The English immigrants who arrived in Spain at the end of the 19th century were what brought football to our country.
The first officially registered club in 1878 was the Rio Tinto Foot-Ball Club, created by British workers in the mines of Huelva.
It should be remembered that the Spanish First Football Division was organized much later, in the 1928/29 season.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) organized the first national league between 10 teams from different parts of the country.
Below we highlight the 10 oldest football teams in Spain that are still active:
On December 18, 1889, Recreativo de Huelva was officially born at the initiative of the Scottish doctor William Alexander Mackay, and its first president was Charles Adam.
Since 1909, the dean of football has worn the white and blue stripes on his kits, playing his first matches at the El Velodromo stadium. Today he does it in Nuevo Colombino (2002).
Recreativo de Huelva has played five seasons in the First Division and among its greatest achievements stands out the final of the 2003 Copa del Rey, which it lost to Mallorca (3-0). It is also worth highlighting that it is the organizer of the Colombino tournament, which each preseason welcomes the best teams in the world since 1965.
“Ancient languages ??say that on October 14, an illusion was born…” This is how the anthem that the group El Arrebato composed for Sevilla begins. And for a long time this date was considered the date of the founding of the club, but in reality the Sevilla team was established on January 25, 1890 as a Private Association of a cultural and sporting nature.
And on October 14, what happened then? Well, the registration process of the institution has been completed.
Be that as it may, Sevilla FC is the second oldest team in Spain.
The Seville team is the king of the Europa League, a trophy they have won 7 times, and they also have a League, five Copa del Rey, a European Super Cup and a Spanish Super Cup.
Palamós CF is one of the oldest teams in Spanish competitions. It was founded in 1898 and experienced its best sporting period in the 89/90 season when it was promoted to the Second Division. Silver category that he has competed in six seasons throughout his sporting life. It is currently competing in the Third Division.
There are only three teams that have played all their matches in the First Division since its birth in 1928, but Athletic Bilbao is also the oldest.
In total, they have won 8 Leagues, the most recent in the 1983 and 1984 seasons. In addition, 23 Copa del Rey and 3 Super Cups. We must add two runners-up finishes in the UEFA League to his record, among other sporting achievements.
FC Barcelona is also one of the three teams that has participated in every season of the First Division in Spain. It was founded by a group of twelve football fans, summoned by the Swiss Hans Gamper through an advertisement published in the magazine Los Deportes on October 22, 1899.
He has won the League 27 times, the Copa del Rey in 31 editions and also has 5 Champions League titles in his brilliant record. Historical players such as Johan Cruyff, Leo Messi and Pep Guardiola have passed through his ranks.
Espanyol will always have Barcelona as its eternal rival. Their sporting lives started almost at the same time, although their success stories are very different. They have won the Copa del Rey four times and have reached two UEFA League finals.
Its original name was Sociedad Española de Foot-ball and its founders, among whom were several Catalans, Basques and Sevillians, gave life to what would later become a classic Spanish football team.
Real Madrid was born in the Chamartín area in 1902. It is the third LaLiga team that has played every season in the First Division and the Santiago Bernabéu stadium is an emblem for its fans.
His track record is extensive and more than well known. He has won the League 35 times, the Copa del Rey 20 times and the Champions League 14 times. In addition, he has won 8 Club World Cups and 12 Super Cups. In fact, it was named the best soccer team of the 20th century.
On April 26, 1903, the Club Atlético de Madrid was born, driven by a group of Basque students who decided to join together to found an entity that would compete with the most noble and impeccable sporting spirit. Enrique Allende was named first president.
Since then it has given great afternoons of sporting glory to its fans with 11 Leagues and 10 King’s Cups in this time. In addition, three UEFA Leagues and an Intercontinental Cup.
In 1901 Joan Saus and Quim Saus, brothers from Sabadell, created the Center d’Esports Sabadell, which was not legalized until June 5, 1906. The founding document itself notes that the club had already been organized since 1903.
He has two Copa del Rey, he has participated in 14 seasons in the First Division and 44 in the Second. Currently, Sabadell plays in the First Federation.
It has also been known since 2023 by its federative or competitive name of Real Avilés Industrial. It was founded in 1903 and is the oldest football club in Asturias. Currently, the club is in Group I of the RFEF Second Division.
