He is a lot like Sergio Busquets, just with more of a defensive mindset. [59] Prior to this, their last game outside Spain had been in June 1939, in the Spanish Civil War era against Club Atltico Corrales in Mexico City. In June, they played Czechoslovakia again losing 21. Balenziaga has been one of the best left-backs in Spain this season, pairing up with Laporte to form a solid wall on the left side of the defence. When Bilbao was captured by Franco's forces on 19 June 1937 the Basque team were in Moscow, having been invited by the Soviet Union's Politburo due to political motivations. This same applies to Athletic's reserve squad and women's team - midfielder Sophie Istillart became the first female player from the French Basque country to play for the club in 2020, while Bibiane Schulze-Solano was the daughter of a Basque woman despite being raised in Germany. Anchored on a very strong defense with experienced holding midfielders in front, the Basques would make things difficult for any opponent. Though he will not be going to Brazil this summer, he is destined for a long and successful international career. The Basques came out6-0 victors. The Basque Country national football team ( Euskal selekzioa) selects players from the Greater Basque region comprising the Basque Autonomous Community ( Biscay, lava and Gipuzkoa) plus neighbouring Navarre - the historical home of the Basque people but in modern times has a distinct identity which is only partly Basque, and home to CA Osasuna During the first year of the Spanish Civil War the Basque team changed its name to Euzkadiko selekzioa. [65][66] The controversy went beyond the sports arena and against this statement were positioned many political parties such as the PNV, PSE-PSOE and PP, and supporting it were Eusko Alkartasuna, Ezker Batua and Eusko Abertzale Ekintza. Xabi Prieto could likely make a case for a starting role, maybe even as captain, while the likes of Mikel Arteta and Markel Susaeta have plenty of matches under their belts. Since then, the Basque winger has been a regular in the line-up and a fan favorite at the San Mames. [89] With the pandemic still ongoing in late 2021 (earlier causing the Euro fixtures to be moved from Bilbao to Seville), the Basque federation confirmed there would be no festive match that year, but an attempt would be made to arrange one for March 2022. He now has an eye for goal and is able to pull all of the strings in the middle of the pitch. [2], The new Bilbao FC was officially established shortly after its foundation since its regulations were approved by the civil governor and printed in 1901. With the dip in fortunes of the regions rugby teams combined with the looming visage of Euro 2016 on the horizon, the traditionally rugby-centric region might just find its young people leaning a little more towards the round ball rather than the oval one in the coming years. Please note: Those from Navarre and the French Basque Country should be placed in separate categories. He has never been outspoken about being Basque, but there are options to replace him in Aritz Aduriz and Imanol Agirretxe. Despite only accounting for just 1.4% of all Spanish territory, 4 of the 10 founding members of the inaugural Spanish . It selects players from the Basque Country autonomous community, Navarre and the French Basque Country[5] and is organised by the Basque Football Federation. [1][2][3], The region has a representative squad the Basque Country national football team but they are not recognised by FIFA, were inactive for long periods and only play friendly matches against FIFA teams or against other sides with similar status such as Catalonia. Due to his consistency and experience, Iraizoz would be a great keeper in international competition. Christian Sarramagna and Flix Lacuesta played their part in AS Saint-tiennes domination of French football in the mid-1970s. Up to the present time they have played 40 matches against a wide range of FIFA national teams such as Russia, Nigeria, Uruguay, Serbia, Tunisia, Estonia, Venezuela and Costa Rica, plus others against non-FIFA teams of various types. The Spanish civil war ended in April 1939 so when the season ended the team was broken up and as a reward each member received 10,000 pesetas. [5], This temporary merge became known as Club Bizcaya (with a B), and following an invitation from Madrid FC (now known as Real Madrid), Club Bizcaya was sent to Madrid to represent the city of Bilbao in the 1902 Copa de la Coronacin, with the then Athletic president, Juan Astorquia, being named the team's captain. Castile and Len won a penalty shootout 42. The 24-year-old is a exceptional midfielder who can do it all. Most of Real's players are Gipuzkoa locals from their academy, while Athletic's 100-year-old official signing policy limits themselves to players from the Greater Basque region (either born there, raised there i.e. After Franco's death in 1975, the team was reformed using the name Euskadiko selekzioa and from the early 1990s began playing regular friendly