Athletic Club’s Basque-Only Player Policy Explained

Bilbao, the capital of Spain’s Basque Country, has a deeply idiosyncratic culture. It is a part of Spain, yet completely unique. Unsurprisingly, this bleeds into their football as well. As a beacon for the Basque people, Athletic Bilbao have come to fly the region’s flag in Spain.
One of the most singular facets of the club is their ‘Basque-only’ player policy. It’s an aspect of the club that operates both in the realm of identity and economy with multifaceted repercussions in each.
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#AthleticBilbao #LaLiga #Basque

[@Samouraii]

Meanwhile in FIFA Career mode: Joe Allen signs for Athletic Club Bilbao

[@hmm2928]

😂😂😂😂👌

[@budmontana8245]

In football manager you can only sign basque players for bilbao.

[@MrMmnngghh]

@@budmontana8245 I've been tempted to go full Basque career mode on the current database version of CM 01/02 for ages now, but haven't taken the plunge because I'm a bit rubbish at scouting and fear that I'd run out of players to scout from a Basque - only selection.

[@justawarlord]

@@MrMmnngghh if your good with youth you shouldnt worry their acadamy is literally devine

[@ShubhamSingh-dv6nb]

One of the best comments ever

[@_MrMoney]

Fun fact: Atletico Madrid was founded by Athletic Bilbao fans that were living in Madrid, that's why both badges are so similar

[@Adit422]

Never knew that. Thanks!

[@alexandermikeldelolmoiriza3551]

Fun fact 2: Athletic used to play in blue and white shirts, inspired by Blackburn Rovers’s shirt. In 1909, one of Athletic’s management people went to England, but forgot to buy the shirts. He had to go back to Bilbao and the only shirts available for purchase were the ones of Southampton. He bought them, and ever since then Athletic played in red&white stripes. Note: some years, Athletic’s away shirt has been blue&white, honoring those first years playing with Blackburn’s colors

[@Adit422]

@@alexandermikeldelolmoiriza3551 Never knew that also! Wow a lot of English influence in Europe Football (like AC Milan badge and their founder, Herbert Kiplin).

[@blanco7726]

Pradipta Siagian pretty sure athletic was also founded by englishmen

[@_MrMoney]

@@blanco7726 no, it wasn't. Athletic is actually a team formed by the union of two teams. This happened in 1898, when the, at the time, two teams that existed in the Basque Country, Bilbao Football Club, formed originally by José Luis Villabaso and Athletic Club Vizcaya (Vizcaya is the privince of Bilbao) formed by a little group of spanish people that owned a gym, that they would later use as their first stadium. In this deal, all of the ownership of Bilbao Footbal Club was given to Athletic Club Vizcaya. They unified the clubs and so the name, that's why they're called Athletic Club Bilbao

[@hakim6158]

For a club with such a limited scouting pool they've overachieved so much. Nothing but respect for Athletic.

[@romiarkan450]

The Basque country is surprisingly one of Spain's football talent hotbed.

[@mangstadt1]

In Bilbao they do benefit from the efforts of other clubs up north such as Real Sociedad (San Sebastián) and Osasuna (Pamplona). Whenever they sign players from Real Sociedad there is a lot of bitterness between the two clubs, just as when a rich club from outside the Basque Country comes and takes a player from Ahtlétic de Bilbao.

[@Salomious]

@@mangstadt1 Can´t recall any bitterness btw AthleticCB against, Bayern, Juve, MU, City, etc

[@kingaufswag]

honestly I'm surprised that someone like Inaki Williams hasn't been tempted to move to one of the bigger teams in Spain. Massive respect to him for that

[@scruffmcgruff03]

Other clubs could do the same and achieve similar results. But play moneyball and suck.

[@ArvindSidhu14]

An incredibly unique club. May they never be relegated and remain a testament to La Liga

[@juanjoseph]

Not anymore. We have a lot of non basques today, as we have africans too.

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

There is no incredibly unique. Something is either unique or its not

[@donflamingocorazon9119]

@@juanjoseph racist

[@b4Sed1593]

johnjoseph Stop being racist you fuck. I hope lots of Arab and Black players start living in Basque country. And populate the country.

