History of Real Betis in Timeline

Real Betis Balompié is a professional football club based in Seville, Andalusia, Spain. They compete in La Liga, the highest tier of Spanish football. Their home games are currently held at the Estadio de La Cartuja, which has a capacity of 70,000.

October 1905: Sevilla FC Foundation

In October 1905, Sevilla FC, Betis' city rival, was founded as the first club in Seville.

September 1907: España Balompié Establishment

In September 1907, a second club named España Balompié was established in Seville.

1909: Sevilla Balompié Recognition

In 1909, España Balompié, initially established in 1907, was officially recognized as Sevilla Balompié.

1909: Move to Campo del Prado de Santa Justa

In 1909, Real Betis moved to the Campo del Prado de Santa Justa.

1911: Shirts adopted from Celtic

From late 1911, the Real Betis team adopted the shirts of Celtic, at that time vertical stripes of green and white, that were brought over from Glasgow by Manuel Asensio Ramos, who had studied in Scotland as a child.

1914: Merger and Royal Patronage

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

1914: Kits used

When the team became Real Betis Balompié in 1914, 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 match against Sevilla

In February 1915, Real Betis and Sevilla played their first match, which Sevilla won 4-3. However, the match was not completed due to crowd violence that forced the referee to abandon the game.

1916: First Copa Andalucia

In 1916, the inaugural Copa Andalucía took place, marking the first official derby in the Sevilla area.

November 1918: Move to Campo del Patronato Obrero

In November 1918, Real Betis moved to the Campo del Patronato Obrero. The first game at the ground was against Sevilla, resulting in a 5-1 loss for Real Betis.

1918: Assembly of Ronda

Around 1918 the Assembly of Ronda saw the Andalusian region formally adopt these colours.

1918: Copa Andalucia routing

In 1918, during a Copa Andalucia match, Sevilla defeated Real Betis 22-0 after Real Betis sent their youth team to play the game.

1928: First League Meeting in Segunda

In 1928, Real Betis and Sevilla first played each other in a league match in Segunda, with each team winning their respective home matches.

1929: Construction of Estadio de la Exposición

In 1929, the Estadio de la Exposición, now known as Estadio Benito Villamarín, was constructed.

June 1931: Copa del Presidente de la República Final

On June 21, 1931, Real 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, Real Betis marked their 25th anniversary year by winning their first Segunda División title, becoming the first club from Andalusia to play in La Liga.

1934: First Top Division Game

In 1934, Real Betis and Sevilla played for the first time in the Spanish top division. Sevilla won the first game 3-0. The second game ended in a 2-2 draw.

April 1935: La Liga Title Win

On April 28, 1935, Real Betis, under the guidance of Irish coach Patrick O'Connell, won La Liga, their only top division title to date.

1935: League Title Win

In 1935, Real Betis won the La Liga title, marking a significant achievement in the club's history.

1936: Move to Estadio de la Exposición

In 1936, Real Betis officially moved into the Estadio de la Exposición, now known as Estadio Benito Villamarín, after playing a number of games at the stadium since its construction.

1936: Team Dismantling

In 1936, Real Betis' championship-winning team was dismantled due to the club's poor economic situation and the arrival of the Civil War.

1939: Return to Full Name

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

1939: Relegation

In 1939, exactly five years after winning the title, Real Betis was relegated, highlighting the club's decline.

January 1943: Betis Lost to Sevilla

In January 1943, Real Betis lost 5-0 to Sevilla, eventually leading to their relegation.

1947: Relegation to Tercera División

In 1947, Real Betis reached an all-time low when the club was relegated to Tercera División.

1954: Return to Segunda División

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

1955: Presidential Change

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

September 1958: Betis won first game held at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium

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

1958: Return to Top Division

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

1961: Estadio Heliópolis Purchase

In 1961, Benito Villamarín purchased the Estadio Heliópolis, which was later named after him as Estadio Benito Villamarín.

1964: Third Place Finish

In 1964, during Benito Villamarín's presidency, Real Betis finished in third place in the top division.

1965: Villamarín Steps Down

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

1974: Consolidation in Top Level

In 1974, Real Betis consolidated their place in the top level after rising and falling almost consecutively.

June 1977: Copa del Rey Title

On June 25, 1977, Real Betis won its first ever Copa del Rey title, defeating Athletic Bilbao 8–7 after 21 penalties, following a 2-2 match. The team also finished fifth in the league.

1977: Copa del Rey Win

In 1977, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey, adding to their list of achievements.