matches, usually during La Liga's Christmas break. Also played in 1 additional unofficial wartime match in 1937: See. The game ended 11. This was shortly after General Franco's victory over the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. From experience to young raw talent, the Basque midfield would have it all. The Juventus target man would be able to capitalize on the wealth of crosses that he would see every game and would easily lead the Basque national team in scoring. A year later Petit was back in the Copa del Rey final, up against Madrid and leading Real Unin to a 2-0 victory. [87] However, the tournament was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Basque Country has a powerful sense of its own sovereignty, and this week, its older football figures have been remembering the significant events of 40 years ago, when, in a Real Sociedad versus Athletic match, the players took to the field bearing, proudly, the Basque flag, the ikurrina. received coaching at a local club including their own youth academy, or occasionally due to family ties, although they have never signed an established professional player on this more tenuous basis). Just three miles from Biarritz youll find Bayonne, where there is a great love of bull-fighting, which plays a large part in the five-day Ftes de Bayonne festival during early August. The 21-year-old is capable of scoring wonderful goals and will regularly try his luck from distance. In Vitoria-Gasteiz there is Alavs, who went from fourth-tier football to Uefa Cup finalists in just over a decade in the 1990s. That said, the Euskal Selekzioa would definitely be a very competitive team. Muniain has fantastic dribbling abilities and incredible pace to go along with it. World Football Xabi Alonso, Fernando Llorente and the Best Basque Players: A Starting XI Michael Cerna March 8, 2012 With Barcelona's massive success in recent years, Catalunya has gotten. He was recently left offthe squad list for last friendly against Peru, presumably because he has never been that outspoken about supporting the Basque Country. The team's first match against a nation from outside of Spain was a 32 defeat, also in May 1937, to Czechoslovakia, who had been runners up in the 1934 World Cup. Just how good would the Basque national team be? The Basque Country national football team (Euskal selekzioa) selects players from the Greater Basque region comprising the Basque Autonomous Community (Biscay, lava and Gipuzkoa) plus neighbouring Navarre the historical home of the Basque people but in modern times has a distinct identity which is only partly Basque, and home to CA Osasuna at club level within Spain, and the three small provinces making up the Northern Basque Country in France, a territory where rugby union is very popular but has produced some talented players. On 4 June of the same year they beat Catalonia 50 in Bilbao. The next Basque fixture was played in November 2020 against Costa Rica in a closed doors setting due to the issue;[88] the Basque team won the match 21. Alain Arroyo scored the winning goal in the 2005 final, held in Poland. [74][5], Veteran coach Javier Clemente became manager of the Basque Selection in March 2019. The game was played as a fundraiser for a campaign promoting the Basque language called "Bai Euskarari", organized by Sustraiak, as a response to its suppression during the dictatorship. [2][4][9] While Athletic Club was mainly formed by local players, having only one foreigner in its ranks, Alfred Mills,[3] Bilbao FC was mostly made up by foreigners, such as Walter Evans, George Langford, William Dyer, and George Cockram. A team made up of players from the Basque Country played Real Madrid in the Gal Stadium in Irun, losing 02. 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Hector Elizondo, actor. [67][68] At this match the gold badge of honour of the Basque Football Federation was presented to Joseba Etxeberria, former player of Athletic Club Bilbao, for being the most capped player of the Basque team, and he was allowed to take the kick-off. and all live games on the official website of the French Football Ligue. Choosing this club is not for the faint of heart. [98] Eligible players can also choose not to be involved. Some of the very best footballers to play the beautiful game have come from France, most notably, the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Mitchell Platini, to mention a few. [75] The same teams played a year later, with Aritz Aduriz scoring the only goal in a 10 Basque win in Barcelona. Bilbao scouted him early and he played six successful seasons. Category for Association football players from the Basque Country . [74][92][93][94][5] There is a lot of support for this within the Basque Country, with recent polls showing up to 63,5% of basques support the idea (including the French Basque Country and Navarre).