Real Betis, first Andalusian team to play in First and win the league

Javier Argudo

The Real Betis it is one of the great clubs in Spain. Although it was not present in the first editions of League, yes it was the Andalusian first team in showing his head for the maximum national competition back in the season 1932-1933. Soon after came the big moment, when he managed to proclaim himself League champion in the campaign 1934-1935.

At that time the Real Betis it was a powerful team. Far from the topics that pigeonhole the origins of the Betic club as humble and workers, verdiblanco team managed to form a fairly powerful squad based on a checkbook to become one of the roosters of the competition.

El Real Betis Balompié de los vascos

In this way, the Andalusian team obtained the services of several Basque players who formed the backbone of that team that would be able to end the hegemony of Athletic, Real Madrid Y FC Barcelona.

That season 1934-1935, players like Lecue, Unamuno, Saro, Urquiaga, Larrinoa and Aedo, all of them basque, lead a team that also had promising youngsters who had risen from the Betic branch as Caballero and Valera. With all of them, the Real Betis was able to be the first team to achieve a national title without being Basque, Madrilenian or Catalan after 33 Cup and League editions.

But that team, besides having good players, had on the bench a great coach who had been nothing more and nothing less than captain of the Manchester United long ago: Patrick Joseph O´Connell. The Irish coach masterfully led that group and showed that in football you can achieve great feats based on work and self-confidence.

Many years have passed and the Real Betis has achieved more titles, specifically two Copas del Rey, but he has never repeated the feat of proclaiming himself Champion League again. Was a 28 April 1935 with a resounding victory for 0-5 in El Sardinero against him Racing de Santander with three goals Unamuno and two of Caballero when the Betic team reached the glory.

Two days later the squad traveled to Bilbao to collect the trophy (then in the power of Athletic as the last winner) and they took it to Seville to celebrate it with their fans in full April Fair.