[@thomasguest9086]

b4Sed1593 is he for sure being racist though?

[@abhirammsd3728]

Fantastic video. Would love to know about the decline of Dutch clubs in European competitions.

[@MrMmnngghh]

@array s yep, that and clubs with a chunk of currency swooping for Dutch players at a younger average age than before.

[@InsaneXboxer]

It's quite simple, really. Dutch clubs can't compete financially. We are a small country and our league isn't being watched a lot outside our country. That means our TV deals aren't worth much. It's a vicious cycle. We don't get much money from TV deals, we can't really perform in Europa League or Champions League so we don't make much money from that either and the cycle repeats itself. I think that's it?

[@d1want34]

Money

[@abhirammsd3728]

@@InsaneXboxer That is what is happening right now. Ajax won the CL in 95. I have read that, that team under Lvg played free flowing football. And even Pep got inspired by that model. Why couldn't they capitalise on it? They could have become a global super-power, right?

[@MrMmnngghh]

@@InsaneXboxer hi Gilles. I used to watch a programme on British Eurosport called Eurogoals, which was broadcast mid 1990's - early 2000's. it showed weekly highlights of Eredivisie and Jupiler League matches. How we loved that show in England. So much so that my friend and I always selected Groningen and AZ Alkmaar on pretty much any football video game. Don't ask me why we chose those two - it was pretty random, could have easily been Heerenveen or NAC or Sittard - the point was that we already knew a bit about Ajax / PSV / Feyenoord, but not so much about Sparta / Helmond / Excelsior etc., so it was like opening a door to a brand new football world. Plus, the Dutch club teams of the time played so many variations of tactical styles that it blew our 4-4-2 British minds.

[@mankala5054]

I'm from Bilbao and even though I love football as a sport I absolutely despise the bussiness that surrounds modern football. Thats why I'm in love with Athletic, two of my family members founded this team in 1898 and I will forever support the policy that comes with such a historical team. I'd rather be relegated than abandon our philosophy.

[@juanjoseph]

I'm an Athletic Club fan brom Bilbao too. But we abandoned the philosophy a lot time ago. Riojans, africans, etc... We no longer have a "only basques", but a "basque raised" policy. And I love Iñaki Williams (I did not like Ramalho tho), but to say that he's as basque as Sabino Arana is.... wrong.

[@msh3l518]

@@juanjoseph Inaki Williams was born in the basque county. If there was a white player born there, would you say its okay? of course you would, because you're a racist in hiding.

[@muysinmas8696]

@@juanjoseph you are a fucking liar. Williams is black and basque and you are a fucking racist and a suppoeter of real suciedad

[@ATH420]

@@juanjoseph If you born in Basque County you are Basque. Being Basque has nothing to do with ethnicity, but with nationality.

[@kingaufswag]

@@ATH420 exactly man. It's honestly mind boggling how people still view skin colour as a problem in this day and age

[@ibaiEH]

Bixente Lizarazu is basque. The basque country is formed by 7 provinces, 3 in the french state and 4 in the spanish state. Bixente is from Donibane Lohitzune (Saint Jean de Luz in french), which is in Lapurdi (Labourd), one of the 7 basque provinces. He was perfectly signable and there wasn't any discussion about it.

[@debajyotighosh1809]

Uniqueness is their main asset. I love Athletic Bilbao for this uniqueness one of the best club for a reason..

[@TheShadowman79]

I hope clubs like Athletic Bilbao and Chivas De Guadalajara never change their only on players

[@RealMythPodcast]

FC Barca should do the same

[@abelalvarez6474]

Correct me if im wrong but Chivas i think at the end of last year signed a young player to the first team but he is from the united states.

[@Know_Clu]

@@RealMythPodcast barca has a history of international players though, its not part of their identify even as a Catalan symbol

[@HenSt-gz7qj]

Barca doesn't produce much world class player from their academy past decade either... Maybe Grimaldo... can't think of many names.

[@adinlucena7047]

@@abelalvarez6474 Yes he was from United States but his parents are both Mexicans.

[@omarsantos8583]

Incredibly enough, Athletic Bilbao have won more Copa Del Rey trophies than Real Madrid...

[@Salomious]

They are 3rd on La Liga silverware.