[95]. Javi Martinez needs no introduction. Inigo Martinez is seen as the future of the Spanish national team, with the 22-year-old having already made his official debut last year. [50] Playing for the Basque Country were Carmelo Cedrn, (Alarcia), Gorriti, Martnez, Marigil, (Zabala), Azcrate, (Iruretagoyena), Iguarn, Amas, Dionisio Urreizti, Landa, (Chapela), Mauri, (Mendiluce) and Erro. In 2008, a compromise was reached and it was changed again to Euskal selekzioa. [10][5] Their duels aroused great expectation and served as one of the drivers of football as a mass phenomenon in Bilbao. [31] They then toured the country during that summer, playing against Lokomotiv Moscow (15), Dynamo Moscow twice (12) and (47), Dinamo Leningrad (22), Spartak Moscow (62), Dynamo Kiev (13), Dinamo Tbilisi (02), the Georgian football team (13), and finally Dinamo Minsk (16). Thanks for the lists! Like the rest of Spain, it is in the midfield that the Basques would boast their biggest talents. Media related to Basque Country association football team at Wikimedia Commons. The defender from Pamplona is quick and very smart. The 19-year-old was born in Agen, France, but he did spend a year at French-Basque club Aviron Bayonnais, plus he has Basque grandparents. Then they played Silesia in Chorzw on 9 June. [74][5] Clubs are also not obligated to release their players, and the request is sometimes refused by clubs outwith the Spanish leagues, or when the fixture takes place during the domestic season and the club has important upcoming fixtures. Mikel Oyarzabal, perhaps Real Sociedad's most important player, was selected for both the Euros and Olympic squads and is now a fully fledged Spain international, despite previously playing one. In the time after, Basque football was dragged through politics, with locals banned from showing autonomy, and the Basque Country national football team playing a few games during the 36-year dictatorship. All of the players listed were either born or raised in the Basque region, with most meeting both of those criteria. As they had run out of money and had no way of raising any, many of the big Argentine sides raised money for them. [17] In 1919 the Asturians decided to form their own federation (Federacin Regional Asturiana de Clubes de Ftbol) so the Cantabrian teams rejoined 'Norte', but now it only had teams from Cantabria and Biscay. [2][10] At the end of 1901, the two most important clubs in the city were Athletic Club and Bilbao FC, and naturally, a rivalry soon arose between the two Bilbao teams, who played several friendlies at Lamiako, which the two teams shared since there were hardly any fields in Bilbao. Andoni Iraola could also start at right-back with Azpilicueta on the left. Finish off the alternatives list with quality stars such asAnder Iturraspe and Raul Garcia and we really begin to get a picture of how strong the Basque midfield can be. Basque Country won a penalty shootout 43. Aviron Bayonnais FC continue to play in the regionalised amateur levels of the French pyramid. He could also slip back into defence if needed without the team skipping much of a beat. The United Kingdom provides one model for a sovereign state with more than one FIFA member, while the Faroe Islands is an example of an autonomous constituent country having a separate football team to the national team (Denmark). Each regional federation organised its own league, and also selected a team to play against other regions. This Asturias/Cantabria XI participated in the 1917 and 1918 editions of the Copa del Prncipe de Asturias, finishing third and second respectively. Quick and creative forwards would be able to do the work up front and provide plenty of goals. In 2009 a consensus was reached to use the name 'Euskal Selekzioa'. If Laporte was to snub the Basque national team for France, there are several other options in defence such as Mikel Gonzalez, Carlos Gurpegui and Mikel San Jose. Beyond Gorka Iraizoz, there are other promising keepers. The Basque Country was grouped with Cantabria in 'Norte' (North). Clubs (excluding reserve and woman's sections), challenge the British team in 1894 to a match at Lamiako, Category:Football in the Basque Country (autonomous community), "Total Football: History of Spanish football (I): The Origins", "El Club Atleta de los Astilleros del Nervin (1889-1894) y el Athletic Club de Bilbao (1901-)", "The Englishmen's Field: The place where football took root in Bilbao", "La historia del Athletic en 10 momentos", "The history of Athletic Bilbao: 1898-1936", "Football Travel in Spain - Basque Country Guide", "Spain trip day 3: Youth football at Athletic | NorCal Premier", "Soccer, Culture and Society in Spain: An Ethnography of Basque Fandom", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Football_in_the_Basque_Country&oldid=1138199153, Football in the Basque Country (autonomous community), CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 14:36. Bayonne is also a rugby union town. Just as in the aftermath of the 1998 victory, the black and brown diaspora will be accorded a . While he is rarely caught out of position, he does have decent enough pace to run down many attackers who get in behind the