The final act of the Copa del Rey, won by Real Sociedad against Atlético Madrid on penalties, bore the signature of Unai Marrero and Pablo Marín: the former saved two of the Colchoneros’ attempts during the shootout, while the latter stepped up to score the decisive penalty. Both Marrero and Marín were nurtured at Zubieta, the Basque club’s renowned youth academy. Furthermore, Ander Barrenetxea and Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored Real’s two goals during regulation time, also rose through the ranks of the San Sebastián youth system. It is fitting, then, that Marca published an article with an unequivocal title: “Otro título más con Zubieta de protagonista” (Yet another title with Zubieta as the protagonist).
In reality, the decisive impact of these homegrown players is simply the result of the extraordinary work being done in San Sebastián regarding their youth sector. This long-term project has effectively led Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side to its fourth Copa del Rey title. There is no other way to describe a team that fielded a staggering 13 academy graduates across the eight matches played in the tournament.
In addition to the aforementioned Marrero, Marín, Barrenetxea, and Oyarzabal, several others played a part in the final: Jon Aramburu and Jon Martín started the match, while Jon Gorrotxategi and Aritz Elustondo came on as substitutes. Throughout the rest of the competition, Jon Karrikaburu, Beñat Turrientes, Aihen Muñoz, Álvaro Odriozola, and Igor Zubeldia also saw significant playing time.
For Barrenetxea and Oyarzabal, this marks their second trophy with their boyhood club, following their Copa del Rey triumph in 2021. The fact that they were the only two present from the squad five years ago is a further testament to the work at Zubieta and how Real Sociedad continues to produce talent on a continuous cycle.
Beyond those currently in Matarazzo’s squad, there are numerous elite players competing for other top clubs after developing in San Sebastián: consider Martín Zubimendi, now a pillar of Arteta’s Arsenal, or stars like Antoine Griezmann and Iñigo Martínez. Ultimately, Real Sociedad’s academy stands as one of the most prolific in Spain and across all of European football. Now, with a fourth Copa del Rey in the trophy cabinet, that fact is indisputable.