<p>Xabi Alonso’s success with Bayer Leverkusen and the potential to deliver the German club its <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/xabi-alonso-can-make-history-by-breaking-bayerns-hegemony-20231212-WST-476707.html">first Bundesliga title</a>. Aston Villa finding new levels of success under Unai Emery and challenging for the top four in the Premier League. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/how-to-watch-real-sociedad-on-us-tv/">Real Sociedad</a> winning its <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">UEFA Champions League</a> group to set up a tie with PSG in the round of 16. Even <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal’s</a> continued development and prosperity under Mikel Arteta. Each of these things has one common theme, and it comes from the Basque region of Spain, which has become a hotbed for managerial success and progress in Europe. </p>



<p>Real Sociedad has worked to develop talents in the Basque area that have gone on to great heights across Europe. Now, the product of that development is on full display. The two coaches massively exceeding expectations at their respective clubs come from similar upbringings, Xabi Alonso and Unai Emery. Both began their playing careers in the Real Sociedad system. Now, they have taken their career starts across Europe, where their clubs are the beneficiaries. </p>



<p>Unai Emery never broke into the Real Sociedad first team as a player. Yet, comments during his managerial stint in Sevilla indicate that what makes Real Sociedad stand out is the culture of the area. The area leaves a lasting impression on those who come from it.</p>



<p>“I have a txuri-urdin [Euskera for blue and white] feeling, I spent ten years at La Real, I follow it from afar but very closely, because a little piece of my heart will always be txuri-urdin, and I know what La Real means to Guipuzcoa,” Emery said <a href="https://cadenaser.com/emisora/2015/06/29/radio_san_sebastian/1435587584_888506.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in 2015</a>.</p>



<h2>Explaining why Real Sociedad produces great coaching minds</h2>



<p>Having a feeling of connection only goes so far tactically on the pitch. Unai Emery and Xabi Alonso are only two of the coaches who came from the upbringing in the Real Sociedad youth system. Current Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil and Julen Lopetegui laid their roots with Real Sociedad. </p>



<p>One thing each of these managers have in common is diligence. Every small part of a squad or even a player has a major role in the entire machine’s success. Akin to managers like Pep Guardiola, Xabi Alonso and Unai Emery are regularly seen coaching their players after the final whistle. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240213_WST_489221_Arteta-Emery-1200x670_ca753ca3.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-489308" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Arteta-Emery-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Arteta-Emery-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Arteta-Emery-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Arteta-Emery.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>Tactically, Basque soccer is possession-based, as success often is in Spanish soccer. Real Sociedad regularly ranks toward the top in average possession among <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> teams. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.cityam.com/why-football-managers-are-rivalling-food-as-the-basque-countrys-top-export/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reports</a> connect that to <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12931056/mikel-arteta-andoni-iraola-and-xabi-alonso-shaped-by-amateur-youth-club-antiguoko-in-prolific-basque-country" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antiguoko</a>. This is a strictly youth team in San Sebastian, the home city of Real Sociedad. Over the years, it has become a proving ground for top youth players. Antiguoko developed Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta, Andoni Iraola and other players who went on to play for Real Sociedad, Athletic Club or other teams in Europe. Significantly, each of those three players is overseeing a club that touts possession. Even Bournemouth, which cannot compete against top clubs’ funding, has around 45% possession of each game.</p>



<p>“I started my playing career there, but also my coaching career,” Iraola said to <em>Sky Sports</em>. “They are doing very good things. It’s amazing that they are even known. They are a really, really small club from San Sebastian. But, among academies, they are a big club.”</p>



<p>Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen and Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have strong possession figures, and that comes from their upbringing as young players in the Basque country. </p>



<h2>Real Sociedad also benefitting in Europe despite graduates elsewhere</h2>



<p>Oftentimes, clubs that part ways with managers are left wanting. However, Real Sociedad’s frequency in producing talent has left no issue. As stated, Imanol Alguacil is also a product of the Real Sociedad youth system. What he has been able to do with the San Sebastian side is remarkable. </p>



<p>Alguacil took over a Real Sociedad side that hovered in the middle of the table in 2018/19. Consistent improvement led to LaLiga finishes of ninth, then seventh, then fifth, then sixth. Finally, last season, Real Sociedad finished in the top four to return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2013/14. That season, Real Sociedad picked up one point in a group with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a>, Bayer Leverkusen and Shakhtar Donetsk. </p>