[@jcxkzhgco3050]

Salomious wrong, Atleico Madrid have more..

[@user-ww5mr5fw1x]

@@jcxkzhgco3050 Athletic Club 34 Atlético Madrid 31 34>31

[@mumulusul]

Athletic Club are also 3rd in the most trophies won by a Spanish team

[@papidaddypapidaddy8908]

It would been nicer if you mentioned our achievements 8 leagues 24 cups 3 supercups We remain to our rules but we still compete in a really high level

[@xebio6]

Add another cup to that : )

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

Clubs like Athletic Bilbao are the only hope for football still remaining the game everyone fell in love with in the first place. Now teams like man united/city,chelsea, etc main aim is to gain revenue from broadcasting and merchandising.

[@StillAwesome21]

Their owners.

[@rancisfenton777]

Tacitus Kilgore Every Big Football Club aim is to gain revenue from broadcasting and merchandise. why u singling out only 3 teams .Without broadcasting and merchandise .Teams won't be able to pay players Wages and Transfer Fee. IDIOT

[@TheShakey99]

@@StillAwesome21 abromavich actually first started out simply to win. Simply by pumping money in, whether people dislike that or not is entirely up to them. However, as he started taking less hands on approach he left the running of the club to marina who has turned it into the entity that you see it as. Marina went from running oil businesses under Roman (I think) to doing sponsor deals to contracts and now making the decisions. Trust me, Chelsea fans aren't happy the way she's running the club.

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

@@rancisfenton777 first of all, i didnt single these teams out. I used "etc" to point out the big teams in football today. The extraordinarily high wages and salaries of footballers is a whole different issue that is detrimental to the game and needs to be addressed as well. And lastly, i was just trying to say how the majority of football fans today miss how the big clubs of different nations had the unique charasteristics representing the league they were in and the style of footballed played there. When an English team was uniquely english, same with scottish,spanish italian german you name it.

[@jonnysaccount1149]

Oi John mate whataraya doin here

[@monsieuraymeric]

Quick correction. Lizarazu was allowed to play with Athletic Bilbao not because he played for nearby Bordeaux but because he was born in Saint-Jean-de-Luz which is in French basque country. Aymeric Laporte was a harder move to pull for Bilbao since his basque connection was that his grandfather was born there.

[@elzurdorodriguez6650]

Javi Martinez once was the most expensive player in the history of the Bundesliga once he signed for Bayern Munich and Iñaki Williams fulfills all the requirements: He was born in the Basque Country, hence he is Basque, and formed in Lezama.

[@rgqwerty63]

If basque become independent, they would be up there with Iceland and Uruguay as countries punching well above their weight. A very good team with only 2 million basque people to choose from

[@universulpapaie2723]

They will be good at football

[@asiersanz8941]

3 million, actually.

[@louquole]

Uruguay is punching way below their weight

[@rgqwerty63]

@@louquole you what?

[@louquole]

@@rgqwerty63 what?

[@01bradlee]

This video was constructed brilliantly and the script was spoken amazingly. Hats off here, credit when it’s due

[@jonsuero6770]

Guys, honestly, I really appreciate your comments regarding my team. I grew up with an Athletic shirt. My school mates were Athletic supporters, same as my family, friends, teachers, my friend's families, my girlfriend, the policeman who did fine me, my Karate teacher and so on. Everyone in Biscay is an Athletic Club fan, even if they don't like football. Athletic Club is for us the same as your neighborhood or town team. We all support him because of our neighbor, school mate, friend, etc plays in it. Athletic Club is our team because our people play in it.

[@jasondevon481]

Brilliant policy. Every football club should be made to have at least half of their team from their own country.

[@rissipenv]

My favorite club is Athletic and has been for almost 15 years. I will never stop cheering for them. An example in a horrible modern football world where corruption and money has taken over. Basque cycling has the same ideology which I love too.

[@Salomious]

@array s So you are saying that, apart from all those policy statement, they should not buy any players either…. Brilliant… /rollseyes

[@mitxel72]

It's exceting to know that from soo far can like it also.Thanks! And visit us whenever you want!

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

Still missed boys in orange in TdF and Vuelta. At least they maybe back in Peloton next year.