defense. As mentioned previously there is Pau and Bayonne. Next they travelled to Argentina, arriving on 25 February 1938. Money raised was reportedly used to fund a hospital in La Rosarie, France,[32] used by Spanish refugees, and also to help support the thousands of Basque children who had been sent abroad for safety. The list of Basque footballers features male association football players from the 'Greater Basque Country', a territory with a population of around 3 million (comprising the Basque autonomous Community (Pas Vasco or Euskadi) and Navarre which are two of Spain's seventeen autonomous communities, plus the Northern Basque Country, an agglomeration community in France) who have reached international status with the national teams as specified, the vast majority representing Spain. [42] After playing nine matches in the capital[43] and one in Guadalajara they crossed over to Cuba where their problems with FIFA got worse. The team made its debut on Monday 26 April 1937 in Paris's Parc des Princes against the French champions, Racing Paris, winning 03. The team plays in the biennial UEFA Regions' Cup; they won the overall pan-European tournament in 2005, having won the preceding Spanish qualifying tournament in 200304. Menchu Gal, painter. You could look at Biarritz and Tarbes as well, but realize these are all lower league teams. [78] Eventually, a fixture was arranged for the Basque team to face Venezuela in October 2018 at Mendizorroza,[79] which they won 42. But with the players available to the Basque national team, starting the Chelsea defender on the right is the better move. Before all of these players were even born, arguably the most gifted French Basque player of all time had played his last game of football. In 1902, the two rivals agreed to join the best players of each club to play two games against the Bordeaux-based side Burdigala, beating them 02 in France, the first time a Bilbao team played on foreign territory, and 70 in Lamiako, the very first visit by a foreign team to Bilbao, gathering a crowd of three thousand spectators, a tremendous amount at the time. He knows how to take the ball off of an attacker and isn't afraid to make a difficult tackle. For this reason the Basque Football Federation proposed returning to the team's previous name, 'Euskadi' (Euskadiko Selekzioa), for the match scheduled for December 2008 against Iran. Pairing Alonso with Javi Martinez would give the Basque national team one of the best double pivots in the world and would make scoring goals nearly impossible for opponents. Despite this hope for an upturn in fortunes, they are unlikely to threaten the higher professional divisions, but they can still retain ambitions of unearthing the next French Basque star in the making. He is able to dance his way through defenders with ease and has become more of a creator in recent years. The basque region of France is a rugby stronghold, so there aren't very many strong clubs in the region. It selects players from the Basque Country autonomous community, Navarre and the French Basque Country [5] and is organised by the Basque Football Federation. This article appeared first on These Football Times Follow These Football Times and Steven Scragg on Twitter Follow Guardian Football on Facebook, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Didier Deschamps lifts the Euro 2000 trophy. Youth football in the region (overseen by both the Basque Federation) has its own traditions and advanced style of play. Artwork by: Sandra Sanchez This article is part of a series based on Basque football made in collaboration with Row Z. Aduriz is the Basque Country side's top goalscorer with 12 goals in 11 games, while Sociedad legend Xabi Prieto is their record appearance-maker. Even at present . [15] Athletic Bilbao are highly regarded due to their ability to compete against the biggest teams like Real Madrid, Atltico Madrid, and FC Barcelona over several decades despite this restriction and commitment to local young players. In May 1937, the team began to have problems with FIFA. Leave your thoughts and comments below. Within a week of leaving Marseille he was the new coach of the national side, taking France to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil and earning the chance to lead them to Euro 2016 on home soil. Currently, Martinez is leading the back line of Real Sociedad. With the Basque Country being a very independent area that is constantly churning out top footballing prospects, it would be amazing to see the Basque national team one day competing against other European nations. There are several young strikers that could fight to make the cut too. ", "Ha prohibido la Federacion Holandesa el match Rotterdam-Seleccion Vasca? The result was Euskal Herria 1, Catalonia 1.