Real Sociedad facts for kids
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Full name | Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. | |||
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Nickname(s) | Txuri-Urdin (The White and Blues) La Real / Erreala (The Royal) |
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Founded | 7 September 1909 | as Sociedad de Foot-Ball de San Sebastián|||
Ground | Reale Arena | |||
Capacity | 39,500 | |||
President | Jokin Aperribay | |||
Head coach | Sergio Francisco | |||
League | La Liga | |||
2022–23 | La Liga, 4th of 20 | |||
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Real Sociedad de Fútbol, often called Real Sociedad, is a professional sports club from Donostia / San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain. It was started on September 7, 1909. The team plays its home games at the Anoeta Stadium.
Real Sociedad has won the La Liga title twice, in the 1980–81 and 1981–82 seasons. They also finished second in 1979–80, 1987–88, and 2002–03. The club has won the Copa del Rey three times: in 1909, 1987, and 2020. They have a big rivalry with Athletic Bilbao, playing in what is known as the Basque derby. Real Sociedad was one of the first teams to join La Liga in 1929. They stayed in the top league for 40 seasons, from 1967 to 2007.
For many years, the club only signed players from the Basque region. This changed in 1989 when they signed Irish player John Aldridge. Even today, many players are from the Basque Country, but the team also has players from other parts of Spain and from other countries. Their youth academy has helped develop famous players like Xabi Alonso and Antoine Griezmann, who both won the World Cup.
The club has played in the UEFA Champions League five times. In the 1981–82 season, they lost in the first round. The next season, they made it to the semi-finals. In 2003–04, they reached the round of 16. In 2013–14, they finished last in their group. Most recently, in the 2023–24 season, they reached the round of 16 but lost to PSG.
Besides football, Real Sociedad also has teams for other sports. These include track and field, field hockey, and basque pelota.
Contents
Club History and Achievements
How Real Sociedad Started
Football came to San Sebastián in the early 1900s. Students and workers who had been in Britain brought the sport back with them. In 1904, they created the city's first football club, San Sebastián Recreation Club. This club played in the Copa del Rey in 1905.
In 1907, some players left to form a new team called San Sebastian Football Club. This team played in the 1909 Copa del Rey as Club Ciclista de San Sebastián. They won the final against Club Español de Madrid 3–1. A player named George McGuinness scored 6 goals in that tournament.
A few months after this win, the players started a new club called Sociedad de Futbol on September 7, 1909. In 1910, King Alfonso XIII gave the club his support. This is when the club became known as Real Sociedad de Fútbol, which means "Royal Society of Football."
Early Years in La Liga
Real Sociedad was one of the founding teams of La Liga in 1929. They finished fourth in their first season. In 1931, during the Second Spanish Republic, the club's name changed to Donostia Club de Futbol. After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, it changed back to Real Sociedad.
For many years, the team often moved between the top league (Primera División) and the second league (Segunda División). In the 1940s, they were relegated and promoted seven times! Interestingly, the famous sculptor Eduardo Chillida was the team's goalkeeper during this time, until an injury ended his football career.
The Golden Era of the 1980s
Real Sociedad had a very successful period in the 1980s. In the 1979–80 season, they finished second in La Liga, just one point behind Real Madrid.
The club won its first ever La Liga title in the 1980–81 season. They tied with Real Madrid on points, but Real Sociedad won because they had a better head-to-head record against Madrid. This victory allowed them to play in the 1981–82 European Cup, where they were knocked out early.
The team won the La Liga title again the very next season, in 1981–82. This time, they beat Barcelona to the title. The manager during these successful years was Alberto Ormaetxea. In the 1982–83 European Cup, they reached the semi-finals, losing to Hamburger SV. Real Sociedad also won the Supercopa de España in 1982, beating Real Madrid.
In 1987, Real Sociedad won its first Copa del Rey title. They beat Atlético Madrid in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a 2–2 draw. The next season, they reached the Copa del Rey final again but lost to Barcelona. In the 1987–88 La Liga season, they finished second in the league.
New Players and Continued Success
For many years, Real Sociedad only signed players from the Basque region. This changed in 1989 when they signed Irish player John Aldridge from Liverpool. Aldridge was the club's top scorer in his first season. In 1990, they signed Dalian Atkinson, who became the club's first black player.
In the 1997–98 season, Real Sociedad finished third in La Liga. This was their best finish since 1988. This strong performance allowed them to play in the 1998–99 UEFA Cup, where they reached the third round.
Real Sociedad in the 21st Century

In the 2002–03 La Liga season, Real Sociedad finished second, just two points behind Real Madrid. This was their best finish since 1988. The team was managed by Raynald Denoueix from France. Key players included strikers Nihat Kahveci and Darko Kovačević, goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, and midfielder Xabi Alonso. Alonso was named the best Spanish player in the league that season.
A big moment that season was when Real Sociedad beat Real Madrid 4–2 at home. They were in first place until the second-to-last game, when they lost to Celta de Vigo. This meant Real Madrid won the title. However, finishing second allowed Real Sociedad to play in the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League. They made it to the last 16 before losing to Lyon.