[@zz12345aaa12345zz]

This is my favorite European Club, just because of this!

[@MiddleManFootball]

Same one of my favs!

[@mitxel72]

Visit Bilbao and San Mamés.You'll enjoy It.

[@mikelirureta548]

Unfortunately, not all in this video is correct

[@1998Agee]

Look up “Apia athetic “

[@elKraken7]

@@1998Agee 😂😂 Aupa Athletic 👍👍

[@ApocalypticRenegade]

I have a lot of respect for Bilbao doing this because they must know they are limiting their ability to improve for the sake of developing a culture around the club, most clubs would have cut this kind of policy years ago.

[@xSoccerxCorex]

considering they've never been relegated, they seem far more comfortable adhering to this policy since AT WORST they'll just be middle of the table and safe. plus they have enough quality kids coming from the youth system that they can afford to look in house AND force bigger then average transfer fee medians.

[@Salomious]

@Timothy Dexter Just got to love your comment. The whole of it, tbh.

[@ATH420]

@@Salomious me too lol

[@danijelmarkotic4653]

I'm watching football since 1998, and I've seen many great players but I have never seen such perfection as AB, in 2012. Under the manager Bielsa they played such football that it was incredible to watch... I'll never forget that team...

[@robertofartois959]

In 2009/10 one of their most famous players, Joseba Etxeberria, played out the final year of his contract for FREE! As a gift to the club and fans. How's that for a gesture?

[@wavedave840]

Athletic's players love the club. Inaki just signed a 9 year contract, so he'll stay there for the rest of his career.

[@FT9chango5]

WaveDave the 9 year contract doesn’t mean he’ll stay till the end of his contract but it does show that he’s committed. But who knows

[@NaruBATTLES]

I love clubs like these. They are truly passionate and unique. It is quite interesting to learn about these wonderful clubs. Great job Bilbao, great club.

[@CuriousPug12]

Beautiful tradition and policy

[@dewaayodhyaa.9694]

They keep their local men to support their local club.

[@Salomious]

@@dewaayodhyaa.9694 And the women section too

[@dhk1604]

As an Ajax fan i love clubs that make use of their academy’s. What a unique club I love this idea! Greetings from Amsterdam my basque brothers

[@jaimecm9635]

Greetings from Getafe 😂😂😂

[@dhk1604]

Jaime CM I really don’t care bro, if you want to play football like that, do it. Just remember nobody likes your club for their playing style and it’s sad you have to win like that. We play beautiful football with academy players, and for me that is more important then winning.

[@jaimecm9635]

@@dhk1604 Holland in 2010 final played worst than Getafe. Dont you remember De Jong? Van Bommel? Heitinga? Hipocrite, Getafe with an inexistent budget destroyed you the footballs "gurus"

[@kingaufswag]

Tbh as a Man United fan, this reminds me a lot of our tradition in promoting academy players regularly. Clubs like these who still regularly look to their academies for players are extremely few and far between in modern football, and we should cherish them

[@jamesconnell6655]

This account is so satisfying

[@dominantpersona3326]

STOP

[@jamesconnell6655]

Dominant Persona what do u mean

[@manuelsousa]

Oh yeah yeah

[@muysinmas8696]

@@dominantpersona3326 shut up asshole

[@capeto95]

Chivas de Guadalajara are the kind of Mexican version of this

[@CarlosEduardo-kc1qm]

Hell yeah my brother. People will never understand why we support teams through thick and thin.

[@jgerardo231208]

Not exactly, it would be equivalent if Chivas would use only players from Jalisco instead of all mexican players

[@elcochiloco1456]

jgerardo231208 most if not all the campeonismo was local. That’s part of the reason of the reason why there was a rivalry between them and club America but today the Mexican culture is a lot different than it was in those times. I think it would be almost imposible to field a team strictly of players from Jalisco considering the fact that all most every major club in Mexico has invested in academies in Jalisco because it’s a hot bed for Mexican talent.

[@jgerardo231208]

@@elcochiloco1456 yes, also there's the fact that we don't have that kind of deeply identitarian culture in Mexico's regions as they have it in Spain (Catalans, Vascos, etc...). A just "jalicienses" or "morelenses" team would be unthinkable

[@Curitive]

except for the slave contracts and completely unprotected players.

