Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao, is a professional football club based in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Founded in 1898, the club is one of only three teams never to have been relegated from La Liga, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona. Athletic is renowned for its distinctive cantera policy, fielding only players of Basque heritage, which has produced world-class talents such as Telmo Zarra, Jose Angel Iribar, and Aymeric Laporte. The club plays its home matches at San Mames, nicknamed 'The Cathedral,' with a capacity of over 53,000 spectators. Athletic has won the Copa del Rey 24 times, most recently in the 2023-24 season, and secured the Supercopa de Espana in 2021. The club's fierce rivalry with Real Sociedad, known as the Basque Derby, is one of Spanish football's most passionate contests. Athletic also holds the distinction of having finished as La Liga runners-up on seven occasions.