Nestled between a row of stark white apartments and a synthetic pitch perched on the rolling hills of Berio in San Sebastián, Antiguoko’s modest grounds have become a cradle for some of football’s most intriguing minds. It was on a narrow strip of earth, now a public park, where future stars Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola first learned to control a ball and read a game. Roberto Montiel, the club’s long‑time coach and vice‑president, still recalls the feel of that old surface. "The centre circle was just over there," he says, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together as if to summon the memory of the gritty ground.
"The pitch wasn’t like the new one up there. It was smaller and covered with tiny stones, almost like gravel.
The balls were heavier when they got wet – you’d slip, slide and end up with a nasty scrape if you fell." Matches played on that humble field have become the stuff of local legend, especially when two of its alumni now sit opposite each other as managers – Arteta with Arsenal and Alonso with Chelsea – on a Sky Sports broadcast. Montiel smiles at the thought: "Even then you could see their vision for the game. Trying to pass a wet ball on a gravel pitch, with puddles everywhere, was something special to watch. The squads from the ’81 and ’82 generations were incredible." Arteta and Iraola belonged to the later age group, while Alonso was part of the earlier one.
Their teammate Álvaro Parra, a close friend of Arteta, remembers the dominance of those teams. "It felt like a national side made up of the best local talent – we were unbeatable.
We would crush Real Sociedad 5‑0, beat Athletic Club, and win every league. The squad earned the nickname ‘the Basque Dream Team’." Antiguoko still produces talent. In their modest offices a mile away, near Ondarreta beach, Montiel jokes that they need more wall space to hang the ever‑growing collection of signed shirts from former graduates – now more than forty names, with Arteta, Alonso and Iraola occupying the place of honour. The fact that three boys born within fifteen miles of each other in Gipuzkoa, the smallest Spanish province, have risen to manage Premier League giants still astonishes their old teammates.
"If I really think about it, it’s absolutely crazy that our three friends are now in charge of top English clubs," says Parra, often catching himself shouting, "Oh, it’s Mikel! Oh, it’s Xabi!
What on earth happened?" Mikel Yanguas, another former teammate, adds his own amazement. Arteta stood out even as a youngster. Yanguas, who played as a striker alongside him, remembers: "He was small but incredibly technical and clever. He always seemed to be one step ahead, constantly thinking about his next pass.
I just had to run." Both Yanguas and Parra later joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy with Arteta. Yanguas jokes that his friend made him look better than he was, while Parra recalls the simplicity of their early exchanges: "I just had to pass to Mikel, Mikel to me, goal." Montiel has a trove of anecdotes from that gravel pitch, many highlighting Arteta’s early football intelligence. One story he loves to retell involves a drop‑ball situation against Real Sociedad.
"The referee blew for a drop ball, and as soon as it bounced, Artetta flicked it with the outside of his boot and launched a long pass to a teammate in space, who scored. That was Arteta – always alert." Even when he was a year older than Alonso, Arteta displayed a fierce competitive edge. "He had a real, hungry look in his eyes," Montiel notes.
"He listened to everything you said, then on the pitch he became a predator, even against older players." That competitive fire has become a hallmark of Arteta’s managerial style. Montiel even recalls a childhood memory of Arteta sliding down his Liverpool hallway, mimicking Jürgen Klinsmann, after beating him at PlayStation during a visit while Arteta was at Everton.
"Whatever game you played with him, you always lost. He was extremely competitive – if you beat him at anything, he’d get angry and go home," Parra adds with a laugh. Their friendship endured beyond the pitch.
After Arteta’s debut season with Paris Saint‑Germain, he called Parra: "Pack your suitcase, we’re going to Marbella." Though no photographs of that trip exist, the memory remains vivid for those who shared it. Arteta’s disciplined nature extended to his studies. "His parents instilled that in him," Parra says.
This discipline helped the 15‑year‑old when he moved to Barcelona. Yanguas, who also showed promise on the beaches of La Concha, never settled at La Masia and returned home after a year.
"Mikel adapted faster," he explains. "He learned the language, integrated with the other kids, and that adaptability followed him to France, Scotland and England." Reflecting on his roots, Arteta has often thanked Antiguoko. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, "Roberto used to tell me every day, ‘You’ll be a professional footballer, one of the best in the country.’ He believed in me more than anyone else.
