Copa del Rey final: 5 things you must know about Athletic Bilbao

Founded back on 18th July, 1898, Athletic Club is one of the oldest and most historic clubs in Europe. Based in the city of Bilbao in the Basque Country of Spain, Los Leones boast one of the most faithful fanbases in Spain, with their stadium, called San Mamés, attracting football enthusiasts from all around the world on matchdays. From their unique Basque policy to the story behind the name of their home ground, here are five things you may not know about Athletic Club.

The curious reason why Athletic Club don red and white kits

At the end of the 19th century, Basques were introduced to football by British workers, as well as locals who returned from their studies in the United Kingdom. Athletic Club's original all-white shirts were replaced by blue and white shirts when Juan Moser, an Irish descendant living in Bilbao, gifted the kits to the team in 1902, before they embarked on their victorious campaign in the Copa de la Coronación, the former name of the Copa del Rey. Seven years later, player and board member Juan Elorduy was assigned by the club with the task of bringing back a set of blue and white jerseys from his trip to England. Unable to find these colours, Elorduy, in Southampton at the time, spotted the red and white kits of the local team. Considering they matched the colours of the official flag of Bilbao, he bought several shirts and brought them back to the Basque city by ferry. The board approved the change of colours and from that point on Athletic Club have been donning the iconic red and white jersey.

The Basque player policy

Taking pride in their own, Athletic Club have earned plaudits for what is dubbed their “Basque player policy". Back in 1912, Los Leones established a policy of fielding