Athletic Bilbao is an association football club based in Bilbao, in Biscay in the Basque Country of Spain. The club was a founder member of the Spanish league, better known as La Liga, in 1928, and has won the league championship eight times. As of 2012, Athletic has played for 82 years in the Primera División, the top tier of Spanish football, and is one of only three clubs, the others being Real Madrid and Barcelona, never to have been relegated from La Liga.

The club is known for its policy of recruiting only players from the greater Basque Country, a region which includes Labourd, Soule and Lower Navarre in France as well as the Spanish provinces of Biscay, Guipúzcoa, Álava and Navarre. This policy, which for many years applied both to signings from other clubs and to youngsters admitted to the club's academy, has in recent years become more flexible, so that players whose career developed in the youth system of other clubs in the region are now acceptable, irrespective of their country of birth.

Athletic won the Copa del Rey three times between 1914 and 1916. The team of that period included the prolific goalscorer Rafael "Pichichi" Moreno; he scored the first goal in the San Mamés Stadium on 21 August 1913, scored a hat-trick in the 1915 Copa del Rey final, and his 89 games for the club produced a total of 78 goals. Since 1953, the top scorer in La Liga each season has been awarded the Pichichi Trophy, named in his honour.

On 29 September 1940, Telmo Zarra played his first league match for the club. During his time at Athletic, he won six Pichichi awards, a league record, and helped the club achieve a league championship and five Copa del Rey trophies. He retired in 1955, having played 352 matches and scored 333 goals. Since 2006, the annual Zarra Trophy is awarded to the highest goalscorer of Spanish nationality in La Liga. Joseba Etxeberria, who joined Athletic from Real Sociedad in 1995 for a record transfer fee of €3 million, is the player with the most appearances for the club in the last 30 years. He signed a one-year extension to his contract in 2009 in which he agreed to play the 2009–10 season unpaid in the hope of reaching 500 games before he retired; he finished the season (and his professional career) on 514.

Players

Appearance and goal totals include matches in La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and regional competitions. Substitute appearances are included. Table is initially sorted in descending order of appearances and includes all Athletic players who have made 100 appearances or more.

A statistical analysis by El Correo in 2023 showed that the more historic players at the top of the list had played many more minutes overall than those from the modern era with fewer or no substitutions available – Orúe was on the field for the entirety of all matches he played, with contemporaries Panizo, Gaínza and Canito not doing so only twice apiece, contrasting sharply with the likes of Muniain and Susaeta whose totals for coming on and coming off were each well into the hundreds. On the other hand, the stats do not count the increasingly lengthy stoppage time typically being applied in the 21st century.

Key *Club record holderName in italicsCurrently playing for AthleticBoldRecord goals or appearances (all competitions)

