It has drawn attention that two brothers, Iأ±aki and Nico Williams, coincide in Athletic. It’s not common in football, but nothing unusual there. Surprising, but this is the twenty-fifth pair of brothers to play for the club. There were also five cases of parents and children (the most famous, that of Carmelo and Andoni Cedrأ؛n) and even a case of grandfather and grandson, Bertol and Cortina. Surnames such as Unamuno, Areta, Gأ،rate, Etxebarrأa, Gأ³mez Acebo, Eguأa, Aketxe, Allende, Escuredo, Cuأ©llar, Sena, Bergaretxe, Ochandiano, Astorquia, Arana, Silva, Alonso, Karanka, Eguren, Merino… have been repeated in Athletic lineups. The Belausteguigotia were three; The third, José Mari, was the famous inspirer of Spanish fury… despite being a Basque nationalist.
Without a minimum of exhaustiveness, here are the most relevant couples, the ones that played the most games.
Marcelino and Ignacio Aguirrezabala Ibarbia (34+162=196)
From Bilbao. Marcelino (1902) played with the nickname Chirri, so his brother would be known as Chirri II. Both interiors. The oldest was Cup champion in 1923 and international five times. Ignacio, seven years younger, caught the birth of the League, of which he won three editions to which he added four Cups. I was part of Athletic’s first great forward line: Lafuente, Iraragorri, Bata, Chirri and Gorostiza. International four times. An engineer, he retired when he was 26, but when the war broke out he joined the Euskadi Team that toured Europe and America. He made a family in Argentina, but in 1946 he returned with her to Bilbao, where he lived until his death, as a renowned engineer.
Miguel and Agustأn Gaأnza Vicandi (84+496=580)
From Basauri. Miguel (1920) was a defender who came to Athletic from Arenas. After five seasons (he won a Cup), he moved to Barakaldo, where he would retire at the age of 32. It was key for his brother to dedicate himself to football, something he did not want. He only let himself be convinced when Athletic offered the family to arrange Miguel’s military destiny if Agustأn signed. Agustأn (nickname Piru, 1922), was a great among the greats. He played 19 seasons for Athletic, with seven Cup titles and two League titles. The second great lead closed: Iriondo, Venancio, Zarra, Panizo and Gaأnza. 33 times international. Retired, he continued at the club as a coach. He came to train the first team.
Enlarge
Eneko and Anton Arieta-Araunabe±a Piedra (305+358=663)
From Durango. The most balanced couple in performance. Eneko (1933) was, like Gaأnza, a pure one club man. He joined Athletic in 51-52 and stayed until 65-66. Always a center forward, brave, with the strength of a bull. They won a League and three Cups, one of them, that of “the eleven villagersâ€. He led a front line that was also very repeated: Arteche, Marcaida, Arieta, Uribe and Gaأnza. Only three times international, because he competed successively with Cأ©sar and Di Stأ©fano. Antأ³n, 12 years younger, jumped from the youth team to the first team in 63-64 as a winger of a forward team in which his brother followed, from that moment on Arieta I, while he was Arieta II. He would soon inherit the 9 and would keep it until he was 28; They did not renew him and he went to Hércules. International seven times. He won two Cups. Their most famous forward was Argoitia, Uriarte, Arieta II, Clemente and Rojo. The first was a bigger scorer, the second was a more technical player, between the two of them they monopolized Athletic’s number 9 for 20 years. Lehendakari Urkullu is married to a daughter of Eneko.
Joseph Francis and Joseph Red Arrotia (541+182=723)
From Bilbao. Joséأ© Francisco (Chechu or Txetxu, 1957) was great. He jumped into the first team at the age of 18 and stayed at 17. Another one club man. Extraordinary winger for his overflow, center and genius. He won two Cups and was capped 33 times. He would then have a long career as a coach. José أپngel, five years younger, was a highly deployed midfielder. Since their appearance they were known as Rojo I and Rojo II. He spent five seasons at Athletic, won the 1973 Cup with his brother, and completed his career at Racing de Santander.
Enlarge
Julio and Patxi Salinas Fernأ،ndez (104+303=407)
Bilbao. Julio (1962) was an extraordinary scorer. Raised in the youth academy, he joined Athletic when he was 20 years old. Highly valued, he then moved on to Atlأ©tico, Barcelona, Deportivo, Sporting, Yokohama Marinos and Alavés, where he was still scoring at the age of 37. For Athletic he won a League and two Cups, titles to which he added four Leagues with Barça and two Cups, one with Barça and another with Depor. 56 matches for the national team (three World Cups) with 22 goals. Patxi, only one year younger, also made his career in the youth team. He was a hard-working defensive midfielder with strong legs, who shared the titles with Athletic with his brother. He stayed for 10 years, at the end of which he moved to Celta, which Txetxu Rojo coached, where he played successfully for four more seasons. Twice international. Under-21 Euro Cup Champion.
