blend well with the current squad, featuring key figures such as Nico Williams, Oihan Sancet, and Unai Simón.

Iraola acknowledged both the excitement and responsibility of his return. “This club shaped me as a player and as a person. Now I return with the goal of making Athletic even stronger. We will honor our tradition while pushing forward with ambition.”

The appointment is seen not only as a strategic move for Athletic’s sporting project but also as a symbolic homecoming. Iraola embodies the club’s values and its vision of combining identity with competitiveness at the highest levels of European football.

Athletic will open their 2025–26 La Liga campaign in late August, with Iraola leading his boyhood club onto the San Mamés touchline for the first time as manager—a moment both he and the fans have long awaited.



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