NamePos.Athletic Bilbao careerLeagueApp.LeagueGoalsCupApp.CupGoalsEuroApp.EuroGoalsOtherApp.OtherGoalsTotal<br/ >App.TotalGoalsNotesRefs *GK1962–1980 466 0 93 055 0 0 06140DF2009–2025 435 25 53 477 8 8 257339FW2009–2024 434 56 65 1061 10 4 056076 FW1965–1982 414 47 87 1640 4 0 054167 FW1995–2010 445 87 41 1026 6 2 0514103FW2014– 407 85 52 1645 12 6 1510114DF2003–2015 406 33 56 246 3 2 051038MF2007–2019 379 38 50 675 12 3 050756FW1940–1959 380 117 99 30 8 1 2 0 489 148DF1950–19511952–1968 391 1 74 018 0 0 04831DF1990–2004 390 39 37 318 1 0 044543DF1948–1963 354 4 76 1 8 1 2 0 4406MF1992–2006 372 101 41 1117 4 – –430116FW1977–1990 332 63 69 1218 1 9 042876FW1996–2007 367 115 34 1218 1 0 0419128FW2002–20032006–20082012–2020 316 118 41 1648 34 2 4407172MF1938–1955 326 136 79 36–– 7 1 412173GK1950–1964 334 0 62 08 0 0 04040FW1974–1986 303 147 68 3725 11 7 4403199MF1987–2003 348 10 39 114 0 0 040111DF2009–2020 304 27 39 353 6 1 139737FW1962–1974 296 90 65 2033 9 0 0394119MF2002–2016 313 18 37 139 3 4 039322GK2007–2017 315 0 28 045 0 4 03920FW1976–19771978–1988 284 84 72 28 17 3 9 4 382119DF1974–1987 277 35 65 823 1 4 036944FW1964–1974 265 62 62 1536 5 0 036382MF2015–2024 292 65 39 1028 7 4 236384MF1971–1981 291 8 47 224 1 0 036211DF1983–19851986–1997 304 16 39 212 3 1 035621 *FW1940–1955 277 252 74 81–– 3 5 354338MF1998–2010 302 50 32 6 19 3 0 035359FW1950–1965 276 107 65 24 8 6 1 0 350137DF1961–1972 259 1 54 333 1 0 03465DF1978–1987 255 3 64 218 2 8 03457DF1962–1974 263 7 50 124 0 0 03378DF1970–1983 258 17 56 420 0 0 033421FW2005–2013 262 83 35 1635 16 1 0333115MF1979–19801981–1991 259 14 41 121 1 10 1 33117MF1994–2003 287 8 25 216 0 0 032810FW1940–1953 257 80 65 33–– 9 2 331115DF2008–20092013–2023 246 1 33 036 0 6 03211MF2008–2019 232 3 33 054 0 1 03203DF1962–1975 247 4 44 028 0 0 03194MF2000–2011 263 10 39 314 0 2 031813FW1960–1972 231 52 53 1326 3 0 031068FW1957–1970 231 44 56 1517 4 0 030463DF1982–1992 239 7 44 38 0 11 1 30211FW1951–1966 244 128 46 3010 4 – –300162DF1950–1960 236 7 50 3 8 0 2 0 29610FW1953–1964 245 59 41 138 0 0 029472DF1987–19931997–2002 263 6 21 010 0 0 02946FW1991–1998 255 77 27 109 4 0 029191DF1993–2003 251 6 30 08 1 0 02897DF2015–2026 212 3 33 033 1 5 0 282 4MF1980–19811982–1992 210 28 45 814 1 10 0 27937DF2018– 223 10 37 4 15 1 3 0 278 15DF1965–1974 200 0 53 0 24 0 ––2770FW1970–1981 213 81 44 3219 5 0 0276118DF1941–1952 213 6 60 0–– 3 0 2766MF1987–1996 234 35 33 78 0 0 027542MF2016–20182019–2026 211 9 38 121 0 5 0 275 10MF1979–1988 198 9 50 212 1 8 026812 *GK2018– 237 0 12 09 0 6 0 264 0DF2016– 216 3 26 019 1 3 1 264 5GK1941–1957 197 0 64 0 0 0 3 0 2640DF1992–2003 226 21 27 411 0 0 026425MF2020– 208 30 28 6 20 0 6 0 262 36FW1998–2005 222 45 23 715 5 0 026057MF1997–2007 220 9 21 113 2 – –25412DF2005–2013 195 3 28 131 0 0 02544DF2012–20182025– 186 7 23 241 1 2 025210DF1971–19761978–1986 177 2 51 0 13 0 11 0 2522DF1997–2006 224 12 20 07 0 0 025112MF2006–2012 201 22 25 225 2 0 025126DF1953–1966 205 2 35 17 0 0 02473FW1979–1987 183 41 39 1112 3 11 1 24556MF2006–20072013–2020 182 6 23 235 3 2 024211GK1981–1986 169 0 46 014 0 16 02390DF1952–1961 198 35 32 67 0 0 023741MF1939–1950 187 0 44 0–– 4 0 235 0DF1980–19871991–1993 168 2 42 113 0 11 2 2345MF2019– 191 42 24 3 13 3 3 0 231 48DF1981–1988 