[@Iwanek02]

Athletic Bilbao is the most unique club in the world, and my favourite in LaLiga. Aupa Athletic ❤

[@eduff5409]

Aúpa Celtic!!! We love you

[@xavieredwards5836]

Honestly I've heard about this policy before but never fully understood it. Now that I've gotten a bit more understanding I can truly understand how interesting this team is. More teams honestly should be like Ath. Bilbao. Maybe not in the strict way of only a certain area of players but a team that sticks to a set of morals and standards. If more clubs would be like that maybe it wouldn't feel like such a giant commercial when I watch soccer(yes I am an African American and beyond soccer I actually thought it was called calcio because I was introduced to Italian football first haha). Cool vid👍

[@asiersanz8941]

thank you for your statement. By the way... your name is originally basque, just in case you didn´t know it! It cames from Etxe berri = new house, a typical basque surname also

[@xavieredwards5836]

@@asiersanz8941 oh really? I remember a long time ago when I did research on names in my school I learned my name meant "bright house". Didn't realize it was derived from Basque. Cool!

[@Salomious]

" a team that sticks to a set of morals and standards. If more clubs would be like that maybe it wouldn't feel like such a giant commercial when I watch soccer"...I simply love that phrase :)

[@fjnemo]

I don’t see their policy as racist and I wish more clubs had more passion like they do. I miss the old days when teams mostly fielded players they trained. Now the focus is on money and not passion for the club

[@theamaranthineman574]

It's only possible to be racist when something like this happens in the west, but when an african or middle-eastern club would say "no foreigners" no one would say shit. It's the double standard.

[@theamaranthineman574]

It's only possible to be racist when something like this happens in the west, but when an african or middle-eastern club would say "no foreigners" no one would say shit. It's the double standard.

[@ATH420]

@@theamaranthineman574 You don't know nothing about us keep talking bullshit. Don't use our non-racist policys to have an excuse of the social rejection of your white supremacist pathetic ideas.

[@sayandas4721]

Arrano Zuria dude how is it white supremacy??? one of their best players Inaki Williams is white. I don’t get ur point man

[@ATH420]

@@sayandas4721 ?????

[@ijp789]

i lov it how they put their home town over fame. They could win so much, but instead stay loyal to their people. And thats what i love about this club

[@Salomious]

@@Kyuzowski Apart from RMadrid and Barca, who´s gonna win La Liga nowadays, anyway. We all know how La Liga Will end one year ... and the next too. Give me this anytime instead.

[@satarun1432]

I hope they stick to their culture. Impressive and thanks for KEPA

[@SOLINVCTVS]

@ClintDempsey76 What's wrong with being proud of your nationality?

[@jing1828]

Sure Bilbao 's identity doesn't allow for much diversity but that doesn't mean it's racist

[@tron1852]

@ClintDempsey76 so what you're saying is that people that aren't Basque should be considered Basque. And wtf is inherently racist about being proud of your culture??? Should we all ditch our traditions and make sure there is no such thing as individual cultures, yano mix up the culture pot until it is a blurry mess?

[@kfoalbfkdkd5302]

ClintDempsey76 How is that racist? Individual can be proud of his/her cultural heritage without degrading others.

[@kfoalbfkdkd5302]

Mr Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang If your culture is shared by only a few people, being a bit secluded is really the only option for it to survive

[@StrykezMan09]

This explains why Ander Herrera has such a great attitude.

[@rehman1833]

But not why kepa is such a shithead

[@lukehaverty2646]

@@rehman1833 Too young and imature

[@gerardomozos5512]

Ander Herrera its formed on Real Zaragoza school.

[@alexesparza7870]

I recently started a Athletic Club career mode with their policy and it is a great challenge so far, but I enjoying it b/c it's different. Btw Chivas de Guadalajara do the exact same thing in Mexico, with Mexicans only policy, they've actually made exception for Mexican-American players after signing Alex Zendejas from FC Dallas

[@esquilax1362]

There've been other Mexican-American players before, but Zendejas is the only player I can think of who actually quit the U.S. national team to play for Chivas. All in all, it's actually quite strange considering he was born in Mexico, was picked up by FC Dallas and ended up playing on the same U.S. youth side as Cristian Pulisic.

