List of Basque footballers
The list of Basque footballers features association football players from the 'Greater Basque Country', a territory with a population of around 3 million (comprising the Basque autonomous Community (País Vasco or Euskadi) and Navarre which are two of Spain's seventeen autonomous communities, plus the Northern Basque Country, an agglomeration community in France) who have reached international status with the national teams as specified, the vast majority representing Spain.[1][2][3]

The region has a representative squad – the Basque Country national football team – but they are not recognised by FIFA, were inactive for long periods and only play friendly matches against FIFA teams or against other sides with similar status such as Catalonia.[4][5]
Basque Country national team players (since 1990)
Listed below are the players who have featured for the Basque Country international team dating from 1990 when regular fixtures against FIFA national teams were arranged. As of November 2020, there have been 30 matches played in this era (including four against Catalonia and one against Corsica who have the same unofficial status as the Basques and select their squads on the same basis), with 195 players involved.[6][7]
Key | |
---|---|
Still active for the national team[lower-alpha 1] | |
Player is tied for the number of caps | |
GK | Goalkeeper |
DF | Defender |
MF | Midfielder |
FW | Forward |
Notes
- Players who are still active for the national team are players who have not retired from football (although they may have retired from their FIFA international team) and are, subsequently, eligible to be called up.
- Basque Country
2–0
Honduras, 2004
- Basque Country
3–1
Tunisia, 2016
- Catalonia
2–2
Basque Country, 2006
- Panama
0–0
Basque Country, 2019
- Basque Country
1–1
North Macedonia, 2002
- Basque Country
0–2
Tunisia, 2011
- Basque Country
3–1
Bolivia, 1993
- Basque Country
0–1
Wales, 2006
- Basque Country
5–1
Uruguay, 1998
- Basque Country
1–1
Catalonia, 2007
- Basque Country
2–1
Uruguay, 2003
- Basque Country
4–2
Venezuela, 2018
- Basque Country
3–2
Morocco, 2000
- Basque Country
6–0
Peru, 2013
- Basque Country
1–1
Paraguay, 1995
- Basque Country
3–1
FR Yugoslavia, 1997
- Basque Country
4–0
Serbia, 2006
- Basque Country
0–1
Cameroon, 2005
- Basque Country
6–1
Bolivia, 2012
- Basque Country
5–1
Nigeria, 1999
- Basque Country
3–2
Ghana, 2001
- Venezuela
3–4
Basque Country, 2007
- Basque Country
3–1
Venezuela, 2010
- Estonia
1–2
Basque Country, 2011
- Basque Country
2–1
Costa Rica, 2020
- Basque Country
1–0
Russia, 1994
- Corsica
1–1
Basque Country, 2016
- Basque Country
1–1
Catalonia, 2014
- Basque Country
2–2
Romania, 1990
- Basque Country
3–0
Estonia, 1996
- Catalonia
0–1
Basque Country, 2015
FIFA international players from the Basque Country
All of the players listed were either born or raised in the Basque region, with most meeting both of those criteria.
- Players in bold have won the FIFA World Cup
- Players in underlined have won a continental championships
- Players in italics have won the gold medal at the Olympic Games
- As of 17 November 2020
Notes
- 1916 South American Championship, 1920 South American Championship
- UEFA Euro 1992
- UEFA Euro 1996
- 1998 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 2000
- 2002 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 2004
- 2014 FIFA World Cup
- 1920 Olympic Games
- UEFA Euro 1984
- 1986 FIFA World Cup
- Olympic Games selection only, no full caps.
- 1976 Olympic Games
- Includes 1 match not counted by some sources: See Spain national football team results (1920–29)#Unofficial match
- Played for the Catalonia national football team
- Also played in 2 additional unofficial wartime matches in 1937 and 1938: See Spain national football team results (1930–39)#Unofficial matches.
- Errazquin was selected for the 1928 Olympic Games but was not allowed to compete due to his Argentine birthplace and no documents to prove Spanish citizenship
- 1924 Olympic Games
- 1928 Olympic Games
- 1968 Olympic Games
- 1978 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 1980
- 1982 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 1984
- 1980 Olympic Games
- 1992 Olympic Games
- 1996 Olympic Games
- UEFA Euro 2000
- 1998 FIFA World Cup
- 2000 Olympic Games
- 2012 Olympic Games
- 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
- UEFA Euro 2016
- 2018 FIFA World Cup
- 2010 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 2012
- 2009 Mediterranean Games
- Was selected for the tournament squad but never made his debut.