You need someone like that in your life." Today, the club’s old pitch has been replaced by a modern facility higher up the slope, where an under‑16 side trains under the midday sun. Montiel points out a slight midfielder with exceptional technique, noting, "He had an offer from Real Sociedad but chose to stay with us – that makes me proud." Real Sociedad and Athletic Club now scout Antiguoko players at ever‑younger ages, yet many youngsters remain because of the club’s holistic education. The current session is overseen by Iñigo Iraola, a cousin of former player Andoni Iraola, who himself returned to Antiguoko as a coach while earning his coaching badges.
Iñigo, a product of the same youth system, says, "The first game I ever watched was here in Berio when Andoni returned with Athletic as an U‑18. From that moment he became my role model." He recalls buying his first pair of Adidas boots with Andoni on his birthday in San Sebastián, a moment he describes as “special”. While Andoni’s playing style was more reserved compared to Arteta’s flamboyance, his talent was undeniable.
Parra remembers: "Mikel was the captain, responsible and vocal. Andoni was quieter but incredibly gifted, always polite and a great teammate." Montiel adds his perspective on Andoni’s wing play: "When he reached the byline, he would beat two or three defenders, deliver a perfect pass and we’d score. He could work wonders with the ball." Andoni’s competitive spirit matched Arteta’s, though expressed more subtly.
When Valverde moved him from right wing to full‑back at Athletic, Andoni initially rebelled. "He shouted, ‘Why am I being put in defence?’" Parra recounts, "but Valverde saw his qualities – the ability to take on players and surge forward – and he became an outstanding full‑back." Later, Andoni captained Athletic, amassing 510 appearances before transitioning into management. His cousin praises his leadership style: "He doesn’t raise his voice; he leads by example, quietly but powerfully." Ignacio Azpilicueta, who played as a centre‑back directly behind Alonso at Antiguoko, offers a unique viewpoint.
"I had a front‑row seat to Xabi’s developing passing range. He was the midfield pivot in front of me, and I saw his evolution into a powerful, accurate passer." Azpilicueta describes Alonso’s early attributes: “He won the ball back a lot, used both feet, and his passes were consistently good.” Friends at school‑yard tournaments on La Concha beach noted his passion. Yet, at the time, few predicted the superstar career that lay ahead. "He wasn’t the biggest or quickest, but his intelligence shone.
It was during his U‑17 year that his physical growth caught up, and his talent exploded," Azpilicueta explains. Parra agrees, recalling that even then one could sense Alonso would become a top‑flight player, if not a Champions League winner. Azpilicueta adds that humility and intelligence, traits shared by Arteta and Iraola, were also evident in Alonso, helping his long‑term success.
So how does this tiny Basque club keep producing elite talent? Besides the famous graduates Arteta, Alonso and Iraola, recent products include Arsenal midfielder Martín Zubimendi – a second World Cup winner from the club after Alonso – and Rayo Vallecano manager Iñigo Pérez. Some attribute the success to scouting; sporting director Óscar Landa boasts a 95 percent success rate.
Others point to the continuity and dedication of the staff. Montiel sums it up: "We’ve never changed Antiguoko’s DNA. Competitive instinct, intensity and sporting discipline are non‑negotiable." That mantra mirrors Arteta’s own managerial philosophy. Iñigo Iraola adds, "We instil sacrifice, discipline, hard work, teamwork and competitiveness.
It reflects what Basque players are – dedicated, hardworking, and committed every day." The club’s general director, Gorka Azpeita, emphasizes that the graduates’ achievements are as much about character as skill. "Beyond their footballing talent, we should highlight the values they embody and the people they are – that’s what enabled them to reach where they are today." The final question remains: which side will the Antiguoko faithful cheer when Arteta’s Arsenal meets Alonso’s Chelsea in north London?
Azpeita jokes, "It’s like choosing between Mum and Dad – a draw would be perfect." Watch Arsenal vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 4 pm on Sunday; kick‑off at 4.30 pm. The documentary ‘The Club That Conquered the Premier League’ is also available on YouTube ahead of the match.