n a world where football has become big business, one team stands out for its different approach. Established well over a century ago, Bilbao’s Athletic Club is owned by its members rather than venture capitalists, and until a link-up with local oil firm Petronor in 2008 had refused to carry shirt sponsorship, in stark difference to the majority of Europe’s top teams. By making a conscious decision to only hire Basque footballers, the club has made a brave commitment to nurture local talent. While other clubs sign star strikers from overseas, Athletic Bilbao seeks out the best and brightest from its environs and trains them in its youth academy system – tipped as the world’s finest. This innovative approach, and the club’s pride in its regional identity, has paid off: along with Real Madrid and Barcelona, Athletic is the only club never to have been relegated from the Spanish premier league since its inception in 1929.