Oihan Sancet's first Euskadi call-up has become more than a ceremonial nod. The Athletic Club midfielder, 26, from Pamplona in Navarra, said he wants the Basque side to gain official status and one day play a World Cup as the team of his country. Euskadi face Venezuela this Saturday in a friendly, and the Basque Football Federation has already turned to the Higher Sports Council and article 48.2 of Law 39/2022 on Sport.

Sancet's stance on Euskadi

Speaking to Estadio Deportivo, Sancet tied the call-up to childhood loyalty rather than symbolism. "Well, then, a pride, right? In the end it is what is given from childhood, right? With the team that you love and, well, hopefully one day it can be official and we can see ourselves in a World Cup against the biggest teams. I think it is the main objective that we have to achieve among everyone, little by little. We know that it is difficult, but well, with each one putting in their grain of sand, I think it can arrive one day," he said in translated comments.

He made the same point elsewhere, saying: "It is a pride and to dream of one day playing against the best. Hopefully one day we can compete for a World Cup with the national team of our country." That is the heart of the story. Sancet is not just backing a regional side, he is describing Euskadi as the national team he wants to represent on the biggest stage.

The football part of it is ordinary enough. Sancet has already logged 544 minutes for Athletic this season, with eight appearances and one goal. His 6.63 average rating points to steady form rather than a hot streak, so the public message is not coming from a player riding a headline-grabbing run.

The Spain context

The reaction lands harder because Sancet has already made his debut for Spain in 2023 and has appeared in official matches. That makes his embrace of Euskadi a sharper shift in tone than a routine regional-team comment, even if the sources do not present it as a break with everything he said before.

At the same time, the legal and sporting route is still long. The Basque Country national team remains outside FIFA and UEFA structures, and the federation's move towards the Higher Sports Council under article 48.2 shows that the push is still about process, not a finished outcome. Jagoba Arrasate framed it the same way, saying, "We have launched a path that is important for us. It shows that the Basque Federation is not satisfied with what we have, that we want more. Society too"

Athletic's own league numbers give the story a grounded backdrop. They are seventh in La Liga with 16 points from 11 matches, and Sancet's comments come while he remains an active part of the side rather than a distant observer. He is due back in the spotlight again when Euskadi meet Venezuela on Saturday.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →