Unai Simón, Athletic Club's goalkeeper, has expressed his deep connection to the Basque club ahead of their Champions League clash with Arsenal, stating that winning a trophy with Athletic would mean more to him than multiple titles elsewhere. The 27-year-old Spain international, who has been with Athletic since the age of 10, made his debut in 2018 after a sudden turn of events saw him recalled from a loan spell at Elche.
Simón recalled the whirlwind that led to his first-team opportunity: 'What I thought might happen in five, six, seven years happened in 19 days.' Chelsea's signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga, an injury to Iago Herrerín, and a contract dispute with Álex Remiro prompted Athletic to bring him back before he had even played a competitive game for Elche. His debut came on 20 August 2018 against Leganés at a packed San Mamés, which he described as feeling like 'the Champions League final'.
Now, seven years on, Simón is Athletic's and Spain's first-choice goalkeeper, preparing for the club's first Champions League campaign since 2014. He emphasised the uniqueness of Athletic's model, which draws players exclusively from the Basque region. 'In Bilbao, football starts with people who work in the forges putting together a team from the area,' he said. 'We've known each other all our lives, which means that in those bad moments we're special.'
Simón, who was part of Spain's Euro 2024-winning squad, acknowledged the challenges of competing at the highest level with Athletic but insisted that the emotional rewards outweigh any potential for more titles elsewhere. 'Of course I'd love to be the best goalkeeper in the world, of course I'd like to win the Champions League,' he said. 'But qualifying for it with Athletic, winning a cup with Athletic, fulfils me more than 10 titles anywhere else.'
He also highlighted the pride in representing a club that remains true to its roots, even as football becomes increasingly commercialised. 'We're probably not the best team in terms of quality, but in those bad moments we're special. That's who we are,' Simón added, looking ahead to facing Arsenal at San Mamés.
