BILBAO: For M-League teams who can't afford foreign footballers, they should look at Spanish club Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic are known for their unique Basque players-only policy in their illustrious 125-year history.
In an era where top football clubs readily shell out hundreds of millions of euros for foreign talent, Athletic stand out with their commitment to fielding a team consisting solely of Basque players.
Operating within the confines of the Basque country, covering an area of 20,947 square kilometres with a population of approximately 2.5 million, Athletic face challenges akin to some national teams.
However, against all odds, they consistently deliver remarkable results.
While Athletic may not enjoy the same global adoration as Real Madrid or Barcelona, they hold a significant place in Spanish football history.
As one of the three founding members of Spain's Primera Division in 1929, the club has never been relegated from the top flight, a feat shared only by the giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
With eight La Liga titles, two Spanish Super Cups, and an impressive 24 Copa Del Rey crowns, Athletic have established themselves as a football powerhouse.
The club's rich history also includes the development of exceptional players such as Kepa Arrizabalaga, Aymeric Laporte, Nico Williams, Fernando Llorente, and Javi Martínez.
Nerea Ortiz, Vice President of Athletic, asserts that their Basque-only policy is not a limitation but a strength.
She went as far as saying that they would even reject a transfer offer for the world's best strikers like Erling Haaland.
"We have our philosophy and identity, and we are very proud of it. All our players are from the region," Ortiz told Timesport.
"We have produced top players like Unai Simon and the William brothers, Nico and Inaki. It shows that our development is good and we don't need to sign top foreign players."
Athletic's ability to produce good players stems from their exceptional systems and facilities.
Developing top talents seems to be Athletic's key strength, and they have one of the best systems and facilities in the world.
Their famed academy is in the town of Lezama, about 15 kilometres from Bilbao. These facilities form the bedrock of the Athletic club and its philosophy which have produced 85 per cent of their senior squad.
Lezama houses Athletic's first team and Athletic women's first team, as well as 17 youth teams.
These include Bilbao Athletic (Segunda Division B), Basconia (Tercera Division), the women's reserve side and every age group down to the Under-11s.
Distributed over a 13-hectare complex, Lezama has four standard-sized grass pitches including a small stadium with a capacity of 3,200, four artificial turf pitches, an indoor artificial pitch, gyms and a medical centre.
There is also a "goalkeepers' cage" and an artificial pitch made specially for coaching goalkeepers.
Athletic also have a residence which consists of 30 double rooms at Lezama for their youth footballers.
Athletic's Director of Football, Mikel Gonzalez, explained that the facilities and their youth development have been a bedrock for the club which has to rely on the Basque's 2.5 million population for players.
He said they face a similar situation as a moderately-sized country in international football. For them, aggressive scouting and systematic youth development are among the key to success.
He said Athletic have 23 scouts to cover the Basque country with partnerships with more than 160 clubs across the region in an effort to ensure the cream of the crop is brought to their Lezama academy.
"We have 20 coaches with us to share our playing philosophy and 23 scouts for the academy. I believe we have the biggest scouting department as we look for talents from Under-9 to Under-12.
"These 20 coaches will go to the partner clubs to share our style and philosophies, and in return we get talented young players joining us," said Gonzalez.
In a football landscape dominated by international stars, Athletic's commitment to their roots and emphasis on nurturing local talent not only set them apart, but also solidify their place in football history.
As they continue to thrive with their unique approach, the Lions of Bilbao are a testament to the enduring power of tradition and local pride in the beautiful game.
Perhaps it's time for Malaysian clubs to emulate Athletic's way of developing local footballers with a network of strong scouting and youth development.