Iribar and Kortabarria revive iconic Basque football moment at San Mamés

Iribar and Kortabarria recreated a historic 1976 moment at San Mamés, carrying the Basque flag 50 years after first displaying it during Franco's dictatorship.

San Mamés revived an iconic image from Basque football history as José Ángel Iribar and Inaxio Kortabarria took to the pitch carrying the Ikurriña (Basque flag) ahead of the Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad derby. The gesture commemorated 5 December 1976, when the two legends first displayed the flag at Atotxa, Real Sociedad's former stadium, just after Spain emerged from 40 years of dictatorship. The original flag from that day was displayed on a stand at San Mamés.

The two club presidents paid tribute to the moment's historical and social significance. Athletic Bilbao president Jon Uriarte told DAZN: "It was a totally different political context back then. The Ikurriña is a very important symbol here in Euskadi, it unites us all." His Real Sociedad counterpart called it "a very beautiful act."

Unai Simón, Athletic's goalkeeper who won the Yashin Trophy as the world's best keeper, presented the award to the crowd from the centre of the pitch. The ceremony also included a minute's silence in memory of victims of a train accident in Urda, Toledo.