[@Leverag]

Patriotism without any hint of supremacy or racism. Rare these days. Good for Bilbao to keep their club local.

[@dhdhdjjdhasking7688]

Dont call it Bilbao, It si Athletic Club

[@mitxel72]

We use to say that The Athletic is.....like the family

[@Shivanshu_Sharma]

@Tim Loves Bacon So is diversity...

[@montimuros2837]

@Tim Loves Bacon Well, it is certainly not in cases like that of the Basque Country. Their language and culture used to be on the verge of extinction, and now they are slowly recovering thanks to Basque nationalism. I don't have any problem with nationalism, but xenophobia and supremacism are a different story.

[@nateplace415]

@@Shivanshu_Sharma I think it depends on how you go about it. If you simply want to appreciate diversity and try to avoid bigotry/an "use v. them" worldview, than it's positive. I think it becomes problematic when you start promoting diversity for it's own sake. I'm an American college freshman, so I can attest to such thinking existing. We had to watch some videos which somewhat implicitly implied that being a white cisgender heterosexual is seemingly undesirable. Not to say that not being any of those things is or should be a problem, but you also shouldn't practically shame people for being part of a demographic majority.

[@mavrodelta1997]

And that's why they are my favorite spanish side. Football should still have the 3 foreign player rule. It would make typically smaller teams more competitive in an European level. Probably in a champions-only Champions League, with those rules applied, rival supporters could... well... support each other, as they are playing for the pride of the nation too.

[@diogomelo7897]

I really can't see someone supporting their rival in a international competition only because of they are from the same country, unless it is an unique case that makes everyone getting some symphaty for the team

[@offsetsface2135]

That would then make international football less interesting

[@GeF6712]

This is such a nice video. Bravo! I asked once for a video about Athletic, but didn't expect it to happen. I am so glad you guys did it! Greetings from Greece. Keep up your wonderfull work.

[@mukulsharma5636]

You guys are just tremendous. The detail put into making these videos and the topic selection is a class apart. My best wishes to you guys.

[@rikardotsamsiyu]

Awesome video! I've been obsessed with the Basques for years now!

[@andresteffens238]

Great video! Once again, I would never have gained so much respect for the club if it wasn't for the great content on all the tradition and policies. Thanks TIFO!

[@A_T_F_]

SD Eibar & Athletic Bilbao, two of my favorite clubs, both in Basque Country

[@Federoy]

Excellent video. Thanks for explaining this in such a didactic manner. I find it hard sometimes to explain this to friends outside Bilbao but you made it easy.

[@rohitkhanna7281]

1500 9 year olds ... that’s an army 👌🏻

[@fortyforfree]

Rohit Khanna 1,500 nine year olds vs 1,500 ninety year olds. Who wins

[@elguapodelmonte215]

Give me those 1500 9 year old Basque kids, and within 20-25 years the zionists/illuminati/NWO will be nothing but a distant memory.

[@savageninja7710]

PewDiePie is that u?

[@ibrahimaamir1470]

15000000 9 year olds. That's a Pewdiepie army

[@yunglime2733]

Thanks for teaching me something I never knew and most likely would've never known without this video, Keep it up Brotha

[@archielowery5811]

Incredible video. The visuals on this channel are just next level. Amazing, keep it up!!

[@pupi771]

I have big respect for this incredible club. Good luck from inter fan 🔵⚫

[@ChiefPaddy]

I've been waiting for this video since I subscribed. Great job!

[@ViktorVZ-ro]

You got to respect the big balls of Athletic Bilbao. - an independentist from Montréal, Québec

[@orllyfools14X8]

I’m from Basque descent. So this is cool to learn more about them. All I really know is that they’re tough mountainous people and there’s a lot of them in Nevada. Reno I think?

[@chichebem]

My best KZbin channel! Keep it up! Love the background music too.

[@kampretofps94]

In FM it is really challenging to manage this club but as long as you maintain high standard of youth facilities just like in real events, production of talented youngsters never stops.

[@narenpadmanabhan3865]

Nice video,well explained and well researched.

