Association | Euskadiko Futbol Federakundea |
---|---|
Head coach |
José María Amorrortu Mikel Etxarri |
Most caps | Gorka Iraizoz, Xabi Prieto (14) |
Top scorer | Isidro Lángara (17) |
First international | |
Catalonia 0–1 Basque Country (Barcelona, Spain; Jun 8 1930) |
|
Biggest win | |
Denmark 1–11 Basque Country (Denmark; August 29 1937) |
|
Biggest defeat | |
Mexico 8–4 Basque Country (Mexico; October 16 1938) Basque Country 1–5 Hungary (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; August 31 1980) |
The Basque Country representative football team (officially, in Basque, 'Euskal selekzioa') represents the Basque Country in football. It selects players from the Basque Country autonomous community, Navarre and the French Basque Country and is organised by the Basque Football Federation. It is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and therefore only allowed to play friendly matches against FIFA or non-FIFA affiliated teams.
The team has been referred to by various names including Euskadiko selekzioa, Euskal Herriko futbol selekzioa, Selección de Euskadi, Vasconia, Equipo Vasco, Euskadi XI and Basque XI. Most of their home matches have been played in the San Mamés Stadium which was replaced in 2013 by the new San Mamés.
The Basque Country has had a football team of its own since 1930. During the Second Spanish Republic, they played firstly under the name of 'Baskoniako selekzioa' (the Vasconia team) and then from 1936 as 'Euzkadiko selekzioa' (the Euskadi team). During Franco's 36 year dictatorship it only played two games. Then, after Franco's death in 1975, the team was reformed using the name 'Euskadiko selekzioa' and began playing regular friendly matches, usually during La Liga's Christmas break. Up to the present moment they have played 56 matches against a wide range of nations such as Russia, Uruguay, Nigeria and Denmark.
In 2007, the team's name was controversially changed to 'Euskal Herriko futbol selekzioa'. In 2008, a compromise was reached and it was changed again to 'Euskal selekzioa'. In the lower grades, the team is either called "Euskadiko selekzioa" or "Seleccíon del País Vasco" and exclusively represents the Basque Country autonomous community (Euskadi).