19 May 2009Etxeberria wage decision praised as kind gesture

Football Finance News | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Joseba Etxeberria's decision to play for Athletic Bilbao without being paid has been named as one of the ten kindest things that have been carried out in football.

The Guardian has looked into some of the strong gestures carried out in football and named Etxeberria's decision to go without wages for the whole of his final campaign with the La Liga club among them.

Like many teams, Bilbao were struggling financially and even had to resort to agreeing to a football sponsorship deal for the first time in their history to boost their financial position in the tough times at the start of the 2008/09 season.

And to help further, the former Spanish international, who has played for the Basque club since 1995, said that he would play his final season before retiring without taking a pay cheque.

After the decision was made for the 2009/10 season, Bilbao president Fernando Garcia Macua said: "There are not words enough to thank such a gesture."

Petronor signed the football sponsorship deal with Bilbao in 2008 to become the first company ever to have their name emblazoned on the club's shirts.

Written by Paul Roberts

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