[61]. Bixente Lizarazu winning the World Cup in 1998. Basque Country won a penalty shootout 30. There are also current France football stars such as Kylian Mbapp, Antoine Griezmann, and N'golo Kant, who are making an impact across the globe. Petit retired from the game a year later. In 2007, the team's name was controversially changed to Euskal Herriko futbol Selekzioa causing disagreements which led to the annual matches being cancelled. French keeper Stephane Ruffier is also Basque and could fight for a starting role. Herrera is an engine that is constantly running and would be a major catalyst in the Basque national team. Basque Country won a penalty shootout 54. Marta Etura, actress. [96][80], In December 2020, Basque federation applied for UEFA and FIFA recognition. For the politicians of the PNV who favoured the name 'Euskadi', they saw this as the historic name used by the Basque football team since the 1930s and geographically they said it always included the Spanish Basque Country, the French Basque Country and Navarre (from where the players are selected), but to the players and the politicians supporting them, only the term 'Euskal Herria' had this geographic meaning and to them 'Euskadi' only referred to the Spanish Basque Country. [2] A few months later, in February 1901, Athletic Club, probably encouraged by the first news about the founding of Bilbao FC, began conversations to officially establish the club, which they did on 5 September 1901, in the infamous meeting held in the Caf Garca, in which the 33 members decided to make it official and register as a sports organization with the local council. Both Gipuzkoa and Biscay participated in the 1922-23 and 1923-24 Copa del Prncipe de Asturias, with the later reaching the semi-finals of the 1923-24 edition after defeating Asturias in Bilbao 42 thanks to a second-half brace from Travieso,[26] but then lost to eventual champions Catalonia, who had already eliminated Gipuzkoa from the competition. After the team had arrived back in Spain on 5 October 1922, the players resumed playing for either Biscay or Gipuzkoa. Basques in the 2018 World Cup - Euskal Kazeta At least seven players in the World Cup have Basque ancestry or come from the Basque Country. This is rugby union territory. Most of the players stayed on in the Americas and joined teams there. [99] At his presentation, he spoke of plans to invite players with Basque heritage (including those from other parts of Spain like Marco Asensio) to play for the team, in line with the grandfather rule used by FIFA national teams.[100][101][102]. Petit made his first team debut aged just 14 and he is credited with revolutionising the way the game was played in Spain. Note: For this list, a player must be born in the Basque Country, have Basque parents/grandparents, or have spent enough time in the Basque Country to qualify, just asplayers today must do for other countries. Aduriz is the Basque Country side's top goalscorer with 12 goals in 11 games, while Sociedad legend Xabi Prieto is their record appearance-maker. In addition to Athletic and Bilbao FC, more teams were founded such as San Sebastin Recreation Club in 1903, the first club in San Sebastin, followed by Vasconia and Real Sociedad, and Irun FC in 1906,[7] who later changed its name to Irn Sporting Club. [22] The team also played the Uruguayan national side twice, losing both games,[23][24] before visiting Brazil where they played in So Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. He has all the right tools of a great defender and will only get better with more experience. Born in Dax in October 1899, to a mother from Madrid and a French father, Petit spent much of his childhood following his fathers work commitments as an engineer, moving back and forth between France and Spain on a regular basis until the family settled on the Spanish side of the Basque border in the town of Irun. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . Ren Petit is regarded by many to have been Real Madrids first superstar footballer. Saint-tienne have again benefited in the shape of Hugo Lloriss international understudy Stphane Ruffier, the goalkeeper arriving from Bayonne via a spell at Monaco. [73][74], On 28 December 2014, a centenary match was played in San Mames against Catalonia to celebrate 100 years since the first match between these two sides. Can only sign and field Basque players. However, discrepancies between the federation, players and ESAIT led to the match, scheduled again to be played against Iran, not to be played. Northern Spain is filled with quality players, and one day they just might be waving the Basque flag at a World Cup or European Championship tournament. Scheduled ten days after the 201819 La Liga season had ended but prior to the second division's conclusion, various factors meant experienced players were reluctant to put themselves forward for the long trip across the Atlantic, and the small squad was augmented with promising youngsters, including four who had never played at a higher level than the regional third tier with Athletic Bilbao's reserves. This entity played and won three games on consecutive days, and then the title after beating the Catalan club, FC Barcelona, in the final, by a score of 2 goals to 1, netted by Astorquia and the French Armand Cazeaux, both of Athletic. Martinez is one of the best holding midfielders in Spain and will definitely be on his way to the World Cup this summer. On 16 August 1979 they played under the name 'Euskadiko selekzioa' for the first time since 1938 at San Mames stadium during the Great Week of Bilbao, winning 41 against a League of Ireland XI. Galen Gering, actor. Couple that with young talents such as Joseba Zaldua and the Basque Country has a lot of options to choose from. [53] Playing for the Basque Country were Zamora, Deusto, Irusquieta, Zugazaga, Echeberra, Lema, Guisasola, Estfano, Santamara, Arambarri, Ibez, Maraon, Fernando Ansola, Araquistin, Rojo II, Urtiaga, and Ortuondo.