Foundation to Civil War The practice of football was introduced in Seville at the end of the 19th century by the large British expatriate population in the city, composed by owners or managers of manufacturing companies based in the capital of
Andalusia.
Sevilla Fútbol Club was founded on 25 January 1890 as
Sevilla Foot-ball Club (in English). Sevilla FC was duly formed on 25 January 1890 while a group of young British, mainly Scots, along with other young men of Spanish origin, celebrated
Burns Night in Seville. The club's founding document, published on the
Dundee Courier's edition of 17 March 1890 describes in full detail the formation of the club and how those young founding members decided first to play under Association Rules, secondly to bear the word "football" within its name and thirdly, to elect their "office-bearers". The following paragraph is an extract of that article: , founder, and the first President|200x200pxThe club's first president was the Scot Mr.
Edward Farquharson Johnston (Elgin, 14 October 1854), who was the British vice-consul in Seville and co-proprietor of the firm MacAndrews & Co., ship-owners with commercial lines between Spain and the UK, one of them being the transport of
Seville oranges.
Hugh MacColl, another Scottish young man (Glasgow, 9 June 1861), a marine engineer who at that time had moved to Seville to work as the technical manager of Portilla White foundry, was their first captain. One of Maccoll's partners in the Portilla White foundry in Seville, Isaias White junior, was the club's first secretary. He was the son of an English entrepreneur who founded the aforesaid company, one of the major foundries in Spain at the end of the 19th century. To celebrate the foundation of the club,
Isaias White sent a letter to Huelva Recreation Club, to invite them to play a football match in Seville. That letter was published by the Spanish newspaper
La Provincia. The Huelva club accepted the invitation and the match took place on 8 March 1890, being thus the
first official match ever played in Spain. Sevilla FC won that historical match 2–0, with the first goal in an official match in Spanish football history scored by the Seville team player Ritson. Isaias lived at Calle Bailen 41 in Seville (the house still exists but has since been renumbered) making this the first home of Sevilla FC. In 1907, Sevilla Balompíe was founded, followed by Betis Football Club in 1909, Recreativo de Sevilla and Español de Sevilla. More clubs were formed as the years passed and more competitive matches were organized between the teams, although Sevilla FC, the oldest club of the city, imposed its supremacy over the other clubs in this early period. In 1912, the first Copa de Sevilla was played and won by Sevilla FC. From 1915 to 1940, the
Campeonato Regional Sur (also known as the Copa Andalucía) was organized by the "Federación Sur" (
Andalusian FA) and these championships included Sevilla FC, Real Betis Balompié, Recreativo de Huelva, Español de Cádiz and the sporadic participation of other clubs such as Nacional de Sevilla and Córdoba. The domination of Sevilla was so evident that of the 20 championships played, 17 were won by Sevilla FC, (the three remaining being won by Español de de Cádiz, Recreativo de Huelva and Real Betis Balompié). In 1917, Sevilla FC participated in the "Copa de España" for the first time and became the first Andalusian team to reach the final round of the competition. In 1928, when the "Campeonato Nacional de Liga" (National League Championships) was organized, Sevilla FC was not part of the First Division due to their defeat to
Racing de Santander in an elimination game that was set-up to decide which of the two teams would compete in the newly formed league. At the end of the 1933–34 season, Sevilla FC was promoted to the First Division of the "Campeonato Nacional de Liga." In 1935, they were proclaimed "Campeón de Copa" (Cup Champions) for the first time by defeating
Sabadell, repeated in 1939 against
Racing de Ferrol and again in 1948 against
Celta de Vigo. The club participated in two other finals, but conceded defeat to
Athletic Bilbao in 1955 and to
Real Madrid in 1962. Sevilla FC remained in the First Division from the 1933–34 season until 1968, when they were relegated to the Second Division, a tier from which they have never further been relegated from. The 1945–46 season was one of high importance in the history of Sevilla, as it marked the first, and to date only, time in which Sevilla FC were League champions. On four other occasions, the club was proclaimed "subcampeón de Liga" (League Runner-up: 1939–40, 1942–43, 1950–51 and 1956–57). Including the 2021–22 season, Sevilla has participated 78 times in the First Division and 13 in the Second Division, never dropping below the Second Division. Sevilla has also participated in four European tournaments, the "Copa de Europa" (European League Winners Cup) (1957–58); Recopa (Winners Cup) (1962–63) and
UEFA Cup on nine occasions (1966–67, 1970–71, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1990–91, 1995–96, 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07). Sevilla also participated in the
UEFA Champions League in
2007–08. There are more than 400 individuals who currently play for the Sevilla FC organization, which includes two semi-professional teams (in Second Division A – second national category) and 12 youth teams. Sevilla has always counted on having international players within its ranks to aid in the pursuit of trophies. The first of these players were Spencer and Herminio in the 1920s. Juan Arza, an international player from the 1940s, was proclaimed top scorer of the Spanish League in the 1954–55 season, with 29 goals. About 30 Sevilla players have been chosen to play for the
Spain national football team over the years. Foreign players have always played an integral part in the success of Sevilla FC with Diego Maradona representing the most well known among them during his spell with the club during the 1992–93 season. During the same season, Sevilla FC was managed by Carlos Salvador Bilardo, a world champion manager. Historically, Sevilla FC has fielded teams in a variety of other sports including: basketball, rugby, rowing, athletics, and
weightlifting or petanca. Presently, Sevilla FC counts twenty-five professional teams on its ledgers (one of these being in the second national category) and a women's football team in the Honor Division. Sevilla FC's stadium, the
Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, was inaugurated in 1958 and is one of the largest stadiums in Spain, and has the honor of hosting a World Cup semi-final match in
1982. After its final completion, the stadium had a maximum capacity of 75,000 spectators, but since its latest remodelling, the stadium has been converted to an all-seat with a covering added to the main seating area, reducing the capacity to its current count of 45,000 spectators.
