The deep rivalry between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad

When Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad lock horns, expect fireworks!

There is a common saying amongst the Athletic Bilbao fans – they claim that the local city has two Cathedrals; one is for praying while the second is the San Mames Stadium (Bilbao’s home ground).

The inter-city rivalry is representative of the hostility between the two neighboring provinces of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia in Basque Country, Spain.

Similarly, Real Sociedad fans see themselves as the custodians of the Basque culture – they even quote the acknowledgement from the monarchy through the royal patronage that was awarded to them.

Both clubs resonate with the idea of Basque nationalism – they even risked the wrath of Dictator Francisco Franco for their calls for secession of the Basque Country from Spain.

In the Basque Country, Spain, politics and football have always intertwined to form a distinct cultural effect.

Generally, the locals consider themselves as having a culture that is unique from the others as evidenced by their ancient laws and a complex form of language.

Essentially, Basques feel that they can only express their ideologies by visiting the two football stadiums of Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames or Real Sociedad’s Anoeta stadium – just the same way Catalans feel content while at the Nou Camp.

As evidenced by the Anglicism – the usage of English names and words in another language, Athletic Bilbao embodies the ideals of its founders – Englishmen from Sunderland and Southampton.

In actuality, the same explains why Athletic Bilbao’s kits have a similar fashion to those of Sunderland FC and Southampton FC – all have red and white strips! The fairytale continued as the Basque merchants sent their children to study in Britain.

In this way, they played football games with the British workers upon their return from study, and this really enhanced the progression of Athletic Bilbao as an ideal club founded on British principles.

Although Dictator Francisco Franco banned the use of non-Spanish terms and words in the Spanish society, Athletic Bilbao temporarily switched to Athletico – Spanish for Athletic, but reversed the same later.

The city of Bilbao had undergone the grueling nature of changing dynamics in the world and had felt the negative effects of de-industrialization.

After the arrival of the Englishmen, Bilbao became the first city in the Iberian region to embrace industrial revolution.

As a club that fails to align itself with an official commercial sponsor, the club also follows a distinct way of promoting local talent – the so called Cantera policy; the usage of Basque players only.

On the other hand, while Real Sociedad also promotes the ideals of the region through homegrown players only, they have switched to include players of other nationalities as time has gone by.

Today, and unlike Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad has players from other regions.

But why is there a rivalry between the two football teams?

Despite both teams sharing revulsion for each other, opposing fans interact and sit together during matches.

But deep inside, a sense of hatred arises from the question as to who between them should be the real owner of Basque nationalism.

Who between the two should be the ideal custodian of Basque practices?

After the death of Dictator Francisco Franco, who had banned the Ikurrina – the Basque Country flag, both teams took the extraordinary step of restoring the flag’s stature.

But why then is there some form of rivalry between the two teams? Real Sociedad have attracted wrath from Athletic Bilbao given that the former have been awarded a title through royal patronage.

The name Real in Spanish means Royal.

That means the Spanish Monarch dished out the name to football clubs that were perceived as being close to the administration.

The gesture was interpreted by Athletic Bilbao fans as betrayal to the Basque ideals.

Practically, Athletic Bilbao fans argued that Real Sociedad were dishing out the interests of the Basque region to the monarch instead of protecting them.

The same notion would apply to other teams given the name Real by the Monarch – the likes of Real Madrid and Real Betis.

Just as Real Betis was viewed as having auctioned the interests of the Andalusia region to the Monarch by agreeing to the title of real, Real Sociedad were also accused of not being representative of the Basque region, and the most of noise emanated from the Athletic Bilbao fans.

The explosive nature of the twist cannot be wholly outlined without underlining that Athletic Bilbao themselves have an iota of blame.

Athletic Bilbao is the founder club of Athletico Madrid.

The Basque outfit founded Athletico Madrid as their branch in the capital city, Madrid.

By doing so, they gave credence to the usage of the term Athletico instead of Athletic!

Besides, given that Dictator Francisco Franco came to be known as an ardent fan of Athletico Madrid before he switched sides to support Real Madrid only makes it cagier for Athletic Bilbao.

Franco resented any form of Basque or Catalan ideologies.

It would then be hypocritical for him to support a club founded by a club from either the Catalan region of the Basque region.

During the 1970s, Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao agreed not to poach talent from each other – however, that was an unwritten rule but a gentlemen’s agreement.

Relations between the two clubs would take a turn for the worst after Athletic acquired the services of Loren – a feared striker from Real Sociedad.

However, the occurrences were nothing as compared to what would happen seven years later – Athletic Bilbao again poached from Real Sociedad by signing Joseba Etxeberria.

The controversial move made the two clubs to call off their formal relations and it lasted for a good two years – some sort of football cold war!

#BasqueCountry #Rivarlies #Classics