169 17 41 115 0 6 023118MF1999–2008 198 21 27 55 0 0 023026DF1933–1948 186 1 34 0–– 6 0 2261MF1972–1978 177 19 27 220 2 0 022423FW1986–1997 193 22 21 19 0 0 022323DF1971–1979 182 3 26 014 1 0 02224FW1953–1963 174 57 35 95 2 – –21468DF1988–1995 192 3 15 05 0 0 02123FW1944–19471948–1955 167 70 39 21–– 2 0 20893FW2008–2015 156 20 20 329 1 2 020724DF1973–1980 162 0 26 118 0 0 02061DF1977–1983 151 3 45 18 1 0 02045DF1993–19971999–2005 178 1 23 03 1 0 02042DF1993–19982002–2006 182 4 13 07 0 0 02024FW2021– 162 22 23 9 16 5 3 1 199 37GK1992–1999 172 0 17 06 0 0 0 195 0MF2018– 166 1 25 0– – 4 0 195 1FW2010–20162019–2021 145 13 22 123 4 0 0 193 18DF2021– 149 8 22 0 17 0 2 0 190 8GK1999–2008 162 0 23 04 0 0 0 189 0MF1949–1955 160 7 27 1–– 2 0 189 8MF2011–20142022–2025 142 7 25 222 2 0 0 189 11MF1984–1992 157 3 22 07 1 2 0 188 4FW1990–1996 170 43 17 61 0 0 0 188 49FW1952–1963 149 69 30 108 4 – – 187 83 *FW1929–19361939–1940 140 110 47 37–– 0 0187147FW1929–19361946–1949 141 94 46 25–– 0 0187119MF1970–1977 143 8 30 313 1 0 0 186 12FW2018–20192022– 139 37 21 5 17 6 2 0 181 48DF2018–2023 152 6 21 2– – 4 0 177 8MF1980–1985 125 15 37 65 2 10 1 177 24MF2013–2019 126 10 18 331 1 1 0 176 14MF2006–2012 147 19 17 49 1 2 0 175 24DF1928–1936 129 1 45 2–– 0 01743GK1986–1990 151 0 14 08 0 0 0 173 0MF1975–1980 136 22 16 418 3 0 0 170 29DF1984–19891997–2000 143 13 14 111 0 1 0 169 14MF1928–1936 118 10 47 5–– 0 016515FW1980–1987 113 15 36 610 1 5 1 164 23MF1995–2006 138 3 23 02 0 0 0 163 3DF1968–1975 118 13 30 215 1 0 0 163 16 *GK1926–1936 113 0 47 0–– 0 01600DF1941–1951 117 0 42 0–– 0 0 159 0DF2001–2009 132 1 18 07 0 0 0 157 1FW1929–1936 118 108 38 34–– 0 0156142DF2002–2008 134 6 11 0 8 0 0 0 153 6FW1925–1934 96 24 57 16–– 0 015340GK1999–2009 128 0 17 06 0 – – 151 0DF1958–1970 116 12 23 412 0 0 0 151 16DF1988–1997 125 2 21 02 0 0 0 148 2DF2000–20052007–2008 124 13 15 28 3 0 0 147 18MF2007–2012 118 12 16 39 1 1 0 144 16GK1995–2001 120 0 8 012 0 0 0 140 0DF2008–20102013–2018 89 4 19 330 1 2 0 140 8FW1935–1946 105 44 25 10–– 5 1 135 55DF1964–1975 106 18 21 3 5 0 0 0 132 21DF2017–20222024–2025 109 2 13 1 7 0 2 0 131 3MF2011–20132023– 92 2 11 0 26 0 1 0 130 2MF1989–1994 114 7 16 10 0 0 0 130 8FW1927–1935 90 31 38 11––00 128 42FW1973–1978 99 7 12 216 1 0 0 127 10DF1949–1957 111 4 16 0 0 0 0 0 127 4FW2016–20172019–2024 102 11 21 9 20 2 1 127 21DF2022– 92 6 12 0 17 1 2 0 123 7FW1928–19331939–1942 86 72 30 20–– 6 5 122 97MF1935–1946 96 9 21 0–– 3 1 120 10GK2013–20162017–2021 56 0 26 037 0 0 0 119 0DF2001–20032007–2012 95 2 17 06 0 1 0 119 2DF1990–1998 98 6 17 13 0 0 0 118 7MF2023–2026 83 4 12 1 20 1 2 0 117 6DF1976–1980 91 8 15 010 0 0 0 116 8FW1976–1980 85 19 17 513 2 0 0 115 26DF2018–2023 96 5 14 0– – 2 0 112 5MF1994–1998 92 1 14 06 0 0 0 112 1DF1928–1934 79 0 33 0–– 0 0 112 0FW1987–1990 96 34 10 34 4 0 0 110 41DF1966–1973 79 5 21 010 2 0 0 110 7MF1927–1934 74 3 35 0–– 0 0 109 3FW1933–19361939–1944 77 26 26 11–– 6 8 109 45DF1935–19461940–1946 77 0 26 0–– 6 0 109 0MF2023– 77 4 10 1 18 1 2 0 107 6FW1982–1986 68 13 25 114 4 8 1 105 29DF2009–20132014–2015 72 2 15 118 2 0 0 105 5FW1955–1963 88 35 10 16 3 0 0 104 39DF2005–2011 85 1 12 04 0 2 0 103 1FW1990–1995 82 12 19 60 0 0 0 101 18DF1964–1971 63 0 23 015 0 0 0 101 0MF1939–1943 70 0 24 0––6 0 100 0

