The 2024-25 season promises to be an exciting one for Athletic Club fans, with new talent emerging and familiar faces ready to lead the charge. This article delves into the details of the current squad, offering a closer look at the players who will don the iconic red and white stripes. We’ll also explore the latest updates on San Mamés Stadium, including any changes or renovations, and take a sneak peek at the new kits that the team will be sporting this season. Whether you’re a long-time supporter or a new fan, this guide has everything you need to get ready for the upcoming season.
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is a professional football club based in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. The club was founded in 1898 and plays in La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football. Athletic Club has a distinctive philosophy of only signing players who are native to or trained in the Basque Country.
This has earned the club the nickname “Los Leones” (The Lions) as they are considered to be a symbol of Basque identity and pride. The team play their home matches at the San Mamés Stadium, which has a capacity of 53,289 seats.
Here in this article, you will get to know about Athletic Club 2023/24 Players, Squad, History, Stadium, Nickname, Kits, and more.
Athletic Club Profile Summary
| Full name | Athletic Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Los Leones (The Lions) Los Rojiblancos (The Red and Whites) Los Vascas (The Basques) |
| Founded | 1898; 125 years ago |
| Ground | San Mamés |
| Capacity | 53,289 |
| President | Jon Uriarte |
| Head coach | Ernesto Valverde |
| League | Spanish La Liga 2024-25 |
| 2021–22 | La Liga, 8th of 20 |
About Athletic Club
Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao or simply Athletic, is a professional football club based in the city of Bilbao, in the Basque Country of Spain. They are known as Los Leones because their stadium was built near a church called San Mamés, named after Saint Mamés, an early Christian man thrown to the lions by the Romans. Mammes pacified the lions and were later sanctified. The team plays its home games at the San Mamés Stadium. Their home colors are red and white striped jerseys with black shorts.
Athletic Club History
21st century
The club narrowly avoided relegation during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, the latter being the worst in the club’s history. In the Copa del Rey, they reached their first final in 24 years, losing 4-1 to Barcelona.
Before the 2011-12 season, the new president of Athletic, former player Josu Urrutia, brought in coach Marcelo Bielsa; Athletic advanced to their first European final since 1977, losing 3–0 to Atlético Madrid on 9 May in the 2012 UEFA Europa League final at the Arena Națională in Bucharest. They also reached the 2012 Copa del Rey final, losing again to Barcelona.
Athletic Club players 2024-25?
| # | Player | Age | Contract | Market value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unai Simón Goalkeeper | 27 | Jun 30, 2029 | €30.00m |
| 13 | Julen Agirrezabala Goalkeeper | 23 | Jun 30, 2027 | €5.00m |
| 3 | Dani Vivian Centre-Back | 25 | Jun 30, 2032 | €25.00m |
| 4 | Aitor Paredes Centre-Back | 24 | Jun 30, 2029 | €22.00m |
| 5 | Yeray Álvarez Centre-Back | 29 | Jun 30, 2026 | €8.00m |
| 17 | Yuri Berchiche Left-Back | 34 | Jun 30, 2025 | €1.80m |
| 2 | Andoni Gorosabel Right-Back | 28 | Jun 30, 2028 | €5.00m |
| 15 | Iñigo Lekue Right-Back | 31 | Jun 30, 2025 | €3.00m |
| 18 | Óscar de Marcos Right-Back | 35 | Jun 30, 2025 | €1.50m |
| 6 | Mikel Vesga Defensive Midfield | 31 | Jun 30, 2027 | €4.00m |
| 24 | Beñat Prados Central Midfield | 23 | Jun 30, 2031 | €15.00m |
| 16 | Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Central Midfield | 31 | Jun 30, 2025 | €5.00m |
| 21 | ander Herrera Central Midfield | 35 | Jun 30, 2025 | €2.00m |
| 31 | Mikel Jauregizar Central Midfield | 20 | Jun 30, 2027 | €800k |
| 8 | Oihan Sancet Attacking Midfield | 24 | Jun 30, 2032 | €35.00m |
| 20 | Unai Gómez Attacking Midfield | 21 | Jun 30, 2028 | €6.00m |
| 10 | Nico Williams Left Winger | 22 | Jun 30, 2027 | €70.00m |
| 11 | Álvaro Djaló Left Winger | 25 | Jun 30, 2029 | €15.00m |
| 7 | Álex Berenguer Left Winger | 29 | Jun 30, 2027 | €12.00m |
| 22 | Nico Serrano Left Winger | 21 | Jun 30, 2026 | €1.40m |
| 9 | Iñaki Williams Right Winger | 30 | Jun 30, 2028 | €25.00m |
| 23 | Adu Ares Right Winger | 22 | Jun 30, 2027 | €2.00m |
| 12 | Gorka Guruzeta Centre-Forward | 27 | Jun 30, 2028 | €18.00m |
| 19 | Javier Martón Centre-Forward | 25 | Jun 30, 2026 | €500k |
Athletic Club Home Stadium
San Mames (also known as Nuevo San Mames or San Mames Barria) is an all-seater football stadium in Rafael Moreno Pitxitxi Kalea, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Inaugurated on September 16, 2013, the stadium replaced the “old” San Mamés as the headquarters of Athletic Bilbao. With a capacity of 53,331 seats, San Mamés is the 7th largest stadium in Spain and the largest in the Basque Country.
Athletic Club Kit
Athletic began playing in a makeshift white kit, but in the 1902–03 season, the club’s first official kit became half-blue, half-white shirts similar to those worn by Blackburn Rovers, which were donated by Juan Moser. Later, a young student from Bilbao named Juan Elorduy, who was spending Christmas 1909 in London, was commissioned by the club to buy 25 new shirts, but he could not find enough. Waiting for the ship back to Bilbao and empty-handed, Elorduy realized that the colors of the local team Southampton matched the colors of the Bilbao City Council, and he bought 50 shirts to take with him.
Kit sponsorship
| Period | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1982–1990 | Adidas |
| 1990–1999 | Kappa |
| 1999–2001 | Adidas |
| 2001–2008 | 100% Athletic |
| 2008–2009 | Petronor |
| 2009–2013 | Umbro |
| 2013–2015 | Nike |
| 2015–2017 | Kutxabank |
| 2017–2023 | New Balance |
Athletic Club trophies
League
- La Liga (8): 1929–30, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1942–43, 1955–56, 1982–83, 1983–84
Conclusion
As the 2024-25 season unfolds, Athletic Club continues to embody the spirit and pride of the Basque Country. With a blend of emerging talent and seasoned veterans, the team is well-prepared to make a significant impact in La Liga. The updates to San Mamés Stadium and the unveiling of the new kits further heighten the anticipation for what lies ahead. Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or new to the Athletic Club community, this season promises to be one filled with memorable moments and unwavering passion. Stay tuned and support Los Leones as they aim to leave their mark on Spanish football once again.
Source: FootballArroyo.co.uk
