History of Real Betis in Timeline

Real Betis Balompié is a professional football club based in Seville, Spain, founded in 1907. They compete in La Liga, the highest tier of Spanish football. Their home ground is the Estadio Benito Villamarín, which has a capacity of 60,721.

October 1905: Sevilla FC Founded

In October 1905, city rivals Sevilla were the first club in Seville to be founded.

September 1907: España Balompié Established

In September 1907, a second club, España Balompié were established.

1907: Real Betis Founded

In 1907, Real Betis Balompié, a Spanish professional football club, was founded in Seville, Andalusia, Spain.

1909: Sevilla Balompié Recognition

In 1909, Balompié was officially recognized as Sevilla Balompié.

1909: Move to Campo del Prado de Santa Justa

In 1909, Real Betis relocated their home ground to the Campo del Prado de Santa Justa.

1914: Addition of 'Real' to the name

In 1914, 'Real' was added to the club's name after receiving patronage from King Alfonso XIII.

1914: Merger and Royal Patronage

In 1914, Betis Football Club merged with Sevilla Balompié and received royal patronage, adopting the name Real Betis Balompié.

1914: Various Kits Used

In 1914, when the team became Real Betis Balompié, various kits were used, including yellow and black stripes, green T-shirts, and a reversion to the blue top and white shorts uniform.

February 1915: First Derby Match Abandoned

On February 8, 1915, the first match between Real Betis and Sevilla took place, resulting in a 4–3 victory for Sevilla. However, the match was not completed due to high tensions causing the crowd to invade the pitch, leading to the referee abandoning the game.

1916: Inaugural Copa Andalucia

In 1916, the first Copa Andalucía was held, marking the first official derby in the Sevilla area.

November 1918: First Game at Campo del Patronato Obrero

In November 1918, Real Betis played their first game at the Campo del Patronato Obrero against Sevilla, resulting in a 5–1 loss.

1918: Adoption of Green and White Stripes

By the end of the 1920s, Real Betis was once again sporting green and white stripes, around the time the Assembly of Ronda in 1918 saw the Andalusian region formally adopt these colours.

1918: Copa Andalucia Youth Team Routing

In 1918, during the Copa Andalucía, Sevilla defeated Real Betis 22-0 after Betis sent their youth team to compete.

1928: First League Match in Segunda

In 1928, Real Betis and Sevilla played their first league match in Segunda, with both teams winning their respective home matches.

1929: Construction of Estadio de la Exposición

In 1929, the Estadio de la Exposición was constructed, which would later become Real Betis's current home.

June 1931: Copa del Presidente de la República Final

On June 21, 1931, Betis reached the Copa del Presidente de la República final for the first time, losing 3–1 to Athletic Bilbao in Madrid.

1932: Segunda División Title

In 1932, Betis marked their 25th anniversary year by winning their first Segunda División title, finishing two points ahead of Real Oviedo.

1934: First Top Division Match

In 1934, Real Betis and Sevilla played their first match in the Spanish top division, resulting in a 0–3 home defeat for Sevilla and a 2–2 draw at Betis.

April 1935: La Liga Win

On April 28, 1935, under coach Patrick O'Connell, Betis won La Liga, their only top division title to date, topping the table by a single point over Madrid FC.

1935: La Liga Title

In 1935, Real Betis won the league title.

1936: Decline After La Liga Win

In 1936, Betis declined to seventh place due to economic issues and the impending Civil War, leading to a dismantling of the championship-winning team.

1936: Official Move to Estadio de la Exposición

In 1936, Real Betis officially moved into the Estadio de la Exposición, their current home, after playing a number of games at the stadium since its construction.

1939: Return to Full Name

In 1939, after the Spanish Civil War, the club reverted to its full name, Real Betis Balompié.

1939: Relegation After Civil War

In 1939, after the resumption of the league following the Civil War, Betis was relegated, five years after winning the title.

January 1943: Betis Loses to Sevilla and is Relegated

On January 17, 1943, Betis suffered a 5–0 defeat against Sevilla, which contributed to their eventual relegation.

