OTD E0035 — 05 Dec 1976: The Derby of the Ikurriña — When a Flag Walked Back into Spanish Football

05 Dec 1976: at Atotxa in San Sebastián, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club players walk out side by side carrying a huge, still-illegal Basque flag – the ikurriña – before a Basque derby in Spain’s fragile Transition. We tell the story of how the flag was smuggled in, why captains Kortabarria and Iribar took the risk, how authorities reacted, and what it meant for Basque football identity. Then we zoom out to Catalonia and other places where regional flags, national tensions and football have collided.Tips/corrections: [email protected]