Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad: The Basque Derby Steeped in History & Unique Traditions

The Basque Derby is part of 90min's 50 Biggest Derbies in the World Series

First things first, let's make things clear; this isn't going to be a piece rambling on about the fierce hostility between fans, the violence which proceeds kick-off and some of the game's greats to grace the fixture, because that's not what the Basque derby's about.

Since 1909, this has been a rivalry submerged in unique footballing traditions, a shared political and cultural identity as well as unity.

That's what makes it so special.

Following its British-inspired inception in 1898 - hence the very non-continental 'Athletic Club' name -
Athletic adopted their Basque-only player recruitment policy in 1912, with the club's cantera continuing to churn out world class talent at a canter.

They were the club of La Liga's formative years following its creation in 1929, as they won four of the first eight titles.

The Royal Society Football Club of San Sebastián - if you actually have enough time to type their full name out (I don't) - or simply Real Sociedad, meanwhile, were considerably inferior and it wouldn't be until 1951 when they finished above their Basque rivals for the first time in La Liga. By then, Los Leones had added another title to their arsenal as well as a mightily impressive haul of 17 Copa del Rey crowns.

Nevertheless, La Real similarly employed a policy of exclusively using locally-born players nurtured through the youth system following their inception in 1909.

Sociedad's policy would last until 1989, by which time Athletic's superior status and financial muscle to snare the crème de la crème of Basque talent ahead of their rivals had started to grate on La Real before it ultimately forced them into altering their policy.

Ireland international John Aldridge became the first non-Basque player to represent the club following his £1m move from Liverpool.

Nevertheless, despite hints of jealousy from La Real towards their Basque counterparts and the territorial edge to the fixture, it was clear from the get-go this wasn't a contest rife with hostility and animosity.

Instead, this was a derby competed by two teams who were proud of their distinct traditions and Basque identity. A mutual respect quickly developed among players and fans.

And perhaps no single event encapsulates this mutual respect better than the 1976 derby at Sociedad's Atotxa Stadium - their third meeting since the death of dictator Francisco Franco - when the captains of both sides strode out onto the field with the prohibited flag of the Basque region - the Ikurriña - and placed it on the centre circle for a bewildered crowd to gaze upon.

It was an act spearheaded by the relatively unknown Sociedad player Josean de la Hoz Uranga; a Basque nationalist who wasn't even in the matchday squad that day. But nevertheless, 'The Derby of the Ikurriña' served as the catalyst for the re-legalisation of the Basque flag in 1977.

Even José Ángel Iribar, who had to pick the ball out of the net five times in a 5-0 defeat, considered that derby his favourite, precisely because of the Ikurriña gesture carried out before kick-off.

The period which then succeeded can only be described as a golden era for both La Real and Athletic.

Following fourth and second place finishes in La Liga in 1979 and 1980 respectively, Sociedad would finally deliver their maiden league title in 1981 - with Jesús Zamora 'clouting' (his words) home a winner 12 seconds from time in their final game of the campaign against Sporting Gijon to send the title to San Sebastian in dramatic fashion.

Galvanised by youth products Pedro Uralde and Zamora along with seasoned Spain internationals
Jesús María Satrústegui and Roberto López Ufarte, La Real secured back-to-back crowns after a 2-1 victory over Athletic on the final day - pipping Barcelona to the post by two points.

They were then caught by Athletic, however, as their intra-city rivals bagged consecutive La Liga titles themselves in 1983 and 1984. The two sides even flipped roles for Athletic's triumph in '84 as Los Leones beat La Real 2-1 on the final day to outlast Real Madrid in the title race.

Nevertheless, for an albeit brief spell, the epicentre of Spanish football wasn't in Catalonia or Madrid, the Basque Country was where it was at, as a pair of traditionalist clubs waved the Ikurriña loud and proud for the region.

A sense of overwhelming pride swarmed the Basque Country; a region persecuted under Franco were now celebrating title victories over the likes of Los Blancos - a club which came to represent Franco and the centralised Spanish state during his reign between 1939 and 1975.

And it's for this reason both sets of fans, especially Athletic, have generally seen Real Madrid as their prime rivals, with Los Blancos supporters also generally aligned with the right-wing, contrary to the strong support of the ETA and the left in the Basque region.

But hey, it hasn't been all rosy and friendly between Sociedad and Athletic. Tensions rose exponentially after Los Leones broke the de facto agreement between the pair with the poaching of La Real youth product Joseba Etxeberria for £3m in 1995, a move which culminated in the clubs breaking off formal relations for two years.

Etxeberria, by the way, would go on to establish himself as one of the greatest to don the iconic red and white stripes of Athletic.

Awkward.

Despite this blip and the resentment felt among the Real faithful towards Athletic due to Los Leones' superiority on and off the field for much of the 'rivalry', this fixture in its 111 year history has portrayed everything 'good' about the sport. The sense of community is overriding, with supporters of both teams traditionally mingling pre-match and taking part in a parade from the city centre to the stadium.

Singing and poetry contests between the two groups in the style of the traditional Bertsolaritza highlight the tame nature of the derby and why it's been labelled football's 'friendly rivalry'.

Sure, barring an impressive campaign for both sides in 1997/98 and Sociedad's miraculous title charge in 2002/03, this has been a fixture contested between two sides who have had considerably less riding on them since their golden period in the 1980s.

But the uniqueness surrounding the Basque derby is what helps it stand out among football rivalries. Ever since Franco's attempts to undermine and near enough destroy the region; claiming local bragging rights has merely been a bonus. Instead, the prime goal of both clubs, but especially Athletic, has simply been doing the Basque region proud on a national scale.

Athletic's maintenance of the Basque-only policy up until this day only reinforces the fact that for them; it’s identity and pride over points and profits.