Real Valladolid facts for kids
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| Full name | Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Pucela / Pucelanos (Pucelle) Blanquivioletas / Albivioletas (White and Violets) |
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| Founded | 20 June 1928 | |||
| Ground | José Zorrilla Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 27,846 | |||
| Owner | Grupo Ignite | |||
| Head coach | Guillermo Almada | |||
| League | Segunda División | |||
| 2022–23 | La Liga, 18th of 20 (relegated) | |||
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Real Valladolid is a professional football club from Spain. It is based in Valladolid, a city in Castile and León. The club's official name is Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D.
The team's colors are violet and white stripes. They have used these colors since the club was founded on June 20, 1928. Real Valladolid plays its home games at the Estadio José Zorrilla. This stadium can hold 27,846 fans.
Real Valladolid has won one major trophy, the Copa de la Liga in 1983–84. They have also been runners-up in the Copa del Rey twice. The club has played in European competitions like the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
Valladolid is the most successful football club in its region. They have played 47 seasons in the top Spanish league, La Liga. They have also spent 36 seasons in the Second Division and 10 in the Third. Historically, Real Valladolid is ranked as the 13th best team in Spain based on league points.
Two of their players have won the Pichichi Trophy for being the top scorer. Ten players from the club have also played for the Spanish national team. In recent years, the club has often moved between the first and second divisions.
On September 3, 2018, the famous Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Nazario bought a 51% share of the club. This made him the majority owner. In late 2025, Ronaldo sold his shares to Grupo Ignite.
Contents
Club History
Early Years and First Promotions (1928–2001)
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Real Valladolid was formed by combining two older clubs: Real Unión Deportiva de Valladolid and Club Deportivo Español. Their very first game was on September 22, 1928. They won 2–1 against Alavés.
The club first reached the top Spanish league, La Liga, in the 1947–48 season. They won the Segunda División championship that year. This made them the first club from Castile and León to play in Spain's top flight. The next year, they made it to the Copa del Rey final but lost 4–1 to Athletic Bilbao.
For the next ten years, Valladolid stayed in the first division. After a short time in the second division, they were promoted again in 1958–59. This happened under manager José Luis Saso, who was a club legend. He had played as a goalkeeper for the club and later held many roles, even becoming president.
Over the years, Valladolid often moved between the first and second divisions. They even dropped to the third division in 1970–71. However, they were promoted back to the second division the next year. In 1980, they returned to the first division and stayed there until 1992.
In 1984, Valladolid won the Copa de la Liga. This was a special competition played only in the early 1980s. They beat Atlético Madrid to win this trophy.
On April 14, 1996, Real Valladolid played its 1,000th game in La Liga. Their best finish during this period was seventh place in the 1996–97 season.
Carlos Suárez's Time as President (2001–2018)
In the 2006–07 season, Real Valladolid had one of its best years in the second division. They were coached by José Luis Mendilibar. The club led the league from the 15th game and finished with a record 88 points. They won the championship by eight points. They also went 29 games without losing. They were promoted to La Liga on April 22, 2007, which was the earliest promotion in Spanish history.
The team also did well in the Copa del Rey that season. They reached the quarter-finals, beating two top-division teams. They used mostly reserve players for this competition.
After promotion, they had two good seasons in La Liga. They finished 15th both times, avoiding relegation on the very last day.
In the 2009–10 season, the team started slowly. Coach Mendilibar was fired in February 2010. The team then fell into the relegation zone. After two more coaching changes, Valladolid lost 0–4 to FC Barcelona in the final game. This meant they were relegated from La Liga after three years.
In the 2011–12 season, Valladolid returned to La Liga. They were managed by Miroslav Đukić and won promotion through the play-offs. However, they were relegated again on the last day of the 2013–14 season.
In the 2017–18 season, Real Valladolid was promoted back to the first division. They achieved this through the play-offs, beating Sporting de Gijón and Numancia.
Ronaldo Nazário's Ownership (2018–2025)
In the summer of 2018, former Brazilian player Ronaldo Nazário bought most of the club's shares. He became the majority owner and president on September 3, 2018. The previous president, Carlos Suárez, stayed on as CEO for a while.
The team had a strong defense at the start of the 2018–19 season. They managed to stay safe from relegation by the end of the season. Key player Calero was sold to Espanyol for 8 million euros.
Sergio González Soriano continued as coach for the 2019–20 season. The COVID-19 pandemic paused the season. When it restarted, Valladolid secured their safety and finished 13th. This was their best position in 18 seasons. A young defender named Salisu was a standout player. He was sold for a club record 12 million euros.
In 2020, Real Valladolid started working with the city's basketball team. The basketball team changed its name to Real Valladolid Baloncesto and adopted the club's colors. They also made an agreement with Atlético Tordesillas, making it their second subsidiary team.