1982: FIFA World Cup Matches

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

1984: UEFA Cup Qualification

In 1984, Real Betis achieved UEFA Cup qualification, continuing a period of success for the club.

1984: Spain vs Malta

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

1992: League Restructuring

In 1992, Real Betis was subject to new league rules and regulations due to its restructuring as an autonomous sporting group (SAD), requiring significant capital.

September 1994: 1,000th La Liga Game

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, Real Betis returned to the top flight for the 1994–95 season, achieving a final third position and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

1997: Copa del Rey Final Loss

In 1997, 20 years after winning the trophy for the first time, Real Betis returned to the final of the Copa del Rey, losing 2–3 against Barcelona after extra time at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

1999: Relegation from La Liga

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

2000: First attempt 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, Víctor Fernández led the team to the third round of the 2002–03 UEFA Cup, being knocked out by Auxerre (1–2 on aggregate).

2004: Serra Ferrer's Return

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

June 2005: Copa del Rey Title

On June 11, 2005, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey final, lifting the trophy for only the second time after an extra-time winner by Dani in a 2–1 win against Osasuna.

2005: Copa del Rey Win

In 2005, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey, adding to their list of achievements.

2005: Champions League Qualification

In the 2012-13 season, Betis qualified for the UEFA Europa League, the first European qualification for the club since the 2005–06 Champions League.

2006: Managerial Change

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

2007: Disappointing Seasons

In 2007, The centenary year (encompassing the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons) were disappointing, with the club having four different managers and barely avoiding relegation in both seasons.

2007: Copa del Rey match suspended

In 2007, during a Copa del Rey match, Sevilla's manager Juande Ramos was struck by a bottle of water, leading to the suspension of the match. It was played three weeks later in Getafe without spectators.

2007: Centenary Year

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

2008: Relegation to Second Division

Real Betis' 2008–09 season culminated with relegation to the second division due to finishing 18th in the table.

February 2009: Betis won at Pizjuán but relegated

In February 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 joined the "15-J Yo Voy Betis" protest march in Sevilla, demanding that majority owner Ruiz de Lopera sell his shares of the club.

2009: Miki Roqué Joined

In 2009, Miki Roqué joined Real Betis, and played for the club until 2012.

July 2010: Share Sale to Bitton Sport

On July 7, 2010, Ruiz de Lopera sold 94% of the shares he owned in Real Betis to Bitton Sport, fronted by Luis Oliver, for €16 million.

October 2010: Stadium Renamed

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

2011: Strong Start to the Season

In 2011, under Pepe Mel, Real Betis started the 2011–12 season with four wins in as many games, with Rubén Castro retaining his goal scoring form.

2012: Seventh Place Finish

In 2012, during 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 still to play, but returned immediately as champions with two games to spare.

February 2017: Celtic-inspired Kit

On February 28, 2017, Real Betis wore Celtic-inspired hoops against Málaga CF on the 37th Andalusia Day.

2017: Special Hooped Kit

In 2017, Real Betis officially acknowledged their link to Celtic by producing a special hooped kit to coincide with Andalusia Day.

2017: Sixth Place Finish

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

2018: Positive Campaign

In 2018, Betis had a very positive 2018–19 campaign, reaching the Copa del Rey semi-finals and topping their group in the Europa League.

November 2019: Fans Visit Team Training

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

2019: Previous Season Finish

In 2019, during the 2019-20 season, saw Betis finish 15th.

July 2020: Pellegrini Appointment

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

2021: Europa League Spot

In 2021, the club displayed consistency under Pellegrini's management by qualifying for the UEFA Europa League for three consecutive seasons.

April 2022: Copa del Rey Title

On April 23, 2022, Betis won the Copa del Rey final against Valencia after drawing 1–1 after 120 minutes and winning 5–4 on penalties, claiming their first trophy in 17 years.

2022: Copa del Rey Win

In 2022, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey, adding to their list of achievements.

2022: Europa League Qualification

In 2022, the club displayed consistency under Pellegrini's management by qualifying for the UEFA Europa League for three consecutive seasons.

2023: Conference League Qualification

In 2023, the club qualified for the Conference League after a seventh-place finish in 2023–24 season.

2025: Relocation to Estadio de La Cartuja

From the 2025-26 season until 2028, Real Betis will play their home matches at Estadio de La Cartuja due to major renovations at Estadio Benito Villamarín.

2028: End of Relocation to Estadio de La Cartuja