<p>This year, Sociedad won its Champions League group, advancing to the knockout stage for the first time in 20 years. Three wins and three draws in a group with Inter Milan, Benfica and Red Bull Salzburg is a strong return. The reward for finishing at the top of the group is a meeting with PSG. Kylian Mbappe will play at the Anoeta Stadium, and Real Sociedad’s ability will make it a contender to advance. That is a credit to Alguacil and the Real Sociedad he has developed, but also to the Basque region as a whole and what it has produced.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

Real Sociedad and Basque brilliance ushering success in Europe

Real Sociedad has worked to develop the talents in the Basque area that have gone on to great heights across Europe.

destacadas

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>Athletic Club and Basque nationalism are intertwined.</p>
<p>As in the case with other groups in Spain, independence and nationalism take root in people’s lives. Take, for example, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2015/09/22/what-would-catalan-independence-do-to-la-liga-barcelona/">Catalonia</a>. The northeast portion of Spain is an autonomous government. This means that, more or less, they own relative independence from Spain. Granted, the area is still&nbsp;<em>inside</em> the country of Spain, but in many ways it seems like its own nation.</p>
<p>The Basque country is similar in many ways. One of the northern autonomous communities of Spain, the Basque country does not fall into the stereotypical picture of Spain.</p>
<p>The Basque Country and Catalonia differ significantly in one way in particular. Their international appeal and historical significance. Barcelona and Catalonia are economically and socially vibrant. They want to bring things to the world both domestically and internationally.</p>
<p>The Basque Country wants to ensure <a href="https:\/\/www.ft.com/content/3ec93f84-a2a1-11e9-974c-ad1c6ab5efd1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">domestic prosperity above all</a>. Promoting Basque identities, culture and success to ensure autarky.</p>
<p>This philosophy propagates through one of the major soccer clubs in the area, Athletic Club. Basque nationalism and Athletic Club go hand-in-hand. Many people now know the Basque team for their strict policies regarding what players they field.</p>
<p>Moreover, the rule generally goes that the club only plays athletes born in the Basque Country or players who came up through Basque youth systems. This rule causes dilemmas every so often regarding some players’ eligibilities to play for Athletic Club.</p>
<p>This is a deep-rooted tradition. It demonstrates Athletic Club and Basque nationalism, but also how to run a club without the same opportunities as those with significant money.</p>
<h3>Athletic Club and Basque heritage</h3>
<p>Athletic Bilbao did not always resort to only using players rooted in the area. Early photos of the club show the last time true internationals played for&nbsp;<em>Los Leones</em>. In fact, early on in their existence, Bilbao welcomed English players. They believed that the sport came from England, so the best players come from England.</p>
<p>However, in 1912, officials accused Athletic Club of fielding ineligible players in a cup match. With their <a href="http:\/\/inbedwithmaradona.com/retro/2012/7/4/the-history-of-athletic-bilbao-1898-1936.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">title temporarily stripped</a>, Bilbao protested and adopted a new motto.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Con cantera y afición, no hace falta importación.</strong></em></p>
<p>In English, this translates to “with home-grown talent and support, there is no need for imports.”</p>
<div id="attachment_342965" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-342965" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-342965 size-medium" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20210827_WST_342953_Basque-Flag-300x300.webp&amp;width=300&amp;height=300" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Basque-Flag-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Basque-Flag-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Basque-Flag.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-342965" class="wp-caption-text">The Basque Country flag is a common sight at Athletic Club games and rallies.</p></div>
<p>In many ways, this reflects the political ideology of the Basque Country. Athletic Club and Basque nationalism promote the idea that belief and support domestically can allow a community or group to thrive.</p>
<p>Fans of Athletic Club hold their Basque identity so dear that many would rather the club see relegation than lose their tradition. A symbol of independence in an increasingly international game.</p>
<p>Fortunately for the club and its supporters, the club is one of three to never be relegated from Spain’s top division. They hold that honor with the two giants of the league, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.</p>
<p>Throughout its history, Athletic Club resembled the Basque Country and the independent nature of the region. The other major club in the Basque Country, Real Sociedad, followed a similar policy <a href="http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2007/04/25/john_aldridge.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up until 1989</a>, when they signed John Aldridge from Liverpool.</p>
<p>Still, the policy hinders the club from acquiring any player on the market.</p>
<h3>Success without massive transfers</h3>