Club captains Listed below are all the captains of Athletic Bilbao since football became professional in Spain with the introduction of La Liga in 1929.

PeriodCaptainPositionOne Club Man 1929–1934 Lafuente FW 1934–1936 José Iraragorri FW 1939–1942 Victorio Unamuno FW 1942–1948 Isaac Oceja DF 1948–1950 Roberto Bertol MF 1950–1955 José Luis Panizo FW 1955–1959 Agustín Gainza FW 1959–1963 Canito DF 1963–1965 José Luis Artetxe FW 1965–1968 José Orúe DF 1968–1969 Koldo Aguirre MF 1969–1972 Koldo Etxeberria DF 1972–1974 Iñaki Sáez DF 1974–1980 José Ángel Iribar GK 1980–1982 Txetxu Rojo FW 1982–1986 Dani FW 1986–1987 Andoni Goikoetxea DF 1987–1988 Manuel Sarabia FW 1988–1990 Estanislao Argote FW 1990–1991 Txetxu Gallego MF 1991–1992 Ismael Urtubi MF 1992–1995 Genar Andrinua DF 1995–2006 Julen Guerrero MF 2006–2010 Joseba Etxeberria FW 2010–2011 Pablo Orbaiz MF 2011–2016 Carlos Gurpegi MF 2016–2017 Gorka Iraizoz GK 2017–2019 Markel Susaeta MF 2019–2024 Iker Muniain FW 2024–2025 Óscar de Marcos DF 2025– Iñaki Williams FW Note: One club man; played for the club throughout his professional career.

Notes

NB1. For a full description of positions see football positions. NB2. Regarding regional competitions; Athletic Bilbao competed in the Basque Cup and Biscay Championship until 1940. Pichichi. Won the Pichichi Trophy while at Athletic. Gorostiza was the first Athletic player to receive the trophy with 19 goals. Zarra holds the joint-record (with Messi) for most Pichichis in La Liga with six. Zamora. Won the Zamora Trophy while at Athletic. Blasco was the first Athletic player to receive the trophy. Blasco also has the record of most Zamora trophies won by a single Athletic player, with three. A. Iribar had the most appearances in La Liga, with 466, and overall, with 614, for Athletic. B. Zarra is La Liga's 3rd highest goalscorer with 251 goals, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He has the record for most goals scored in all competitions, with 333, for Athletic.

See also List of Basque footballers

References

External links Official website: Appearances Goalscorers