Ernesto Valverde Announces Departure from Athletic Bilbao

Ernesto Valverde to leave Athletic Club at season's end

Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde announces departure at end of season, having led team 494 times. Ernesto Valverde to step down as Athletic Bilbao coach, ending record-breaking tenure.

Valverde to leave Athletic Club after reaching 500 games, ending third spell in charge...

Ernesto Valverde is bidding farewell to Athletic Club. The coach has announced he'll be stepping down at the end of the season, sharing the news in a video on the club's social media channels. This marks the end of Valverde's third spell in charge of Athletic Club.

Valverde will oversee his last match on the San Mamés bench after the 10 remaining LaLiga games. The Cáceres-born coach has been leading the team, currently ranked 10th in LaLiga with 35 points from 28 games.

The manager in question is a seasoned coach with a remarkable record - he's led the Lions (Athletic Bilbao) a record number of times and is nearing a milestone 500 games in charge of the Bilbao side, with 494 games under his belt so far. 

“Next season I won't be Athletic's coach. It's a decision I've thought about for a long time, discussed with the Club, and I wanted to share it with you,” Valverde said directly in his statement.

“At the same time, I want to highlight that we still have 10 important league games left, starting this Sunday against Betis. 10 matches in which we want to achieve our goals, where there's a lot at stake, where we'll give everything, and undoubtedly, if we all stick together, we can achieve it, no question,” he added.

ℹ️ Ernesto Valverde will step down as Athletic head coach at the end of the season.

"It’s a decision which I’ve come to over time and which has been agreed with the club."

"There are ten games left and we have a lot to gain."

We'll give you a proper send-off soon, Gaffer!

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) March 20, 2026

Ernesto Valverde's decision to step down comes after a remarkable season where he led Athletic Club to compete in the Champions League, marking a historic achievement for the team.