BILBAO: Athletic Club and Real Sociedad paid tribute to the most iconic image of the Basque derby on ​Sunday, as former captains Jose Angel Iribar and ‌Inaxio Kortabarria led the teams out carrying an Ikurrina 50 years after doing so for the first time.

In an act of public ​defiance a little over a year after the death ​of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, Iribar and Kortabarria ⁠came out onto the pitch with a Basque flag ​in December 1976.

Franco banned the flag and the Basque language ​while in power, and public display of the Ikurrina remained illegal at the time.

“What a statement. And I’m told that this was also ​the moment possibly that pushed the government to make ​the Basque flag legal,” Real manager Pellegrino Matarazzo said on Saturday ahead ‌of ⁠the game.

The Basque flag was legalised in Spain in January 1977 and two years later was adopted as the official flag of the Basque autonomous community, one of Spain’s ​17 regions with ​local governments.

Iribar ⁠and Kortabarria were greeted with applause from the San Mames stands and a guard of ​honour from the two sets of players before ​Sunday ⁠night’s LaLiga clash.

“It is a signal to the world, where there are still people fighting for their rights and freedom,” ⁠said ​Athletic manager Edin Terzic in his ​pre-match press conference.

“Carrying it on the pitch shows unity in the Basque Country ​and pride,” added Matarazzo.

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