Club Deportivo Basconia is a Spanish football club based in

Basauri Basauri is a major municipality of Biscay, in the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community in northern Spain. The town is a part of the Greater Bilbao conurbation, being only a few kilometers south of Bilbao. It is an industrial town that also i ...

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

, in the autonomous community of Basque Country. Founded on 14 March 1913, it currently plays in Tercera División RFEF – Group 4, holding home games at ''Estadio de López Cortázar'', with an 8,500-seat capacity. In 1997, they entered into a partnership with Athletic Bilbao to serve as a feeder club for Bilbao and essentially operate as the club's C team.

History

Founded in 1913 and named after a (later owned by the Altos Hornos de Vizcaya company), Basconia reached the national third level (''

Tercera División Tercera División ( en, Third Division) was the fourth tier of the Spanish football league system. Founded in 1929, it was below the ''Primera División'' (also known as La Liga), the ''Segunda División'', and the semi-professional ''Segunda Di ...

'') thirty years later. The club played in the second tier for six seasons (1957–63), but this was before the creation of the regionalised new third division in the 1970s. In 1997, Basconia became

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

neighbours Athletic Bilbao's

feeder club In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

, not being eligible for promotion if the reserves,

Bilbao Athletic Athletic Club "B", commonly known as Bilbao Athletic, is the reserve team of Athletic Club, a football club based in Bilbao, in the autonomous community of Basque Country in Spain. The team are playing in the Primera Federación – Group 2. Fo ...

, playing in the level above, did not attain the same goal. The primary function of the agreement is to aid the development of young players in a challenging environment while remaining in the same group under the close guidance of the parent club; a number of teenagers who spent a season at Basconia became professionals at Athletic Bilbao, eventually playing in

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men's ...

and

UEFA competitions UEFA competitions (french: competitions de l'UEFA), referred improperly by the mass media as European football, are the set of tournaments organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), generally in professional and amateur asso ...

. In January 2020 it was confirmed that the partnership, due to expire that summer, had been renewed for another three years to 2023. Basconia's place in Athletic's club structure means that the squad changes greatly each season. About half of the players move up to play for Bilbao Athletic, or go out on loan to other local clubs playing at

Segunda División B Segunda División B ( en, Second Division B) was the third tier of the Spanish football league system containing 102 teams divided into five groups, until it was replaced by the new structure in 2021. It was administered by the Royal Spanish Foot ...

level. They are replaced by graduates, usually 17 or 18 years old, from the previous year's Juvenil A team. The squad is normally expanded further with new signings from the regions's youth clubs, most notably Danok Bat and Antiguoko. Basconia B Uritarra

Although Athletic Bilbao control the main squad's players and coaching personnel, Basconia retains its own club committee and staff and operates several youth teams as well as amateur side ''Basconia B'' who compete in the Preferente de Vizcaya league, two levels below the first team. These other teams play in a separate small stadium in the town, ''Soloarte''. Occasionally the main squad has been supplemented by some of Basconia's 'own' players in emergencies –

Mikel Rico Mikel Rico Moreno (; ; born 4 November 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for FC Cartagena. After spending much of his career in Spain's lower divisions with Conquense, Polideportivo Ejido and Huesca, ...

was with Basconia B when he appeared in one ''Tercera División'' fixture in 2001; he left Biscay for a long career across Spain which eventually brought him back to sign for Athletic in 2013. In January 2018, with the team struggling to remain in

the league ''The League'' is an American sitcom that aired on FX and later FXX from October 29, 2009, to December 9, 2015, for a total of seven seasons. The series, set in Chicago, Illinois, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football league ...

, Basconia took the unusual step of recruiting some older, more experienced players including Thaylor Lubanzadio to help them maintain their 23-year divisional status, which was eventually accomplished – they finished 15th, 5 points above the relegation zone.

Season to season

* ''As a separate club'' *''As a

farm team In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

'' ---- *6 seasons in

Segunda División The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commercially known as LaLiga SmartBank for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spanish football league system. Administrated by the Lig ...

*8 seasons in

*55 seasons in

*1 season in Tercera División RFEF

Current squad

Honours

:Winners: 1956–57 :Winners (3): 1984–85, 1997–98, 2002–03

Notes

Selected coaches

* *

Javier Clemente Javier Clemente Lázaro (; born 12 March 1950) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. Forced to retire from playing in his early 20s through injury, he embarked on a coaching career with his first managerial ...

Joseba Etxeberria Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September 1977) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mostly as a winger, currently manager of CD Mirandés. After starting his professional career at the age of 17 with Real Sociedad, he quickly s ...

José Luis Mendilibar José Luis Mendilibar Etxebarria (born 14 March 1961) is a Spanish former Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder, currently Manager (association football), manager of Sevilla FC. He played no higher than Segunda División, ...

Notable players

Note: this list contains players who have appeared in at least 50 league games for the first team or have reached international status. *

Yeray Álvarez Yeray Álvarez López (; born 24 January 1995), known simply as Yeray, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Athletic Bilbao. Club career Born in Barakaldo, Biscay, Basque Country, Yeray joined Athletic B ...