First successes Sevilla had their first spell of national success in the decade following the end of the Civil War, winning the
1945–46 La Liga title and two
Copa del Rey titles. In the first season of this (1939–40), Sevilla won the cup on 25 June, beating Racing de Ferrol 6–2 in
Barcelona. That same season, the side lost the Liga title on the last day to
Atlético Madrid after drawing 3–3 against
Hércules. The Sevilla forward line was known as
los stukas after the
German bomber aircraft, and scored 216 goals over four seasons. It comprised López, Torrontegui,
Campanal, Raimundo, Berrocal and
Pepillo. In 1941, President
Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán left the club to manage the
Spanish Football Federation. After his departure, Antonio Sánchez Ramos occupied temporarily occupied the position until the permanent appointment of
Jerónimo Domínguez y Pérez de Vargas, Marquess of Contadero, who was president of the club for six years until the return of Sánchez Pizjuán. Sevilla was runner-up to Athletic Bilbao in the 1942–43 season and came third a season later. Sevilla won its only Liga title in 1945–46, edging
FC Barcelona by one point. Two years later, Sevilla won the
1948 Copa del Rey after beating Celta de Vigo 4–1 in
Madrid on 4 July. Before the 1953–54 season, Argentinean coach
Helenio Herrera was hired. During his time in charge, the club came fifth in the 1953–54 season, fourth in both 1954–55 and 1955–56 and second to Real Madrid in 1956–57. and the team was runner-up in the Copa del Rey. In 1955, for the club's 50th anniversary, a triangular tournament was organized against the French club
Stade de Reims and the Swedish club
IFK Norrköping; Sevilla won. On 28 October 1956, President Sánchez Pizjuán suddenly died. As an appreciation to the deceased leader under whose chairmanship Sevilla had won three Copas del Rey, the fans decided that the club's planned new stadium was to be named in his honour. In the 1956–57 season, the team were Liga runners-up behind Real Madrid, ensuring qualification for the first time to the
European Cup. Herrera left the club at the end of the season. The club needed a victory on the final day of the next season to avoid relegation but reached the round of 8 of the European Cup before being knocked out by holders and eventual champions Real Madrid. After the death of the President, assumed the position for four years. It is said that he spoke these words at Sánchez Pizjuán's tomb:
"Dear Ramón, now your friends, among who I am honored to be one, is going to give you Christian burial, and on the following day, giving your body to the ground, we will start working and your dream that the Sevilla FC has a grand stadium will become a reality. Ramón, go in peace to heaven because your wishes will be fulfilled." Being true to his words, Carranza made obligation bonds amounting to 50 million pesetas, and a month and a half after Sánchez Pizjuán's death, the first stone in the stadium's construction was placed. The architect was Manuel Muñoz Monasterio, co-designer of the recently built
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid. The
Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium was ultimately opened on 7 September 1958 as Sevilla played an inaugural friendly against fellow Andalusian club
Real Jaén. The stadium's first official match was on the opening day of the
1958–59 season, where Sevilla beat cross-city Real Betis 4–2.
