Basque football teams

Can you list the top facts and stats about Basque Country national football team? The Basque Country has had a football team of its own since

Our Basque football guide heads deep into the heart of a region that was in many respects the birthplace of football in Spain with Basque clubs playing a vital role and enjoying considerable success during those formative years. Despite only accounting for just 1. Pamplona-based Osasuna are another top flight side that largely identifies as Basque and does fall within the wider Basque Country which also extends into France. However seen as we are dividing these Spanish football travel guides up by the 17 different autonomous communities of Spain — Osasuna will be featured in the Navarre guide. This is a compact and quite densely populated region in the far northwestern corner of Spain.

Basque football teams

The Basque Country has had a football team of its own since During Franco's year dictatorship it only played two games. After Franco's death in , the team was reformed using the name Euskadiko selekzioa and from the early s began playing regular friendly matches, usually during La Liga 's Christmas break. In , the team's name was controversially changed to Euskal Herriko futbol Selekzioa causing disagreements which led to the annual matches being cancelled. In , a compromise was reached and it was changed again to Euskal selekzioa. Each regional federation organised its own league, and also selected a team to play against other regions. On 3 January they played their first match which was against Catalonia in Bilbao and won 6—1, [9] [10] and then on 7 February they played them again but in Barcelona, this time drawing 2—2. On 4 June of the same year they beat Catalonia 5—0 in Bilbao. In the province of Gipuzkoa formed its own federation and its own team , leaving the province of Biscay on their own in Federation Norte. This complicated situation of federations splitting off continued for a few more years.

They are a club who in the early 30's were Spain's most successful team, featuring a fine team including Pichichi whom the Spanish top scorer annual award is named after. While much of the focus following this generous achievement has undoubtedly been on Etxeberria and his sincere act of goodwill, I thought that the act itself illustrated perhaps a bit more, beyond Joseba's generous nature, basque football teams. Archived from the original on 21 August

For those that don't know the story, or perhaps missed the headlines, then perhaps I can recap. Joseba Etxeberria, a long-serving player for Athletic Bilbao has offered to play for the club for free next season, which it is believed will be his last before retirement. Etxeberria is believed to be aiming to reach the landmark of games played for Athletic Bilbao. While much of the focus following this generous achievement has undoubtedly been on Etxeberria and his sincere act of goodwill, I thought that the act itself illustrated perhaps a bit more, beyond Joseba's generous nature. The act itself spoke volumes for Athletic Bilbao as a club, for its principles, its fan and the very nature of the club itself.

The region has a representative squad — the Basque Country national football team — but they are not recognised by FIFA , were inactive for long periods and only play friendly matches against FIFA teams or against other sides with similar status such as Catalonia. Listed below are the players who have featured for the Basque Country international team dating from when regular fixtures against FIFA national teams were arranged. As of November , there have been 30 matches played in this era including four against Catalonia and one against Corsica who have the same unofficial status as the Basques and select their squads on the same basis , with players involved. All of the players listed were either born or raised in the Basque region, with most meeting both of those criteria. There are many other international footballers with some Basque heritage or connection, for example:. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history.

Basque football teams

The Basque Country has had a football team of its own since During Franco's year dictatorship it only played two games. After Franco's death in , the team was reformed using the name Euskadiko selekzioa and from the early s began playing regular friendly matches, usually during La Liga 's Christmas break. In , the team's name was controversially changed to Euskal Herriko futbol Selekzioa causing disagreements which led to the annual matches being cancelled. In , a compromise was reached and it was changed again to Euskal selekzioa.

Igg games store

A country within a country hemmed in by the Pyrenees, this rugged region of northern Spain — which historically extends into parts of southern France — is fiercely proud and protective of its unique traditions, customs and language. Relegation would come after the season and by , the club was close to bankruptcy, having accrued a debt of nearly 21 million Euros under Ukrainian-American businessman owner Dmitry Piterman. Use WordPress? While not wishing to go into the tricky debates over Basque nationalism, and the pros and cons of their arguments, with regard to Athletic Bilbao under Franco the club itself took on a new and very distinct meaning. Spanish first round —08 [o] []. Union Sport San Vicente. CD Hernani. Most of Real's players are Gipuzkoa locals from their academy , while Athletic's year-old official signing policy limits themselves to players from the Greater Basque region either born there, raised there i. Retrieved 21 May Alain Arroyo scored the winning goal in the final, held in Poland. Campo Municipal de Gobela. Retrieved 24 February Euskal Herria Kirola in Basque. Mark is a freelance writer based in Madrid.

Spain's oldest goalscorer Aritz Aduriz played in an international friendly on Friday - but not for Spain.

Other key matches included defeats to Cameroon 0—1 and Wales 0—1 , and victory over Serbia 4—0. His peak as a player coincided with Bilbao's most successful period, when they finished second in La Liga in the season. Retrieved 3 July In , the Basque Football Federation changed its statutes to claim responsibility for international competitions in the greater Basque Country , but the Supreme Court of Spain suspended these new statutes. During the first year of the Spanish Civil War the Basque team changed its name to Euzkadiko selekzioa. Retrieved 16 May Archived from the original on 11 January Unsurprisingly that has made it tough for Athletic to compete for silverware during recent decades when elite foreign players have flooded into the Spanish game to bolster the top clubs but remarkably given the small talent pool they have to choose from, Athletic have never been relegated from the top flight. It all comes back to investment in youth, the feeling of the club and the desire to overcome difficulties together. In however, although there was still no agreement between players and federation, the players agreed to play the match to be played on 29 December in San Mames, between the Basque Country and Venezuela, which ended 3—1. Relegation would come after the season and by , the club was close to bankruptcy, having accrued a debt of nearly 21 million Euros under Ukrainian-American businessman owner Dmitry Piterman.