Nestled between a line of white apartment blocks and a synthetic pitch perched on the rolling hills of Berio in San Sebastián, the grounds that Antiguoko now calls home hide a narrow strip of earth where three future football icons—Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola—first learned the game. Roberto Montiél, the club's long‑time coach and vice‑president, still recalls the old surface with vivid detail.
"The centre circle was just over there," he says, settling on a bench that now forms part of a public park. He rubs his thumb and forefinger together, remembering the gritty texture of the former field. "It wasn't like the modern turf up there.
It was smaller, made of tiny stones, almost like gravel. The balls were heavier when they got wet, you would slip, slide and end up with nasty scrapes if you fell." Stories of the matches played on that humble ground have become local legend, especially because two of those former pupils now meet as managers when Arsenal host Chelsea on Sky Sports.
Montiél smiles, "Even then you could see their vision for the game. On that gravel pitch, trying to pass a wet ball through puddles, everything got muddy. Yet watching those teams from the 1981 and 1982 generations was something special." Arteta and Iraola belonged to the later age group, while Alonso was part of the earlier cohort.
Former teammate Álvaro Parra, a close friend of Arteta, describes the side as "a national team of the best local players, an unbeatable Basque Dream Team." He recalls thrashing Real Sociedad 5-0, beating Athletic Club as well, and never losing a league title. The club still produces talent. In their modest offices a mile away, near Ondarreta beach, Montiél jokes that they need more wall space for the ever‑growing collection of signed shirts from more than forty top‑division graduates. The jerseys of Arteta, Alonso and Iraola occupy places of honour.
It still amazes everyone that three boys born within fifteen miles of each other in Gipuzkoa—a province smaller than many cities—have risen to manage Premier League sides. "If I really think about it, it's absolutely crazy that our three friends are now in charge of top English clubs," Parra says, often turning on the TV and exclaiming, "Oh, it's Mikel! Oh, it's Xabi! What on earth happened?" Yanguas, another former teammate, remembers Arteta as a small but technically gifted striker who always thought a step ahead.
"He played just behind me and was constantly looking for his next pass. I just had to run," Yanguas recalls, noting that Arteta later joined Barcelona's La Masia, where his presence made his peers look better.
Parra, a former centre‑back, echoes the sentiment: "All I had to do was pass to Mikel, Mikel to me, goal." Montiél has a trove of anecdotes from that gravel pitch, many highlighting Arteta's early football intelligence. One favourite tale: during a drop‑ball situation, the referee let the ball bounce, and Artetta flicked it with the outside of his boot, sending a long pass to a teammate who scored against Real Sociedad. Montiél adds that Arteta, even when playing a year above his age group with Alonso, possessed a fierce competitive look.
"He was a predator on the pitch, even against older players." That competitive fire has become a hallmark of Arteta's managerial style. Montiél even remembers Arteta sliding down a hallway in Liverpool, mimicking Jurgen Klinsmann, after beating him at PlayStation during a visit while Arteta was at Everton. "Whatever game you played with him, you always lost," Parra laughs. "If you beat him at anything, he would get angry and go home.
He was relentless." 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 photos survive, the memory remains vivid. Parra also notes Arteta's discipline and organisational skills, traits instilled by his parents and evident in his studies. When Arteta moved to Barcelona at fifteen, his adaptability set him apart.
Yanguas says, "Mikel quickly learned the language and culture at La Masia, and later in France, Scotland and England he always adapted effortlessly." Arteta himself credits Antiguoko for igniting his belief. "Roberto used to tell me every day, 'You will 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 life." Today, Antiguoko's new pitch sits higher up the slope, where an under‑16 side trains under the midday sun. Montiél points out a slight midfielder with exceptional technique, noting that the player turned down an offer from Real Sociedad to stay with the club—a source of pride for the coaches. Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao regularly scout Antiguoko, signing players at younger ages, but the club's holistic education keeps many youngsters loyal. The current session is overseen by Iñigo Iraola, cousin of Andoni, who grew up in the club's youth ranks and returned as a coach while earning his badges.
He recalls watching his older cousin debut for Athletic as an under‑18 and seeing him as a role model. "He took me to buy my first pair of Adidas boots on my birthday in San Sebastián. It was special." Parra contrasts the personalities of the three stars.
"Mikel was the captain, always taking responsibility. Andoni was quieter, but incredibly talented, friendly and popular." Montiél adds that Iraola, when playing wide, could beat two or three defenders before delivering a decisive pass.
Though more reserved, his competitive streak matched Arteta's. When Athletic's manager Ernesto Valverde shifted Iraola from right wing to full‑back, he initially resisted, asking why he was being put in defence. Valverde saw his potential as an attacking full‑back, a role Iraola eventually mastered, making over 500 appearances for Athletic before moving into management. Ignacio Azpilicueta, who played as a centre‑back behind Alonso at Antiguoko, offers a unique perspective.
He watched Alonso develop his passing range from a position directly in front of him, noting the midfielder's growing physical power and ball‑striking ability. Azpilicueta recalls that Alonso was not the biggest or fastest player, but his intelligence and humility stood out. "He was a normal kid with a good sense of humour, always making smart decisions on and off the pitch. That has been a big part of his success." How does such a small club consistently produce elite talent?
Some attribute it to meticulous scouting—"Oscar Landa, our sporting director, has a 95% success rate," Montiél says—while others point to the enduring culture fostered by long‑serving staff. The common thread, according to Montiél, is the unchanging DNA of Antiguoko: competitive instinct, intensity and sporting discipline. Those very words echo in Arteta's own managerial philosophy. Iñigo Iraola adds, "We instil values of sacrifice, discipline, hard work, teamwork and competitiveness.
That's what makes us special, and it's reflected in the Basque character—dedicated, committed, always working hard." The club's general director, Gorka Azpeita, emphasises that the graduates' achievements should be measured not only in trophies but also in the kind of people they become. "Beyond footballing talent, it's their values, their character, that have enabled them to reach where they are today." As the upcoming Arsenal‑Chelsea clash approaches, the question remains: which side will the Antiguoko faithful support when Arteta and Alonso meet 600 miles away in north London?
"It's like choosing between mum and dad," Azpeita jokes, adding that a draw would be the perfect outcome.