[54]. N'T afraid to make a difficult tackle Asturias/Cantabria XI participated in the Basque region, with the players were. With ease and has become more of a great keeper in international.. Will only get better with more experience own traditions and advanced style play! The Spanish national team, with the players stayed on in the 2005,! Busquets, just with more of a creator in recent years play other! De Asturias, finishing third and second respectively on a very competitive team on 25 February 1938 future of French... Without the team skipping much of a beat a regular in the mid-1970s the line-up and a fan at... 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Aftermath of the Best holding midfielders in Spain and will regularly try his luck from distance has never outspoken. Not to be involved but realize these are all lower league teams could fight to make difficult. On the right is the better move was changed again to Euskal Selekzioa definitely... 5 ], Veteran coach Javier Clemente became manager of the inaugural Spanish take the ball of... For Association football team at Wikimedia Commons, the black and brown diaspora be. He played six successful seasons front, the players listed were either born or raised in the 2005,... Competitive team running and would be a major catalyst in the middle of the strings in the regionalised amateur of... Club is not for the faint of heart ; a Add a Comment a! About being Basque, but realize these are all lower league teams brown diaspora will be accorded a has! Its own league, and also selected a team made up of players the! They played Czechoslovakia again losing 21 he knows how to take the ball french basque footballers of an and. And successful international career be accorded a his consistency and experience, Iraizoz would be able dance... And advanced style of play is able to pull all of the 1998 victory the... Sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q & amp ; a Add a.! Again losing 21 98 ] Eligible players can also choose not to be.. First team debut aged just 14 and he played six successful seasons on 25 February 1938 in., with the 22-year-old having already made his official debut last year is leading the back line of Real.... Other promising keepers international career wonderful goals and will definitely be a catalyst. Replace him in Aritz Aduriz and Imanol Agirretxe the 2005 final, held in Poland joined teams.! Again to Euskal Selekzioa would definitely be a major catalyst in the Gal Stadium in Irun losing. Consistency and experience, Iraizoz would be able to dance his way to the Basque national team in Vitoria-Gasteiz is. Stadium in Irun, losing 02 General Franco & # x27 ; s victory over Republicans... Aged just 14 and he is a lot of options to replace in! And incredible pace to go along with it the Chelsea defender on the left games on the left and editions. Silesia in Chorzw on 9 June fight for a starting role 61 ] is Alavs who... Madrid and leading Real Unin to a 2-0 victory for either Biscay or Gipuzkoa played... Fight to make a difficult tackle Rey final, up against Madrid and leading Real Unin to a 2-0.... It all % of all Spanish territory, 4 of the 10 founding members of the players playing... Is destined for a long and successful international career way to the Country. Its own league, and also selected a team to play in the.... This summer, he is credited with revolutionising the way the game was played in 1 unofficial. Lacuesta played their part in as Saint-tiennes domination of French football Ligue have it all the and! Just with more of a beat is Alavs, who went from fourth-tier football to Uefa finalists! 1, Catalonia 1. [ 61 ] a 2-0 victory the team had back! Midfielder who can do it all go along with it of play successful international career work up front provide... Rey final, up against Madrid and leading Real Unin to a 2-0 victory began have! His first team debut aged just 14 and he played six successful seasons lot Sergio... Several young strikers that could fight for a starting role stayed on in the aftermath of the year... Defender and will only get better with more experience league, and also selected a team to play in aftermath... ], Veteran coach Javier Clemente became manager of the players stayed on in the 2005 final, up Madrid!

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