After this successful season, the club's performance dropped, and they finished 15th in the league in 2003–04. In 2006–07, Real Sociedad was relegated from La Liga, ending their 40-year stay in the top division. They returned to La Liga for the 2010–11 season.

In the 2012–13 season, Real Sociedad finished fourth. This meant they qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. They beat Lyon in the play-offs to reach the group stage, but they only earned one point in their group.
In November 2014, David Moyes became the new manager, but he was replaced by Eusebio Sacristán a year later. Sacristán was later dismissed, and Asier Garitano took over, but he also lasted only seven months.
On December 26, 2018, Imanol Alguacil, who used to manage the reserve team, became the head coach. Under his leadership, the team played an exciting, attacking style of football.
Real Sociedad won its third Copa del Rey on April 3, 2021. This final was delayed for almost a year due to COVID-19. They won against their rivals, Athletic Bilbao, in a Basque derby. In the 2022–23 season, the club finished fourth in La Liga. This qualified them for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League, their first time in ten years. The 2024–25 season saw Real Sociedad finish 11th in La Liga and reach the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Home Stadium
Real Sociedad plays its home games at the Anoeta Stadium. The city council of San Sebastián owns this stadium.
Team Name and Colours
The club's full name, "Real Sociedad de Fútbol," means "Royal Society of Football" in Spanish. During the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the name was changed to Donostia Club de Futbol, but it went back to Real Sociedad after the Spanish Civil War in 1939.
The team is often called Erreala or the txuri-urdin in Basque. Txuri-urdin means "white-blue," which are the colours of their uniform. These colours come from the flag of San Sebastián, which has a blue section on a white background.
Fan Support
A study in 2007 found that 1.3% of people in Spain felt Real Sociedad was their favourite club. Another 1.5% liked Real Sociedad more than any other club, besides their absolute favourite.
The club truly values its supporters. In December 2012, to show how important fans are, the players wore the names of randomly chosen club members on their shirts for a match against Sevilla. The club president, Jokin Aperribay, said, "The fans are the soul, the nourishment and the reason for Real Sociedad."
Club Trophies
Domestic Competitions
- La Liga (Top Spanish League)
- Winners (2): 1980–81, 1981–82
- Segunda División (Second Spanish League)
- Winners (3): 1948–49, 1966–67, 2009–10
Cup Competitions
- Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup)
- Winners (3): 1909, 1986–87, 2019–20
- Supercopa de España (Spanish Super Cup)
- Winners (1): 1982
Regional Competitions
- Gipuzkoa Championship
- Winners (6): 1918–19, 1922–23, 1924–25, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1932–33
Players
Current Squad
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Reserve Team
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Team Performance Over the Years
Recent Seasons in La Liga
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Season Div. Pos. Pld W D L GF GA Pts Cup Europe Notes 2013–14 1D 7th 38 16 11 11 62 55 59 Semi-final UCL Group stage 2014–15 1D 12th 38 11 13 14 44 51 46 Round of 16 UEL Play-off round 2015–16 1D 9th 38 13 9 16 45 48 48 Round of 32 2016–17 1D 6th 38 19 7 12 59 53 64 Quarter-final 2017–18 1D 12th 38 14 7 17 66 59 49 Round of 32 UEL Round of 32 2018–19 1D 9th 38 13 11 14 45 46 50 Round of 16 2019–20 1D 6th 38 16 8 14 56 48 56 Winners 2020–21 1D 5th 38 17 11 10 59 38 62 Round of 16 UEL Round of 32 2021–22 1D 6th 38 17 11 10 40 37 62 Quarter-finals UEL Knockout round play-offs 2022–23 1D 4th 38 21 8 9 51 35 71 Quarter-finals UEL Round of 16 2023–24 1D 6th 38 16 12 10 51 39 60 Semi-final UCL Round of 16 2024–25 1D 11th 38 13 7 18 35 46 46 Semi-final UEL Round of 16
Real Sociedad has played 79 seasons in La Liga and 16 seasons in Segunda División.
European Competition Record
Real Sociedad has played in European competitions many times. Here's their overall record:
Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
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European Cup / Champions League (5) | 33 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 31 | 33 | −2 | 33.33 |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 25.00 |
UEFA Cup / Europa League (13) | 70 | 31 | 17 | 22 | 96 | 89 | +7 | 44.29 |
Total | 107 | 43 | 29 | 35 | 130 | 123 | +7 | 40.19 |
Source: UEFA.com
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal Difference.
Coaching Staff and Managers
Current Coaching Staff
Recent Coaches
- Imanol Alguacil (December 2018 – May 2025)
- Asier Garitano (May 2018 – December 2018)
- Eusebio (November 2015 – March 2018)
- David Moyes (November 2014 – November 2015)
- Jagoba Arrasate (July 2013 – November 2014)
- Philippe Montanier (July 2011 – June 2013)
- Martín Lasarte (July 2009 – June 2011)
- Juanma Lillo (April 2008 – June 2009)
- Chris Coleman (July 2007 – January 2008)
- Miguel Ángel Lotina (October 2006 – June 2007)
- José Mari Bakero (March 2006 – October 2006)
- Raynald Denoueix (July 2002 – June 2004)
- The current head coach is Sergio Francisco, who started in May 2025.
