So how does a club with such self-imposed limits stay competitive?
“That’s the challenge,” says fan Atxa. “Trying to remain competitive while staying true to your history, your traditions, your values.”
Since the club’s foundation 127 years ago football has changed immensely – but Athletic have resisted those changes.
“There were times when results weren’t so good and the social debate opened up about the philosophy, whether to sign foreign players or keep relying on homegrown talent. That debate has never led to change,” Fragua says.
“We win two games and people forget about it! Obviously fans want us to win and to be a success – but it’s beyond that. It’s something about keeping the identity.
“It means more to stay true to the club’s values and identity rather than winning two or three more games every season.”
Fans of the club agree.
“We are convinced this is the model that has withstood the test of time,” Atxa says.
“We are convinced that we can compete in this manner and there are going to be good seasons and bad seasons, but we are still going to be competing in top-flight La Liga for years to come.”
“Being the odd one out in football is going to grant Athletic a spot in the global football scene,” says Gutierrez.
In a football world increasingly driven by huge global transfers, Athletic Club remain defiantly local – and proudly so.
What some might see as a limitation, Athletic Club see as strength.
For them, success is not just measured in trophies, but in the identity shared, the values upheld, and the generations of players who wear the red and white shirt – not just as footballers, but as one of their own.