Crisis and stability In the 1970s, Sevilla was forced into selling its top players to pay off debts incurred from the construction of its new stadium;
Manuel Ruiz Sosa transferred to Atlético Madrid,
Gallego to Barcelona and Juan Batista Agüero to Real Madrid. Moreover, part of the adjacent land to the stadium was also sold to a bank. In the
1967–68 season, Sevilla returned to the Second Division for the first time in 31 years but was promoted back after one season. The next season, Austrian coach
Max Merkel, nicknamed "Mr. Whip" for his usage of severe and harsh discipline techniques and training, was hired. That season, the club finished third in the league. However, the club was relegated again at the end of the
1972–73 season. In 1973, Sevilla signed their first-ever black player, Gambian winger
Biri Biri, from the Danish club
Boldklubben 1901. He remained at the club until 1978 and became a cult figure, with an
ultra group named after him surviving to this day. In the
1974–75 season, with the Argentine
Roque Olsen in charge, the club returned to the First Division. In the late 1970s, Sevilla signed Argentinians such as
Héctor Scotta and
Daniel Bertoni. Directed first by Miguel Muñoz and later by Manolo Cardo, the team participated in two consecutive seasons of the UEFA Cup from 1981 to 1983. The 75th anniversary of the club was celebrated with a variety of social events and a match against the Brazilian side
Santos. In 1982, the
World Cup was held in Spain and Sevilla's Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán was the venue for the semi-final match between
West Germany and
France. In the following seasons,
Luis Aragonés became manager and finished the
1994–95 season with qualification to next season's UEFA Cup. At the end of the 1994–95 season, despite the pleas of the club's directors, Sevilla, along with Celta de Vigo, were one of two clubs relegated from the top flight on reasons of administration, provoking action from fans. The action resulted in both Sevilla and Celta being reinstated to La Liga. These events led to an institutional instability, with the season seeing four presidents and three managers take charge. Sevilla was relegated at the end of the
1996–97 season, after 22 years stayed in top division, but returned in 1999. At the beginning of the 21st century, the presidency of the club was assumed by the popular Roberto Alés. The situation of the club was very delicate at the time; the team had dropped back to the Second Division in 2000 and the squad was weakened by player retirements and the sales of key players. The club opted for a relatively unknown trainer,
Joaquín Caparrós, who helped the team win the Second Division with three matches to spare in just his first season at the helm.
Successes in the 21st century In May 2002, Roberto Alés resigned as president, and the Sevillian lawyer José María del Nido assumed the presidency. One of his first decisions was to confirm Caparrós as a coach and
Monchi as sporting director. On 6 October 2002, before a
Seville derby against Betis at the Sánchez Pizjuán, four Sevilla fans, including a minor, assaulted a security guard. The attack was punished by Sevilla being forced to play their next four home matches behind closed doors, the longest term ever given to a La Liga side. The club finished sixth in the
2003–04 La Liga, giving the club qualification for the
2004–05 UEFA Cup and marking a return to continental competition for the first time since the 1995–96 season. In the
2004–05 league season, Sevilla finished sixth and qualified for the
following season's UEFA Cup, entering the competition in the third qualifying round. This set up Sevilla's first-ever European triumph in the
2006 UEFA Cup Final at the
Philips Stadion in
Eindhoven on 10 May 2006. The club defeated English club
Middlesbrough 4–0 under new manager
Juande Ramos, with the scoring opened by Brazilian striker
Luís Fabiano. In the second-half, Italian substitute
Enzo Maresca scored twice to be named Man of the Match, and Malian striker
Frédéric Kanouté finished the scoring, to give the club its first major title in 58 years on the season of its centenary, which was celebrated in October 2005. Sevilla opened their
2006–07 season by winning the
2006 UEFA Super Cup on 25 August 2006 with a 3–0 victory over Champions League winners and compatriots Barcelona at the
Stade Louis II in Monaco. The goals were scored by
Renato, Kanouté and a late penalty by Maresca. The season ended with a second consecutive UEFA Cup win, this time against fellow Spanish club
Espanyol at
Hampden Park, Glasgow. The match went to penalties after finishing 2–2 after extra-time, with Sevilla goalkeeper
Andrés Palop saving three of Espanyol's penalties. On 12 November 2006, Sevilla played its 2,000th game in La Liga. Sevilla defeated
Getafe in the
2007 Copa del Rey Final, with Kanouté scoring the only goal in the game's 11th minute. Sevilla finished third in
that season's La Liga to qualify for the
2007–08 Champions League, returning to the competition for the first time in 50 years. As a result of these successes, Sevilla was voted as the
IFFHS Team of the Year for the second consecutive season, becoming the first club to achieve this. Sevilla won the
2007 Supercopa de España against La Liga champions Real Madrid. The season started to derail, however, after defender
Antonio Puerta suffered a heart attack in the first game of the season and died three days later on 28 August. Three days after his death, Sevilla then lost 3–1 to
Milan in the
2007 UEFA Super Cup in Monaco. Juande Ramos, the individual largely responsible for Sevilla's recent successes, resigned as manager on 27 October to take the post with
Tottenham Hotspur; he was replaced by
Sevilla Atlético manager
Manolo Jiménez. In spite of the personnel issues, Sevilla nonetheless advanced in first place in its Champions League group ahead of
Arsenal before later being eliminated in the round of 16 via penalties to
Fenerbahçe of Turkey. In the summer of 2008, before Jiménez's debut season as first-team manager,
Dani Alves and
Seydou Keita were both sold to Barcelona, while
Christian Poulsen left for
Juventus. Sevilla finished third in La Liga with a club record-equalling 21 victories and a club record number of away victories. The
2009–10 season saw a third-consecutive qualification to the Champions League. On 19 May 2010, Sevilla defeated Atlético Madrid 2–0 in the
2010 Copa del Rey Final at
Camp Nou, with goals from
Diego Capel and
Jesús Navas. Before the 2010–11 season started, Sevilla lost to Barcelona 5–3 on aggregate in the
Supercopa and were eliminated in the
Champions League playoffs by Portuguese club
Braga.
