After three years without oficial competition, Athletic must rebuild his team from scratch, and in this way finished the League in a worthy third place. That season began to play in Athletic, among others, Panizo and Zarra, that later they became two myths inside the history of Athletic. These years, were of transition, and a great team was being creating.
On 1 february 1941 a governmental order banned all kind of denominations in a lenguage that wasn't the Spanish, and Athletic Club must change his name for Atlético de Bilbao. The 1942/43 season, Athletic went back to his way, and obtained again the two titles, and in the case of the title of the League, gives him the right to keep it in property, by having won five alternating times. Athletic was proclaimed winner of the Cup four times till the year 1950. A very important event in the forties, were the Golden Wedding's celebration, in 1948, where Athletic met FC Barcelona, in a historical tournament, and where Athletic won by 5 goals to 0.
In 1950 another important fact in the history of Athletic was happened: the Club headquarters were changed, and from Hurtado Amézaga, moved to Bertendona. In the summer of this year, in 1950, the World Cup of Brasil contended, and Zarra became a national hero, when he scores the goal that defeat England in Maracaná.
The fifties did not begin very good for Athletic. Titles are not obtained, and there are continuously many coach changes, till the Czech coach Fernando Daucik is signed, and a new time of continuously triumphs of a great team begins, where his forward line is made up of Iriondo, Venancio, Zarra, Panizo and Gainza, was known by every football fan. The title of Cup was won in 1955, and in 1956 the two titles are obtained again, and in 1957 Athletic made his debut, in an European tournament, since as League's champion, represented Spanish football in the European Cup. Athletic eliminated consecutivelly to Oporto and to Honved Budapest.
In third round the rival is Manchester United. In the first leg ,played under a deep snowstorm, Athletic defeat the English champion, by 5 goals to 3. In the second leg, Athletic was defeated by 3 goals to 0, and is eliminated. The 57/58 season another triumph in the Cup is obtained. This time the defeated in the final, is the Real Madrid of Alfredo Di Stefano, who is the champion of Europe. Athletic wins by 2 goals to 0, in the right stadium Santiago Bernabéu. This is the last triumph of "Piru" Gainza as football player, who is retired at next year.
The Athletic keeps on his way, he is always on Primera División, but begins to suffer the relenless pursuit of another clubs, that come to take the big stars of the team away, as it happened with Jesús Garay, who was signed by FC Barcelona for the quantity of 5 millions and a half of pesetas, this money was used to build the Northern Grandstands, that is known since then by somebody as, Grandstand Jesús Garay.
This season José Angel Iribar signed by Athletic, authentic myth of Athletic, the club where he stayed till his retirement, and who obtained two titles of Cup.
An important date for Athletic is the 28 of april of 1962, when the San Mames's artificial lighting was inaugurated. The same year, Mr. Pentland died too, person who left a deep track in the fans from Bilbao. The 64/65 season Athletic comes back to Europe, since he takes part in the Fairs' Cup, he reached semifinal, but he was defeated bay Ferencvaros. The sixties were unproductives if we talk about obtaining titles, although he reached the Cup final twice, 1966 and 1967, he is defeated by Zaragoza and Valencia respectivelly. Is in 1969 when Athletic reached a final again. This time the Elche was the rival and Athletic wins by one goal to nil, goal scored by Arrieta II. After this triumph in the cup Athletic comes back to his roots, since he signed as coach an English technician named Ronnie Allen, with this coach Athleticis about to be champion, although he can only be runner-up, when Atlético de Madrid surpass him in the last day of the League. The relation of the English coach with the press is not the better, and he left Athletic in the middle 69/70 season.
After two seasons without obtainig any triumph, the 1972/73 season Athletic decides signed the Yugoslavian coach Milorad Pavic. Athletic arrives again at Cup final, and defeat Castellón by two goals to nil, being the players, Zubiaga and Arieta II. Bilbao is a festival again, and Athletic is preparing to celebrate his 75 anniversary, his Brilliants Weddings. 1973, is an important year in the history of this Club, since the first Congress of Athletic Supporters' Club was celebrated, in the town of Bailén.
After obtainig the triumph in the cup, Athletic has two irregular seasons again, the most important fact in this period is the signed of Manuel Delgado Meco, as phisycal training of the team, this is a new post, that subsequently, every football club decided to have inside his technical body.
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