When it comes to the World Cup, it can be hard to identify the Basque athletes because team allegiances are defined by country. To help you out, Euskal Kazeta has done the research and identified athletes of Basque heritage playing in the world’s premier international soccer tournament.

Basque soccer players are famous for their tough skills, high energy, and team play. Many play for the Basque region’s top local pro team, Athletic Club Bilbao. Several players mentioned below were part of the Spanish team when they won the EUFA Euro 2024 Championship.

Here’s a breakdown on Basques in the World Cup:

FRANCE
French Coach Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps represents only the third coach ever to have won a World Cup as a player and as a coach. He led France to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 World Cup final, and the team is again a favorite in this year’s tournament.

Deschamps is from the city of Baiona in the French Basque Country. After a short stint in rugby, with Biarritz Olympique, he showed his soccer skills and was quickly recruited into the soccer world in 1983.

He was captain of the French national team when France won its first World Cup in 1998. Deschamps took over as coach of the national team in 2012. In 2018, France won the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League while also reaching the 2016 European Championship, 2022 World Cup final, and the 2024 European Championship semifinals.

Deschamps has announced he will retire after this World Cup.

GHANA
Iñaki Williams
Iñaki Williams, 32, was born in the Basque Country to parents from Ghana who made the grueling crossing of the Sahara Desert on foot. He was born in Bilbao, but grew up in Iruñea-Pamplona.

He has played for Athletic Bilbao his entire career. Williams originally played for the Spanish national team in a friendly match in 2016. However, in 2022, he made the official switch to represent the Ghana national football team. He made his debut for the “Black Stars” at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The story of Iñaki Williams and his younger brother Nico is one of the most famous sibling rivalries in international soccer. Iñaki chose to play for Ghana, while his younger brother Nico represents Spain. Both players play for Athletic Bilbao, where Iñaki is a captain. See the video.

SPAIN

Spain is among the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup. The team won the World Cup in 2010 and most recently won the EUFA Euro Cup in 2024. The Basque players are all key members of Spain’s team. They are currently headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee for their games in Atlanta.

Aymeric LaPorte
This is Aymeric LaPorte’s second World Cup. LaPorte, 32, was born in Agen, France, which is not part of the Basque Country. However, his great grandparents were Basque and early on, he requested permission to play for Athletic Bilbao, which only allows players of Basque heritage or who are born in the Basque Country.

LaPorte began his career with Athletic in 2010, moved to Manchester City for five years in 2018, then played for the Saudi club Al Nassr for two years. He returned to Athletic in September 2025 where he plays center back. He received Spanish citizenship in 2021 and has played for the Spanish national team for the 2022 World Cup and the Euro 2024, which Spain won.

Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino, 29, currently plays midfield for Arsenal, alongside Mikel Zubimendi. Earlier this year, Merino underwent surgery on a right foot injury sustained in January. He suffered a stress fracture on his foot during Arsenal’s 3-2 league loss against Manchester United on Jan. 25. He appears to be fully mended and was on the field for Spain for its first World Cup game on June 15.

Merino is from Iruñea-Pamplona. He started his soccer career playing on Iruñea’s team Osasuna. Since then, he has moved to Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United, Real Sociedad (Donostia) and now Arsenal.

Merino’s father, Ángel Miguel, was also a footballer. His career was mostly associated with Osasuna, as both a player and manager. Merino kicked a goal for a win in the 2024 Euro semi-finals in Stuttgart, Germany that mirrored a win his father enjoyed in the very same stadium 33 years earlier. Mikel Merino imitated his father’s 1991 celebration by rounding the corner flag.

Mikel Oyarzabal
Oyarzabal, 29, is the captain of Real Sociedad, Donosti’s soccer team. Unlike their rivals Athletic Club Bilbao, Sociedad doesn’t enforce a ‘Basque only’ rule with regards to who is allowed to play for the club, having let that go in 1989.

Oyarzabal is from the town of Eibar, Gipuzkoa and is committed to his local team, Real Sociedad, where he has spent his entire career so far, apart from a loan to Eibar at youth level.

Unai Simón
Unai Simon is the top goalkeeper for the Spanish national team. Simon is from the capitol of Euskadi, Vitoria-Gasteiz. He has spent his entire club career with Athletic Bilbao.

Simon was starter goalkeeper for the Spanish national team in the 2022 World Cup and the Euro 2024, which Spain won.

He grew up in the town of Murgia, outside of Gasteiz-Vitoria in Alaba. He started in Athletic Bilbao’s youth team. He has worked his way up from the third division to being starting goalie for Athletic’s first division. He was starting goalkeeper for Spain in the UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and continues in that role in the Euro 2024.

Dani Vivian
Daniel Vivian, 26, is considered a tough defender for Athletic Club Bilbao. Vivian, was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz in the province of Alaba.

He has been with Athletic Bilbao his whole career, starting with their youth teams. He began playing for the national team in 2024. He plays center-back. Several clubs have their eye on this standout defender.

Nico Williams
Nico Williams, 23, is the son of Ghana immigrants who grew up in Iruñea-Pamplona. He played for youth clubs in Iruñea until he joined Athletic Bilbao in 2013.

Williams is a fast winger who plays for Athletic Club Bilbao and the Spanish national team. He was a key player in the EUFA Euro 2024, kicking the opening goal against England in the final game.
Williams suffered a hamstring injury last month while playing for Athletic Bilbao against Valencia in La Liga that almost ruled him out for the World Cup. Spain is being cautious and slowly building up his playing time. In addition, he’s been dealing with an abdominal issue for several months.

Martin Zubimendi
A smart midfielder who plays for Arsenal, Martin Zubimendi, 27, will be traveling to his first World Cup as part of Spain’s 26-man roster. He will play a key role in the midfield alongside teammates like Rodri to help control possession for La Roja.
Born in Donosti, Martin Zubimendi played with Real Sociedad since the age of 12. He joined Arsenal last year.

URUGUAY
Giorgian de Arascaeta

At least one member of the Uruguayan team is Basque. Giorgian de Arascaeta, 32, who plays for the Brazilian team Flamengo, has played for Uruguay’s national team since 2014. The attacking midfielder has a nickname of “Arrascaneta” for his “caneta” or nutmeg ability to kick the ball through an opponent’s legs. He is of Basque and Italian descent. Several Uruguayan players in the history of the World Cup have been of Basque blood.
Arascaeta is currently recovering from a muscle injury.

If you know of any Basque players that we missed, feel free to add them in the comments below. And see comments that have already been added.