Nestled between a row of white apartment blocks and a synthetic pitch perched on the rolling hills of Berio in San Sebastián, Antiguoko’s original home was a modest strip of land where future stars Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola first learned the fundamentals of the beautiful game. Roberto Montiell, the club’s long‑time coach and vice‑president, still remembers the old field with vivid detail. "The centre circle was just over there," he says, settling on a bench that now overlooks a public park.

He rubs his thumb and forefinger together as if to feel the texture of the worn‑out surface he once coached on. "The pitch wasn’t like the modern one up the hill. It was smaller, made of tiny stones, almost like gravel.

The balls were heavier when they got wet, and a slip could leave you with a nasty scrape," Montiell recalls. Despite the rough conditions, the youngsters who trained there turned the humble ground into a crucible of talent.

Their games have become the stuff of local legend, especially now that two of those alumni – Arteta and Alonso – will face each other as managers when Arsenal meet Chelsea on Sky Sports this Sunday. "Even then you could see their vision for the game," Montiell adds, smiling at the memory of rain‑soaked matches on the gritty surface. "Trying to pass a ball on a gravel field with puddles everywhere, everything getting dirty – it was something special to watch. The squads of the ’81 and ’82 generations were extraordinary." Arteta and Iraola belonged to the later age group, while Alonso came through a year earlier.

Former teammate and close friend of Arteta, Álvaro Parra, describes the side as a "national team of the best players in the area" that seemed unbeatable. "We would beat Real Sociedad 5‑0, Athletic Club as well – we won every league.

People started calling us the Basque Dream Team," he says. The club’s reputation for producing top‑level talent continues. In a modest office a mile away near Ondarreta beach, Montiell jokes that the wall of signed shirts from former pupils is getting too crowded – more than forty names now hang there, with Arteta, Alonso and Iraola occupying places of honour.

It still amazes everyone that three boys, born within fifteen miles of each other in Gipuzkoa – Spain’s smallest province – have risen to manage Premier League giants. "If I really think about it, it’s absolutely crazy that our three friends are now in charge of Premier League clubs," Parra says, laughing. "Sometimes I turn on the TV and think, ‘Oh, it’s Mikel!

Oh, it’s Xabi! What on earth happened?’" Mikel Yanguas, another former teammate, agrees.

"Arteta was the pick of us growing up. He was small but incredibly technical and always thinking one step ahead. I played as a striker and he was the creative spark behind me." Yanguas, who later followed Arteta to Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, jokes that his own talent seemed to shine brighter when playing alongside Arteta. Parra, a former centre‑back, remembers the simple pleasure of feeding the ball to Arteta: "Mikel to Yanguas – goal." Montiell is full of anecdotes that illustrate Arteta’s early football intelligence.

One of his favourite stories involves a drop‑ball situation against Real Sociedad. "The referee blew for a drop ball, and as soon as it hit the ground Arteta flicked it with the outside of his boot and launched a long pass to a teammate who was one‑on‑one with the keeper. He scored.

That was pure instinct." Even when Arteta played a year above his age group with Alonso, Montiell sensed a competitive edge. "He had a fierce look, he listened to everything you said, and on the pitch he was a predator. Against players a year older he was already dominating; imagine what he could do against his own age group." That competitive fire has become a hallmark of Arteta’s managerial style. Montiell even recalls a childhood memory of Artetta sliding down a hallway in Liverpool, 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. If you beat him at anything, he’d get angry and go home," Parra adds, laughing. 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 Parra has no photos of that trip, the memory remains vivid. He also notes Arteta’s disciplined nature, cultivated by his parents, which helped him adapt quickly when he moved to Barcelona at just fifteen. Yanguas, who also showed promise on the beaches of La Concha, returned home after a year because he struggled to settle, whereas Arteta thrived. "Mikel adapted faster, learned the language at La Masia, and later did the same in France, Scotland and England.

He always found a way to fit in," Yanguas says. Arteta himself remains grateful to Antiguoko.

In a recent Sky Sports interview 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 has moved up the slope to a new pitch where an under‑16 side trains under the midday sun.

Montiell points out a slight midfielder with exceptional technique, noting that the player turned down an offer from Real Sociedad to stay with Antiguoko – a source of quiet pride for the coach. Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao continue to scout Antiguoko’s youngsters at ever‑younger ages, but many players stay because of the club’s holistic education.

The current session is overseen by Iñigo Iraola, a cousin of Andoni Iraola and a former player turned coach. Iñigo recalls watching his older cousin return to Antiguoko as an Athletic U‑18 and instantly seeing him as a role model. "Andoni took me to buy my first pair of boots – Adidas – on my birthday in San Sebastián. He was already playing for Athletic, so it was special," Iñigo says, smiling.

Parra contrasts the personalities of the three legends. "Mikel was the captain, always taking responsibility. Andoni was quieter, but possessed incredible ability and was always a friendly, polite teammate." Montiell adds that Andoni, while not as frequently touched as central players, could work wonders from the wing.

"He would beat two or three defenders on the byline, deliver a perfect pass and we’d score." Andoni’s competitive streak matched Arteta’s, though he expressed frustration when Athletic’s manager Ernesto Valverde moved him from right wing to full‑back. "He was angry at first, asking why he was being put in defence, but Valverde saw his potential as a modern full‑back – someone who could attack and defend." Andoni later captained Athletic, amassing over 500 appearances before moving into management.

His cousin praises his understated leadership: "He doesn’t raise his voice, but his example influences the whole squad." Ignacio Azpilicueta, who played as a centre‑back behind Alonso at Antiguoko, offers a unique perspective. He watched Xabi develop his passing range from a front‑row seat.

"He played as the pivot right in front of me, and I saw his best passes as he grew physically and technically." Azpilicueta remembers Alonso as a diligent, two‑footed player with an innate sense of timing. Friends on La Concha beach noted his passion for the game.

Yet, as a teenager, few predicted the global stardom that awaited him. "He wasn’t the biggest or fastest, but his intelligence shone through.

It wasn’t until his U‑17 year, when his body caught up, that he truly took off," Azpilicueta explains. Parra adds that even then you could see Alonso destined for top‑flight football, perhaps not a Champions League winner yet, but certainly a high‑level professional. Azpilicueta also points out that humility and intelligence, traits shared with Arteta and Iraola, were key to his success.

"He was a normal kid, funny, a good friend, but always made smart decisions on and off the pitch." So how does a tiny club like Antiguoko consistently produce world‑class talent? Besides the recent graduates such as Arsenal midfielder Martín Zubimendi and Rayo Vallecano manager Iñigo Pérez, the secret lies in a combination of meticulous scouting – "Oscar Landa, our sporting director, has a 95 % success rate," Montiell boasts – and a stable, committed staff that preserves the club’s DNA. "We never change the DNA of Antiguoko," Montiell declares. "Competitive instinct, intensity and sporting discipline are non‑negotiable." That mantra echoes in Arteta’s own managerial philosophy, where he frequently speaks of “competitive instinct.” Iñigo Iraola adds, "We instil sacrifice, discipline, hard work, teamwork and competitiveness.

That’s what makes Basque players dedicated and committed every day." The club’s general director, Gorka Azpeita, emphasizes that the graduates’ success is not only about footballing ability but also about character. "Beyond talent, we highlight the values they embody, the people they are, and how those qualities have propelled them forward." As the weekend approaches, the final question remains: which side will the Antiguoko faithful support 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." The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League, with a preview documentary titled "The Club That Conquered the Premier League" available on YouTube ahead of the game. Fans can also enter the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £1 million, free of charge.