The French Basque Country: a rugby heartland with world-class footballers

The area has never produced a successful football club, but it has given France some of its most successful playersThe Basque Country of Spain is an oft-celebrated component of world football, from Athletic Bilbao and their insistence upon only fielding players from the Basque Country to the sporadic rises of Real Sociedad. Both clubs have won the La Liga title and they were also original members of the inaugural La Liga campaign in 1929, when they were joined by fellow Basque rivals Arenas Club de Getxo and Real Unión as part of a four-strong Basque contingency in what was just a 10-te…