1947: Relegation to Tercera División

In 1947, Betis reached an all-time low by being relegated to Tercera División.

1954: Return to Segunda División

In 1954, Betis returned to the second level, gaining the distinction of being the only club in Spain to have won all three major divisions' titles.

1955: Manuel Ruiz Rodríguez steps down

In 1955, Manuel Ruiz Rodríguez stepped down from running the club and was replaced by Benito Villamarín.

September 1958: Betis Wins First Game at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium

On September 21, 1958, in the first game held at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, Real Betis won 4–2 against Sevilla.

1958: Return to Top Division

In 1958, during Benito Villamarín's reign, Betis returned to the top division.

1961: Purchase of Estadio Heliópolis

In 1961, Benito Villamarín purchased the Estadio Heliópolis, a key point in the club's history; the grounds were later named Estadio Benito Villamarín.

1964: Third Place Finish

In 1964, Betis finished in third place in the top division.

1965: Villamarín Steps Down

In 1965, Villamarín stepped down from his position after ten years at the helm of the club.

1974: Consolidation in Top Level

In 1974, Betis consolidated their place in the top level after consecutive relegations and promotions.

June 1977: Copa del Rey Win

On June 25, 1977, Betis defeated Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, winning 8–7 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.

1977: Copa del Rey Title

In 1977, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey.

1982: 1982 FIFA World Cup Matches Hosted

During the summer of 1982, the Benito Villamarín hosted two matches as part of the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

1982: UEFA Cup Qualification

In 1982, Betis achieved UEFA Cup qualification, marking the start of a period of good times for the club.

1984: UEFA Cup Qualification

In 1984, Betis achieved UEFA Cup qualification.

1984: Spain vs Malta

In 1984, the Benito Villamarín also witnessed the Spain national team's 12–1 victory over Malta to qualify for UEFA Euro 1984.

1992: Restructuring as Autonomous Sporting Group (SAD)

In 1992, Betis had to comply with new league rules and regulations due to its restructuring as an autonomous sporting group (SAD), requiring the club to raise 1,200 million pesetas.

September 1994: 1,000th Game in La Liga

On September 11, 1994, Real Betis played its 1,000th game in La Liga.

1994: Return to Top Flight

In 1994, managed by Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, Betis returned to the top flight for the 1994–95 season, achieving a final third position and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

1997: Estadio Name Change

In 1997 the grounds were called the Estadio Benito Villamarín until 1997.

1997: Copa del Rey Final Loss

In 1997, 20 years after their first win, Betis lost the Copa del Rey final 2–3 against Barcelona after extra time at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

2000: Relegation from La Liga and Immediate Promotion

In the 1999-2000 season, Real Betis were relegated from La Liga, but were promoted back on their first attempt.

2002: UEFA Cup Third Round

In 2002, under manager Víctor Fernández, Betis reached the third round of the 2002–03 UEFA Cup, being knocked out by Auxerre.

2004: Serra Ferrer Returns

In 2004, Serra Ferrer returned as manager and guided the team to fourth position in the top flight.

June 2005: Copa del Rey Title

On June 11, 2005, Betis won the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna with a 2–1 victory after extra time at the Vicente Calderón.

2005: Copa del Rey Title

In 2005, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey.

2005: Champions League

In the 2012–13 season, Betis finished seventh in La Liga and qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, the first European qualification for the club since the 2005–06 Champions League.

2006: Luis Fernandez Replaces Serra Ferrer

In the summer of 2006, Serra Ferrer was replaced by Luis Fernandez for the 2006–07 season.

2007: Centenary Celebrations

In 2007, Betis celebrated their centenary year, including a special match against Milan and winning the Ramón de Carranza Trophy.

2007: Copa del Rey Match Suspended Due to Violence

In 2007, the Copa del Rey match between Real Betis and Sevilla was suspended after Sevilla manager Juande Ramos was struck by a bottle of water, leading to the game being played out three weeks later in Getafe without spectators.