[@richardalex4516]

Great video. Covered so much of Bilbao so quickly

[@TheNextDestinys101]

There's a club in Ecuador similar to this, El Nacional, they only sign Ecuadorian born players

[@mikegruits2137]

Incredible. Impressive content. Well done.

[@aribdis]

I didn't know this about Bilbao. Very cool video. I will definitely root for this team going forward!

[@maximus3233]

I knew about their Policy just today. Thanks Tifo for the great information.

[@dominicmauro-todd7354]

Loving your work Tifo! You guys are boss. Would be awesome to see a video about how Roma have transitioned since basically selling their entire team since Monchi arrived Di Francesco seems to have a lot of work on his hands and has managed to claw his way back into the top 4 in serie a.

[@Tifo]

Watched this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXu2k4x9atVji5Y

[@louiem2]

Fantastic video, very unbiased and educational

[@dpcgooner]

Finally... The video I was eagerly waiting for Thank you Tifo Football

[@Smiler150497]

Superb video, I’ve always wondered where this Basque tradition stems from

[@bzilla1090]

I'm a Milan fan but I love the fact that Bilbao actually want to promote Basque culture....and also because Joseba was one of my favorite players

[@txikigetxo]

its my team!! im from Bilbao. As a team Athletic its unique in the world, even though we have many problems beating stronger teams such as real madrid or barcelona.... The players come from our little population, (about 3 million people divided beetween france and spain), they are our youngs, everybody knows them in the villages and we can empathize with them and support them. They`ve grown up dreaming about playin` for athetic, because everyone here supports the team, and they are normal people; the son of the butcher, of the fisherman.... they are no glamourous stars that only think in money. They play for their people and land, and such feeling its more strong than any money in the entire world. We the basques have a strong independentist feeling and a different culture wich differs of spanish and french cultures. As in every nation-related conflict, there are people wich doesnt support independence, but they do not speak basque nor want to live as culturally basques; they are usually happy with the oppression spain and france have made throughout history, forbiding our ancient language. Today, because of historical criminal politics and emigration that came from other parts of spain (that happened in my side; in the french side, they converted it in a holyday resort for the richest people from Paris, Biarritz its the perfect example) our language its dying. The only solution to keep it alive its to be an state, as all the cultures around us have done to impose their culture and their language. SO AUPA ATHLETIC ETA GORA EUSKAL HERRIA ASKATUTA, SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY

[@zeus0710]

Hey brother I saw you made this comment 2 years ago but just wanted to let you know something. I'm from Mexico but I have alot of spanish Portuguese and basque blood in my family but my most proud feeling is having basque blood in me I love everything about them. god bless you and your family I've always been a real madrid fan but I love athletic bilbao because of its policy of only basques that's how most clubs should be in europe having home grown talents. Love and respect from mexico god bless you hermano ❤🙏

[@Dreamex12]

Cool video! You guys should do one about Peyroteo. Sporting CP legend!

[@jide_yeni]

Brilliant as always Tifo. I think you should consider doing a video on the decline of the power of the football manager, in the contemporary game, which is proportionate to the rise in the powers of the football/sporting director. With cases such as Mourinho / Woodward, Emery / Mislintat.

[@danielf8184]

In Mexico there is something similar although not really this extreme(as in limited). Club Guadalajara, Chivas, is the only club that fields strictly Mexican talent. Although this may hinder their chances of success many support it. Whenever they win the league it means so much for the supporters as well as the country. These clubs may seem arrogant in the eyes of others but its great to see clubs like these be successful.

[@tomoberak]

I'm big fan of Athletic. I have page on facebook called Athletic Bilbao - Hrvatska (Croatia). You can check it.

[@ATH420]

Greetings from Basque Country to our Croatian brothers!

[@gontzal07]

Perfect video, congrats from Bilbao 🤙

[@AbdurRahman-mb1vr]

Brilliant video. I wonder if you can do an in depth analysis on Central attacking midfielders like isco, mata, ozil, coutinho etc who are struggling for a place in a 433 formation.

[@hammeroli5438]

Easily the best video made by this channel

[@wood-lee1832]

Respect for this, wish everyone played for their towns/cities

[@user-ce1qi1wg2b]

Yet again another amazing video!

