Is it true or false that Athletic Bilbao have only got players that were born in the Basque Country ?
False . Fernando Llorente and David Lopez arent basques , and Athletic has had historically many nonbasque players . Their philosophy is totally false .
I assume the claim Llorente and Lopez aren't Basques is based on them being from Navarra. Athletic Bilbao considers Navarra part of the Basque region, given that upper Navarra has a heavy Basque presence and Pamplona is in the mixed region.
But the general belief is that they prefer players from the Basque region... When you talk about Spanish football and they get mentioned that is what comes into play in any conversation about them. It may not be completely true... I defer to Susaeta on this one though.
Fernando Llorente ,and David Lopez are from La Rioja , not from Navarre. They are 0% basques. Other nonbasque born Athletic players were Mario Bermejo, Patxi Ferreira,Ernesto Valverde, Jose Mari and many more.
Seeing who your favorite team is, I do not expect us to come to terms. It does not matter whom you or I consider Basques. It matters what Athletic Bilbao and its membership consider Basques. Both Llorente (born in Pamplona, not La Rioja) and Martinez (born in Estella, not La Rioja) qualify from their heritage. I will concede Bilbao has relaxed their policy (some would say this has always been our policy) to allow any player who grew up in the region and/or was developed by the Cantera.
David Lopez: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_López_Moreno If you consider basque a player who was born in Logroño(La Rioja) and formed by Logroñes until he was 19 years old, when he went to Osasuna B, then everybody is basque for Athletic. Mario Bermejo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Bermejo Formed until he was 18 years old in Racing de Santander, and being cantabrian 100%, was basque for Athletic. Fernando Llorente only was born in Pamplona because the nearest hospital was there, but Llorente consider himself as riojan, and everybody consider him as riojan , not as basque, or from navarre. He has been living in La Rioja before going to play for Athletic , and all his family is from La Rioja. If Llorente is basque , then Amorebieta is venezuelean.