Athletic lose unofficial world crown to Valencia | OneFootball

Athletic’s stint as unofficial world champions lasted just eight days, according to El Correo.

The anorakish accolade was dreamt up by English football enthusiasts. The holder changes hands whenever the champion loses, and the winner keeps it until beaten. Its lineage traces back to an FA Cup tie in 1871, Upton Park against Clapham, with Clapham first to hold it.

In the current sequence, City were beaten by Real Madrid, Mallorca then defeated Madrid, and Alavés overcame Mallorca. That made Quique Sánchez Flores’s side the holders when the title was on the line at Mendizorroza on Saturday 2 May. Athletic came from behind to win 2-4 in Vitoria and seize the crown.

It was the sixth time Athletic had held it, after reigns in 1986, when they took it from UD Las Palmas, twice in 1989, 1995 and 2000.

Valencia ended this reign at San Mamés, Sadiq deciding the match in the box as Vivián hesitated. The result yielded three points, all but confirmed survival, and stripped Ernesto Valverde’s side of the crown.

Source: El Correo