There was a time, not so long ago, when Athletic Club ruled Spanish women’s football with an iron fist. Their five league titles bear witness to a golden era in which San Mamés filled up to watch the lionesses take on all comers. However, the financial rise of FC Barcelona and the arrival of clubs backed by men’s structures, such as Real Madrid and Atlético, pushed the Bilbao side into mid-table. The challenge of competing under a philosophy restricted to homegrown players seemed an insurmountable anachronism.
This season has restored Athletic to a competitive position in the middle of the table. Without making million-euro signings and remaining faithful to their principles, the team have once again stood up to clubs with far greater budgets.
Javi Lerga’s tactics board and tactical order
The great architect of this sporting metamorphosis has been the coach Javi Lerga, who arrived at Lezama in the summer of 2025 after winning the European title with Spain’s Under-19s. The coach has assembled an exceptionally solid defensive block, built on collective solidarity and a low-to-mid block press that is difficult to break down. Athletic are no longer a team that suffers in defensive transitions; they are a compact block that concedes very little space between the lines and exploits pace after winning the ball back.
The experience of key players at the heart of the back line has brought the necessary calm to a squad notable for its extreme youth. The lionesses compete with a maturity that belies their average age.
The inexhaustible seam of Lezama
The true engine of this rebirth is found on the pitches of Lezama. Unable to turn to the international transfer market, Athletic have promoted a crop of academy footballers who have burst into Liga F with irresistible personality. Young talents schooled in the red-and-white methodology have taken on starting roles in midfield and on the wings.
The communion between the stands and the team has been rekindled thanks to the deep roots of these footballers, who feel the shirt in a special way. Athletic Club have shown that, with patience in the development process and a clear tactical idea, Lezama remains a model of success and resistance in modern professional football.