Unai Emery era vs. Sevilla FC. On 14 January of the following year, after a 0–2 away loss to Valencia that left the Andalusians in 12th place, Jiménez was relieved of his duties, and was replaced by Spanish manager
Unai Emery. The club went through an organizational financial crisis and was forced to sell team stars
Álvaro Negredo and Jesús Navas, transactions that gave the club a combined €40 million; the duo was replaced by a contingent of younger players including strikers
Carlos Bacca and
Kevin Gameiro. On 14 May 2014, Sevilla defeated
Benfica on penalties in the
2014 UEFA Europa League Final to claim their third triumph in the competition. After this season key midfielder
Ivan Rakitić was sold to Barcelona for around €16 million (the deal was closed on 16 June 2014). In summer 2015 top scorer Carlos Bacca, who had only joined two years previous, moved to Milan for €30 million. Despite these exits, the club acquired players
Grzegorz Krychowiak and
Éver Banega to reinforce the squad. On 27 May 2015, Sevilla were again Europa League champions after defeating Ukrainian club
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 3–2 in the
2015 Final. The goals for Sevilla were scored by
Grzegorz Krychowiak and a brace from
Carlos Bacca. By defeating Dnipro, they became the only club to have won the Europa League four times. The club returned to the Europa League final for a third consecutive time, facing
Liverpool in the
2016 Final. After being down 0–1 at half-time, Sevilla bounced back in the second half to eventually win 3–1, with one goal scored from Kevin Gameiro and two from club captain
Coke. With its third consecutive Europa League title, Sevilla improved its record of most Europa League titles won, having lifted the trophy five times in the span of ten years.
Post-Emery era Despite Sevilla's continued success in the Europa League, the
2015–16 season proved to be another finish outside the top four, the side finishing in seventh. In response, Castro decided to engineer a resurrection of the club.
Jorge Sampaoli was hired as manager – replacing
Paris Saint-Germain-bound Unai Emery – and the club began to invest heavily that summer. Additions to the side included goalkeeper
Salvatore Sirigu on loan, playmaker
Ganso, forward
Luciano Vietto and
Wissam Ben Yedder, attacker
Franco Vázquez, wide midfielders
Hiroshi Kiyotake and
Pablo Sarabia, as well as former
Arsenal and
Manchester City player
Samir Nasri on loan. In December of the
2017–18 La Liga,
Vincenzo Montella was named as the third manager since Emery's departure in 2016 replacing Eduardo Berizzo. In the
2017–18 UEFA Champions League season, Sevilla progressed into the knockout stages of the competition, and defeated
Manchester United in the Round of 16, reaching the round of 8 for the first time in 60 years, where they ultimately lost to
Bayern Munich 2–1 on aggregate. On 4 June 2019, Sevilla announced the signing of
Julen Lopetegui as manager for the next three seasons. On 16 August 2020, Sevilla won 2–1 over
Manchester United in the semi-finals of the
2019–20 UEFA Europa League, en route to lifting the trophy for a record sixth time, beating
Inter Milan 3–2 in the
final. On 31 May 2023, Sevilla clinched their record-extending
7th Europa League title with a win over
Roma, drawing 1–1 after extra time and beating them 4–1 on penalties. ==Board and finances==