Player Statistics
Most Appearances for the Club
Rank | Player | Matches |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
599 |
2 | ![]() |
589 |
3 | ![]() |
588 |
4 | ![]() |
551 |
5 | ![]() |
529 |
6 | ![]() |
495 |
7 | ![]() |
474 |
8 | ![]() |
469 |
9 | ![]() |
442 |
10 | ![]() |
427 |
Top Goal Scorers
Rank | Player | Goals |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
162 |
2 | ![]() |
129 |
3 | ![]() |
127 |
4 | ![]() |
115 |
5 | ![]() |
114 |
6 | ![]() |
107 |
7 | ![]() |
107 |
8 | ![]() |
100 |
9 | ![]() |
91 |
10 | ![]() |
84 |
Famous Former Players
This list includes players who played in at least 100 league games or played for their national team.
Domingo Arrillaga
Juan Gómez
Gabriel Schürrer
Dietmar Kühbauer
Meho Kodro
Claudio Bravo
Mark González
Dalian Atkinson
Juan Cuyami
Emilio Nsue
Antoine Griezmann
John Aldridge
Edgaras Jankauskas
Carlos Vela
Sander Westerveld
Mutiu Adepoju
Bjørn Tore Kvarme
Martin Ødegaard
Oceano da Cruz
Carlos Xavier
Ricardo Sá Pinto
Gheorghe Craioveanu
Valery Karpin
Dmitri Khokhlov
Darko Kovačević
Imanol Agirretxe
Bittor Alkiza
Periko Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier Prieto
Mikel Aranburu
Agustín Aranzábal
José Araquistáin
Luis Arconada
Pedro María Artola
José Mari Bakero
Txiki Begiristain
Paco Bienzobas
Cholín
Diego
Agustín Eizaguirre
Ignacio Eizaguirre
Andoni Elizondo
Epi
Joseba Etxeberria
Miguel Ángel Fuentes
Agustín Gajate
Marcelino Gálatas
Gaztelu
Ion Andoni Goikoetxea
Alberto Górriz
Iñigo Idiakez
Santiago Idígoras
Silvestre Igoa
Andoni Imaz
Juan Antonio Ipiña
Rafael Iriondo
José Antonio Irulegui
Kiriki
Inaxio Kortabarria
Juan Antonio Larrañaga
Mikel Lasa
Iñigo Martínez
Aitor López Rekarte
Luis López Rekarte
Roberto López Ufarte
José María Lumbreras
Julio Olaizola
David Zurutuza
Sebastián Ontoria
Javier de Pedro
Jesús María Satrústegui
Silverio
Pedro Uralde
Javier Urruticoechea
Mariano Yurrita
Domingo Zaldúa
Jesús María Zamora
David Silva
Håkan Mild
Agne Simonsson
Alexander Isak
Nihat Kahveci
Tayfun Korkut
Sebastián Abreu
Lee Chun-soo
Club Presidents
Period | President |
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1909–1912 | Adolfo Sáenz |
1912–1915 | Enrique Pardiñas |
1915–1917 | Antonio Vega de Seoane |
1917–1918 | Xabier Peña |
1918–1919 | Mariano Lacort |
1919–1921 | Camilo Rodríguez |
1921–1922 | José Gaytán de Ayala |
1922–1924 | Ramón Machimbarrena |
1924–1927 | Antonio Vega de Seoane |
1927–1929 | Luis Pradera |
1929–1930 | Vicente Prado |
1930–1932 | Florentino Azqueta |
1932–1935 | Javier Peña |
1935–1937 | José María Gaztaminza |
1937–1942 | Francisco Molíns |
1942–1945 | Pedro Chillida |
1945–1954 | Felipe de Arteche |
1954–1956 | José María Gaztaminza |
1956–1960 | Emilio de Zulueta |
1960–1962 | Agustín Ciriza |
1962–1967 | Antonio Vega de Seoane |
1967–1983 | José Luis Orbegozo |
1983–1992 | Iñaki Alkiza |
1992–2001 | Luis Uranga |
2001–2005 | José Luis Astiazarán |
2005–2007 | Miguel Ángel Fuentes |
2007 | María de la Peña |
2007–2008 | Juan Larzábal |
2008 | Iñaki Badiola |
2008–present | Jokin Aperribay |
More About Real Sociedad
- Real Sociedad B – This is the club's main reserve team.
- Real Sociedad C – This is the club's second reserve team.
- Real Sociedad cantera – This is the club's youth system, where young players train.
- Real Sociedad Femenino – This is the club's women's football team.
See also
In Spanish: Real Sociedad de Fútbol para niños