The 2020–21 season was affected by COVID-19 rules. Teams had to find alternative stadiums for home matches. Real Valladolid was relegated at the end of this season. They finished second-to-last.
In the 2021–22 season, Real Valladolid played in the second division. Their goal was to excite the fans again. They had a very strong defense, setting a new club record for minutes without conceding a goal. They earned direct promotion back to La Liga by winning their final match. They finished as runners-up and were the top-scoring team with 71 goals.
The 2022–23 season in La Liga was inconsistent. The team often conceded goals late in games. Paulo Pezzolano became the new coach during the season. Despite his efforts, the team was relegated on the final matchday. This was their fifth relegation in two decades.
After being relegated, President Ronaldo confirmed Pezzolano would remain as coach for the 2023–24 season. Fans showed their unhappiness with the club's leadership. On April 24, 2025, the team was relegated to the Second Division again. On May 23, 2025, Ronaldo announced he would sell his controlling shares.
Grupo Ignite Era (2025–Present)
On July 1, 2025, Víctor Orta was named the new Sporting Director for Real Valladolid. The club is now owned by Grupo Ignite.
Home Stadium
Real Valladolid plays its home games at the Estadio Nuevo José Zorrilla. This stadium was built in 1982 and can hold 26,421 people. It replaced an older stadium with the same name. Both stadiums are named after José Zorrilla y Moral, a famous poet from the city.
The new stadium opened on February 20, 1982. It hosted the 1982 Copa del Rey Final and three matches during the 1982 FIFA World Cup. The city council of Valladolid owns the stadium.
There were plans in 2010 to make the stadium bigger, to hold 40,000 spectators. This project was called Valladolid Arena. However, it depended on Spain hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which did not happen.
Club Performance Over the Years
Real Valladolid has played:
- 47 seasons in La Liga (First Division)
- 39 seasons in Segunda División (Second Division)
- 9 seasons in Tercera División (Third Division)
European Competitions
UEFA Cup
Real Valladolid has played in the UEFA Cup twice.
| Season | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Round of 64 | v.  Rijeka |
1–0 | 1–4 | 2–4 |
| 1997–98 | Round of 64 | v.  Skonto |
2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Round of 32 | v.  Spartak Moscow |
1–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The club played in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup once.
| Season | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | Round of 32 | v.  Ħamrun Spartans |
5–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 |
| Round of 16 | v.  Djurgårdens IF |
2–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | |
| Quarter-finals | v.  Monaco |
0–0 | 0–0 (aet) | 1–3 (pen.) |
Current Team Squad
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Reserve Team
Real Valladolid also has a reserve team called Real Valladolid Promesas.
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Players on Loan
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Coaching and Medical Staff
| Position | Staff |
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| Head coach |  Álvaro Rubio |
| Assistant coach | Torchu |
| Fitness coach | Dani Rabadán |
| Goalkeeper coach |  Pedro Ferrer |
| Assistant goalkeeper coach | Eduardo Ribeiro |
| Load control | Sergio Sánchez |
| Analyst | Sergio Trinchet |
| Delegate | Manuel Rodríguez |
| Kit man |  Justo Camacho Álvaro Fernández |
| Head of medical staff |  Lucas Rafael |
| Doctor | Doctor Lomo Doctor López Moreno |
| Head of performance department | Fran Albert |
| Nutritionist | Fernando García |
| Physiotherapist | Miguel Ángel Rodríguez José Ángel Samuel Bueno Rodrigo Herrero |
| Podiatrist | Juan Baticón |
Last updated: 20 February 2025
Source: Real Valladolid
Team Uniforms
Since its beginning in 1928, Real Valladolid has always worn purple and white striped home uniforms. This design was chosen to be different from other early clubs. The team still uses this basic look today. Purple and white are very important to the club's identity.
During the 2012–13 season, Real Valladolid wore a special shirt. This was to support Madrid's bid to host the 2020 Olympics. They wore this shirt for a match against Real Madrid. The shirt had black and purple stripes with bright orange numbers.
On September 24, 2023, Real Valladolid had to wear a fourth kit for a match. This was because their usual three kits were too similar in color to their opponent's main kit. This special kit had a yellow shirt and socks, with purple shorts.
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Segunda División: 1947–48, 1958–59, 2006–07
- Tercera División: 1933–34
Cup Wins
- Copa de la Liga: 1984
- Copa Real Federación Española de Fútbol: 1952–53
Club Records
- Most games unbeaten in Segunda División: 29 games (in 2006–07)
- Earliest promotion in Segunda División: on day 34 of the season (April 22, 2007)
- Fastest goal in La Liga history: 7.42 seconds. Scored by Joseba Llorente on January 20, 2008.
Related Clubs
- Real Valladolid B – This is Valladolid's reserve team.
- Real Valladolid (women) – This is the club's women's football team.
See also
In Spanish: Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol para niños