2007: Disappointing Centenary Seasons

The seasons of 2006–07 and 2007–08, which encompassed the centenary year, were disappointing, with the club having four different managers and barely avoiding relegation.

2008: Relegation to Second Division

Betis' 2008–09 season culminated with relegation to the second division on goal difference.

February 2009: Betis Wins at Pizjuán, but is Relegated

On February 7, 2009, Real Betis won 2–1 at the Pizjuán, but was eventually relegated from the top flight, while Sevilla finished in third position.

June 2009: "15-J Yo Voy Betis" Protest

On June 15, 2009, over 65,000 Beticos participated in the "15-J Yo Voy Betis" protest march in Sevilla to demand that majority owner Ruiz de Lopera sell his shares.

2009: Miki Roqué (Deceased)

In 2009, Miki Roqué played for Real Betis. He remained with the club until 2012. Miki Roqué has since passed away.

July 2010: Share Sale to Bitton Sport

On July 7, 2010, Ruiz de Lopera sold 94% of his shares (51% of Betis total shares) to Bitton Sport, fronted by Luis Oliver, for €16 million.

October 2010: Stadium Returns to First Denomination

On October 27, 2010, the stadium returned to its first denomination following a decision by the club's associates.

2011: Strong Start to the Season

In 2011, under Pepe Mel, Betis started the 2011–12 season with four wins in as many games.

2012: Seventh Place Finish

In the 2012–13 season, Betis finished seventh in La Liga and qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.

2013: Relegation from La Liga

In the 2013-14 season, Betis were relegated from La Liga with three games to play

2013: Relegation from La Liga and Immediate Promotion

In the 2013-2014 season, Real Betis were relegated from La Liga, but were promoted back on their first attempt.

February 2017: Celtic-Inspired Hoops Worn Against Málaga CF

On February 28, 2017, in celebration of the 37th Andalusia Day, Real Betis wore Celtic-inspired hoops in their match against Málaga CF.

2017: Acknowledgement of Celtic Link

In 2017, the club officially acknowledged the link with Celtic by producing a special hooped kit to coincide with Andalusia Day.

2017: Sixth Place Finish in La Liga

In the 2017–18 season, under Quique Setién, Betis finished sixth in La Liga and earned a spot in the Europa League.

2018: Copa del Rey Semi-Finals

In the 2018–19 campaign, the club reached the Copa del Rey semi-finals and topped their group in the Europa League.

November 2019: Fans Visit Team Training Before Derby

On November 9, 2019, more than 10,000 Real Betis fans visited the team training before the last derby in 2019.

2019: Improved Season

Pellegrini guided Betis to a sixth-place finish and a Europa League spot, an improvement since the previous 2019–20 season.

July 2020: Manuel Pellegrini Appointment

On July 9, 2020, Manuel Pellegrini was appointed as Betis manager ahead of the 2020–21 season.

2021: UEFA Europa League Qualification

In 2021, Real Betis, under Pellegrini's management, qualified for the UEFA Europa League, marking the beginning of three consecutive seasons of qualification for the competition.

April 2022: Copa del Rey Win

On April 23, 2022, Betis won the Copa del Rey final against Valencia, winning 5-4 on penalties after drawing 1-1 after 120 minutes.

2022: Continued UEFA Europa League Qualification

In 2022, Real Betis continued their consistent performance under Pellegrini, securing another qualification for the UEFA Europa League by finishing fifth in La Liga.

2022: Copa del Rey Title

In 2022, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey.

2023: UEFA Conference League Qualification

In 2023, Real Betis qualified for the UEFA Conference League following a seventh-place finish in La Liga.

July 2024: Trainline Sponsorship Deal

On July 4th 2024, a 2 year sponsorship deal between Real Betis and Trainline, a train ticketing company based in the U.K. was announced. This deal has been viewed as controversial by some due to the company's chairman, being connected with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) which has faced numerous accusations of sexual misconduct and rape against its members.