The team was founded in 1898, has played in the first division since its inception, and has never been relegated to the second division (an achievement shared only by Barcelona and Real Madrid). The uniqueness of the team is that it has never recruited a non-Basque player, thus severely limiting the talents that can play for it. Until a few years ago, Real Sociedad also shared the idea of ​​Basque nationalism, but acquired a non-Basque Spanish player, breaking tradition. According to the team's rules, a player can play for the team even if he is not born in the Basque Country, provided that he is the son of a family from the Basque Country and has roots in this region, on the French or Spanish side of the region, or that he studied football in the Basque Country, which is possible in clubs such as Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna and Deportivo Alves.

Source: Wikipedia