- 1934 FIFA World Cup
- 1950 FIFA World Cup
- 1962 FIFA World Cup
- 1964 European Nations' Cup
- 1966 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 1988
- 1990 FIFA World Cup
- 1994 FIFA World Cup
- 2006 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA Euro 2008
- 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
- Mediterranean Games selection only, no full caps.
- 2005 Mediterranean Games
- Also played in 1 additional unofficial wartime match in 1937: See Spain national football team results (1930–39)#Unofficial matches.
- Also played in 1 additional unofficial wartime match in 1938: See Spain national football team results (1930–39)#Unofficial matches.
- Only played in 2 unofficial wartime internationals: See Spain national football team results (1930–39)#Unofficial matches.
- 2015 Copa América
Basque heritage
There are many other international footballers with some Basque heritage or connection, for example:
Álex Aguinaga
Javier Aguirre
Matías Aguirregaray
Óscar Aguirregaray
Antonio Alzamendi
José Emilio Amavisca
Luis Amuchástegui
Charles Aránguiz
Daniel Aranzubia
Pedro Araya
David Arellano
Daniel Arismendi
Pedro Arispe
Fernando Aristeguieta
Víctor Aristizábal
Cristian Arrieta
Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Martín Arzuaga
Marco Asensio
Roberto Ayala
Rubén Ayala
Juan Ignacio Basaguren
Gabriel Batistuta
Pablo Bengoechea
Jared Borgetti
Jorge Burruchaga
Alfredo Carricaberry
Iker Casillas
Chico
Giorgian De Arrascaeta
Miguel Echenausi
Sebastián Eguren
Guillermo Eizaguirre
Marcelo Estigarribia
Marco Etcheverry
Luis Eyzaguirre
Santiago Ezquerro
Diego Forlán
Pablo Forlán
Enzo Francescoli
José Pedro Fuenzalida
Ezequiel Garay
Enrique Gainzarain
Sergio Goycochea
Gonzalo Higuaín
Enrique Hormazábal
Luis Hormazábal
Ruperto Inchausti
Juan Insaurralde
Julio Irrazábal
Juan Iturbe
Manuel Iturra
Ignacio Jauregui
Sergio Jauregui
Diego Laxalt
Victoriano Leguizamón
Javier Margas
Guillermo Mendizábal
Gabriel Mendoza
Juan Mujica
Juan Carlos Murúa
Tommy Oar
Guillermo Ochoa
Pedro Ochoa
Fernando Ochoaizpur
Jorge Olaechea
Julio Olarticoechea
Patricio Ormazábal
Santiago Ostolaza
Nicolás Otamendi
Urko Pardo
Luis Regueiro
Juan Román Riquelme
Zoilo Saldombide
Marcelo Saralegui
Mario Saralegui
Humberto Suazo
Guillermo Subiabre
Víctor Ugarte
Antonio Urdinarán
Santos Urdinarán
Patricio Urrutia
Óscar Ustari
Mikel Villanueva
Oswaldo Vizcarrondo
Jonathan Urretaviscaya
Héctor Yazalde
Pablo Zabaleta
Pedro Zaballa
Ramón Zabalo
Bibiano Zapirain
Benjamín Zarandona
Iván Zarandona
Francisco Zuluaga
See also
References
- Michael Cerna (9 March 2012). "Xabi Alonso, Fernando Llorente and the Best Basque Players: A Starting XI". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- "Basque Greatest All-time 23 member team". Soccer, football or whatever. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- "Basques in the 2018 World Cup". Euskal Kazeta. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- "Catalonia and Basque Country reignite call for independent national football identities". The Telegraph newspaper, 30 December 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- Matt Davis (13 October 2018). "Basque Country: The Spain internationals playing for a different team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
- Convocatorias desde 1915, Euskal Selekzioa
- Selección Absoluta, Basque Football Federation
External links
- Spain national team players (with province of birth) at BDFutbol
- List of all Basque players who have played international football at rsssf.com
- Euskal Selekzioa Online (in Basque and Spanish)