<p>Athletic Club holds a unique opportunity that almost every other club in Europe does not have. Most of the time, the club does not reuse incoming transfer money to buy players. This means that Athletic Club hold all the bargaining power when making deals. Essentially, the club has no reason to sell a player for less than the contract’s release clause.</p>
<p>Most money acquired through transfers, including recent departures such as <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2018/08/07/bilbaos-kepa-set-to-join-chelsea-as-courtois-replacement-reports/">Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea</a> for $88 million, is spent on upgrading the youth academy. Albeit, some money is used on transfers, including the acquisition of Yuri Berchiche from Paris Saint Germain for $26.4 million.</p>
<p>Many former players say the money is merely an added bonus to an already stable, and profitable, club.</p>
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/embed/NStKYuBmr5g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<p>“We don’t really need the money,” Josu Urrutia, a former midfielder and seven-year President of Athletic Club, said.</p>
<p>Still, the youth academy harbors the majority of the club’s successes. And, considering the relatively limited pool of players to choose from, Athletic Club’s recent success is impressive.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/where-to-watch-la-liga-on-us-tv-and-internet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>READ MORE</strong></em><strong>:</strong></a>&nbsp;<em>Where to Watch LaLiga on U.S. TV.</em></p>
<p>Remember that Athletic Club and Basque players are a tandem. For one, the club is still in the top division, having never been relegated. In 2012, Bilbao reached the UEFA Europa League Final, losing to Atletico Madrid. The club then went on a run of four-straight seasons of European competition. Their most successful venture came through a quarterfinals appearance in 2015/16.</p>
<p>Domestically, Athletic Club ranks <a href="https:\/\/en.as.com/en/2021/05/22/soccer/1621713826_538381.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth all-time</a> in LaLiga championships with eight. The club won 23 Copa del Rey titles in their history, good for <a href="https:\/\/www.statista.com/statistics/782073/copa-del-rey-list-of-soccer-teams-that-won-the-title-in-spain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second all-time</a> to just FC Barcelona’s 31. And, in terms of recent success, Athletic Club holds the Supercopa de España. Los Leones beat FC Barcelona to claim their <a href="https:\/\/interestingfootball.com/spanish-super-cup-winners-list-champions-of-supercopa-de-espana-in-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third title</a> in the competition.</p>
<h3>Promotion through academy and discrimination claims</h3>
<p>All the aforementioned success from Athletic Club and Basque players is admirable. It is more impressive when taking into account the circumstances. Athletic Club grows their players through the academy. It is rare to see a player at the San Mamés Stadium in red and white not be of Basque heritage.</p>
<p>The club is a sense of pride for the youth. Many consider it the highest honor to represent the Basque country through Athletic Club.</p>
<div id="attachment_342963" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-342963" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-342963" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20210827_WST_342953_Lezama-Arches-300x169.webp&amp;width=300&amp;height=169" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/Lezama-Arches.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-342963" class="wp-caption-text">The famous arches signal Lezama, the club’s training facilities.</p></div>
<p>Lezama, the club’s youth academy, continually pumps out first-team players. Due to recent success, European clubs bought a handful of the better talents. However, that only speaks to the potential and power of the youth academy.</p>
<p>The message behind Lezama is to promote not only players, but also professionals and humans for Athletic Club and Basque country.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>“Athletic Club counts on a vast array of talented individuals to ensure our young players are given an all-round education which prepares them not only for the elite level of football but for life in general,”</em> reads the club’s website.</p></blockquote>
<p>An honorable deed, but one that draws some ire. Soccer is a progressive sport for much of the world. For better and worse, the Basque country is not a popular spot for immigrants.</p>
<p>The people in the Basque Country are not racist, it simply speaks to their independent ideology.</p>
<p>Still, Athletic Club was the last club to field a black player. Remarkably, <a href="https:\/\/www.si.com/more-sports/2011/11/23/jonas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this did not happen until 2011</a>, when Ramalho made a substitute appearance for the club. Four years later, Iñaki Williams became the first black goal-scorer for the club.</p>
<p>Athletic Club and Basque culture’s consistency of success is exceptional, but shall be tested as the game becomes dominated by big money.</p>
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Athletic Club and Basque heritage go hand-in-hand. Their policy to play athletes from the Basque country seems risky in theory, but succesful in practice.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Basque Country"

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Real Sociedad and Basque brilliance ushering success in Europe

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Athletic Club Bilbao and Basque nationalism