Jagoba Arrasate has named a 22-man Euskal Selekzioa squad for the friendly against Venezuela, and the selection comes with a clear message attached. Real Sociedad provide five players, the most of any club, while Athletic Club contribute four. Arrasate said the match is "a match to keep projecting to the world an open, democratic and proud Basque Country".
Real Sociedad and Athletic Club lead the list
The club spread is the headline inside the squad itself. Real Sociedad's five players make them the biggest source of call-ups, and Athletic Club's four show how heavily the group leans on the two Basque sides at the top of the selection. Real Sociedad's position in La Liga helps explain the backdrop, with the club sitting fifth and on 19 points. Athletic Club are seventh with 15 points.
Arrasate's message around the friendly
Arrasate's line gives the fixture its real point of interest. The coach is using the Venezuela match to project an image of Basque identity, not just to fill out a squad sheet. Labaka, his assistant, said there are "players who want to come and are forced to play with other national teams", which is the other side of the same issue, even if no one is pretending all eligible players are available.
This is only Arrasate's third game in charge of Euskal Selekzioa. His first ended 1-1 against Uruguay at San Mamés on 23 March 2024, and his second came against Palestine at the same ground on 15 November 2025. The next step is the Venezuela friendly, and the squad list already tells you where the core of the side comes from.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