[@MrBark1969]

What a lovely club, All clubs should be run like this.

[@pepfraudioula1726]

Great video!

[@DavidGarcia-fe7lv]

I remember when I was younger I was so surprised to see that many of the players from real Madrid weren't from madrid

[@lorenzogapello4937]

@Ricard Karstark yeah that's why real madrid robbed like 7 ucl

[@YasserZafar]

Great vid as always. Can you guys do one about the risks of CCT associated with headers?

[@jamiesmith6338]

Great video! Would to see some videos on the championship. Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds. Birmingham City’s recent financial troubles in the last 10 years after having their own in jail, and despite having an embargo this season, their rise under Garry Monk.

[@alvarogomezporris8907]

I've been an Athleticzale since I was a child, being from about 500km away The video is really great but I have to say the capital of the Basque Country is not Bilbao (Bilbo) if I'm correct. It is Vitoria (Gasteiz) Athletic beti zurekin!! 🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@sonlobo250]

This club is so unique and charismatic. I Iike the club so much.

[@lamotta00]

Always great videos!

[@businesscat2695]

I'm from the UK and have been following Bilbao for 10 years.. totally unique in this modern day sport.. a lot of premier league teams have lost that soul and British kids are missing out in the game because of it

[@bennet2703]

Amazing video again. In my opinion it's pretty sad, that so many clubs are using more and more foreign players and forget about their own youth prospects and homegrown players. I don't need all clubs to be like Bilbao, but focusing a bit more on homegrown talents would be nice.

[@RafsanS15]

calm down, UCL squad rules must included at least 4 person that spend 3 years in that club before 21 years old

[@Alex-AJ1105]

Interesting to know! I’m born in America but have Basque DNA. Can’t wait to visit once this pandemic subsides!

[@jkbuckeye1]

This is so cool. I always appreciated what they were doing before, and now I that I actually understand it, I don’t want them to stop.

[@c7ss]

this is a great video thanks for ur effort

[@pay_]

Very admirable club. I think I have to go to Bilbao at least once in my life.

[@JJGuey-vf1hb]

Athletic bilbao my favorite team from spain meanwhile most people these days are bandwagons and go for real Madrid or Barcelona because of their success bilbao is a great club with great tradition and history

[@jameswallace6494]

Excellent video as always.

[@ayoreyesu]

Good video, I think you explained at least a bit about how we feel about our club. Aupa Athletic!!!

[@suryac850]

I love Athletic Club so much that I manage them on Football Manager and won Spanish double La Liga and champions league in 2022/23 season

[@killercaos123]

I'm pretty pro-globalization, but I have a he upmost respect for the Bilbao FO. They have their identity, and they're sticking to it Hell or high water. Gotta give them credit.

[@inigomezo6436]

* Athletic Club*

[@parzival5282]

wow what a great video this is. you got my sub for that =) please keep up the good work in 2019

[@fifareview4950]

Hey Tifo! Please can you do a tactics explained on Nigel Adkins' Hull City as they attempt to get to the Playoff spots in the Championship this season. Could you also explain the situation with their ownership problems with the Allams. Love the channel, :)

[@punzeeUTD]

A lot of big english clubs can benefit from a policy like this, especially with a lot of our young prospects like Jadon Sancho & Ries Nelson leaving England to play in Germany and now them two are destroying the Bundesliga and makes you wonder why the hell aren't our own kids being given a chance in their own local clubs. I admire Athletic Bilbao's policy, though United have changed a lot we had a policy back in Fergie's early days that at least 50% of the player roster had to be english and with half of the english players from Manchester, it's not like that anymore which is probably why the fabric and culture at Man United has watered down a bit.

[@ofcet]

damn nelson fell off

[@latadhanuka9849]

The only reason Prem is so big is because of the allowance of foreign players,it's impossible that English clubs will do something similar like this,they have sold their souls a long time ago

[@Cekeshe]

That was really interesting.

[@lucagoaten599]

A video on Hellas Verona would be great guys - keep up the good work

[@aryamanpratiraj6074]

Brilliant video!

[@MrMmnngghh]

As if this isn't already good enough, you give us Bilbao Subbuteo in a plant pot. I have no more words.