Fernando Amorebieta Fernando Gabriel Amorebieta Mardaras (born 29 March 1985) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender. He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 253 competitive matches over eight La Liga seasons and scorin ...

* Daniel Aranzubia * José ArgoitiaWhile the club operated independently (pre 1997). *

Joseba Arriaga Joseba Arriaga Dosantos (born 28 July 1982) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a forward. Formed at Athletic Bilbao, he spent most of his 18-year senior career in Segunda División B, representing a host of clubs. His professional ...

Kepa Arrizabalaga Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta (born 3 October 1994) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Chelsea. He is sometimes referred to simply as Kepa. A Basque native, Arrizabalaga began his senior club career with A ...

* Beñat *

Eneko Bóveda Eneko Bóveda Altube (born 14 December 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-back or central defender. He started his career at Athletic Bilbao, returning there after a four-year spell with Eibar. Club career Athletic ...

* Javier Casas * Iñigo Córdoba * Koldo Etxeberria *

Borja Ekiza Borja Ekiza Imaz (born 6 March 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for UDC Txantrea. Club career Athletic Bilbao Born in Pamplona, Ekiza arrived at Athletic Bilbao's youth system at the age of 14, being eligibl ...

Unai Expósito Unai Expósito Medina (born 23 January 1980) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right back. He appeared in Segunda División 149 games during six seasons (five goals), representing in the competition Numancia (two spells), Hércu ...

* Cristian GaneaYouth teams only. * Carlos Gurpegi *

Iago Herrerín Iago Herrerín Buisán (; born 25 January 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Valencia CF. He spent most of his career affiliated to Athletic Bilbao, making 119 first-team appearances. He also played on loan ...

Gorka Iraizoz Gorka Iraizoz Moreno (born 6 March 1981) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He spent most of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 392 official games. In La Liga he also represented Espanyol and Gir ...

Andoni Iraola Andoni Iraola Sagarna (, ; born 22 June 1982) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a right-back, currently manager of Rayo Vallecano. Combative and with good passing skills, he spent the vast majority of his professional c ...

José Ángel Iribar José Ángel Iribar Kortajarena (born 1 March 1943), nicknamed ''El Chopo'' ("the Populus, Poplar"), is a Spanish retired Association football, football Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper and Manager (association football), manager. ...

Ander Iturraspe Ander Iturraspe Derteano (; ; born 8 March 1989) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He spent all but the final season of his career at Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 320 matches across all competiti ...

* Aymeric Laporte * Enrique Larrinaga *

Iñigo Lekue Iñigo Lekue Martínez (; ; born 4 May 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right or left-back for Athletic Bilbao. Formed at Athletic Bilbao, he has made over 200 appearances, winning the Supercopa de España twice. Clu ...

Fernando Llorente Fernando Javier Llorente Torres (; born 26 February 1985), nicknamed ''El Rey León'' ("The Lion King" in Spanish), is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker. He started his career with Athletic Bilbao, working his way throu ...

* Unai López *

Sabin Merino Sabin Merino Zuloaga (; ; born 4 January 1992) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays mainly as a left winger for Racing de Ferrol, on loan from Real Zaragoza. Club career Athletic Bilbao Born in Urduliz, Biscay, Basque Country, Merino ...

* Unai Núñez * Luis Prieto *

* Unai Simón *

Markel Susaeta Markel Susaeta Laskurain (, ; born 14 December 1987) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right winger. He spent almost the entirety of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao after making his debut with the first team in 2007, ...

Ustaritz Ustaritz (; eu, Uztaritze) is a town in the traditional French Basque Country, Basque province of Labourd, now a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department, southwestern France. It is located on ...

Óscar Vales Óscar Vales Varela (born 13 September 1974) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a utility defender, and sometimes as a defensive midfielder. Club career Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Vales appeared in one Segunda División B game for CD ...

Asier Villalibre Asier Villalibre Molina (born 30 September 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Athletic Bilbao. Club career Born in Guernica, Biscay, Basque Country, Villalibre joined Athletic Bilbao's youth setup in 2011 ...

Iñaki Williams Iñaki Williams Arthuer (born 15 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Ghana national team. Developed at Athletic Bilbao's academy, he has made over 350 first-team appearances ...

* Francisco Yeste

References

External links

Official website

at Athletic Bilbao's official website
La Cantera De Lezama
Unofficial website focusing on Athletic's

cantera Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. The term is widely u ...

teams {{DEFAULTSORT:Basconia Athletic Bilbao Spanish reserve football teams Football clubs in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Association football clubs established in 1913 1913 establishments in Spain

Basconia Club Deportivo Basconia is a Spanish football club based in Basauri, Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country. Founded on 14 March 1913, it currently plays in Tercera División RFEF – Group 4, holding home games at ''Estadio de ...

Segunda División clubs CD Basconia