World Cup winners Nico Williams, Laporte, and Simón rejoin Athletic Club

Athletic Club has welcomed back its World Cup-winning trio: Nico Williams, Aymeric Laporte, and Unai Simón. The players rejoined the team's training facilities in Lezama on Monday, following a three-week break after Spain's victory in the World Cup final. Their return marks the full availability of the squad for coach Edin Terzic as they prepare for the start of the La Liga EA Sports season.

The three internationals arrived at Lezama for their mandatory medical examinations, a process their teammates completed weeks earlier while the trio was on national duty. Although they have returned to the facilities, Nico Williams, Laporte, and Simón will have to wait until Tuesday to resume training with their colleagues, as the squad had a scheduled rest day on Monday.

This break came after Athletic Club suffered their first pre-season defeat, losing 3-1 to Olympique de Marseille on Sunday. The team has a demanding training schedule this week, with three sessions planned before their final preparatory match on Friday. The club will face Atalanta at the Stadio di Bergamo for their last friendly game, a rematch of a UEFA Champions League encounter from the previous season where Athletic secured a 2-3 victory in Italy.

Last season marked the end of Ernesto Valverde's third tenure as Athletic's head coach, a period that began in 2022. The team ultimately failed to qualify for any international tournaments.