Athletic Club and Real Sociedad will meet this Sunday at SanMamés to relive one of the most emblematic scenes in Basque history, the one that occurred on December 5, 1976 in Atotxa. On that occasion, the captains of both teams, JoséÁngelIribar and InaxioKortabarria, took the field carrying the ikurriña, a gesture that remained engraved in the collective memory of the clubs and Basque society in general. Now, half a century later, the same action will be repeated as a tribute to that tradition.
The initiative, the result of collaboration between the two clubs, aims to recreate the image that became a symbol of Basque identity. The goalkeepers and captains will re-enter the field with the same flag they used in 1976, while the current Real Sociedad and Athletic players – the zurigorris and the txuri-urdines – will form a hallway to receive them. Once in the center of the stadium, everyone will pose together to capture the scene that has endured as a historical icon.
The meeting, which is part of matchday 11 of LaLigaEASports, will be held in SanMamés next Sunday. Both Athletic and Real Sociedad have invited fans to arrive with enough time to witness and participate in the tribute. The gesture, which has remained intact in its historical and social value, will be a sign of respect and the close relationship that exists between both Basque clubs.
The event not only celebrates a tradition, but also reinforces the sense of community that characterizes Basque football. By repeating the 1976 action, the teams remember the importance of the identity and solidarity that have defined Real Sociedad and Athletic throughout the decades. With this act, the clubs emphasize that, although football evolves, certain symbols remain eternal.