Arsenal backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been called up by the Basque Country representative team for a friendly against Venezuela, setting the stage for an emotional return to San Mames, the home of his former club Athletic Club.
The 29-year-old Spaniard, who came through Athletic Club's academy and played 161 matches for the Basque side before moving to Chelsea in 2018, joined Arsenal on loan in 2024. The match will be played at San Mames, where Arrizabalaga spent seven seasons as a professional.
Basque Country, which is not a FIFA-affiliated national team but regularly plays friendlies against international opposition, will face Venezuela in a fixture that offers Arrizabalaga a chance to feature in front of the fans who watched him develop.
