R.C. Recreativo de Huelva facts for kids

Real Club Recreativo de Huelva is a Spanish football club. This team started in 1889, making it the oldest football team in Spain!

Meet Recreativo de Huelva

Real Club Recreativo de Huelva is a Spanish football team that began on December 23, 1889. It was started by Dr. McKay and British workers who were at the Rio Tinto mines. Because it's the oldest professional soccer team in Spain, it's often called El Decano, which means "the dean" or "the oldest" in Spanish football.

The team is commonly known as Recre. They play in white shirts with blue vertical stripes and white shorts. Their home stadium is the Nuevo Colombino stadium, which can hold 19,860 fans.

Recre worked hard to get back into Spain's top football league, called La Liga. After playing three seasons in the Segunda División (the second division), they won promotion on June 4, 2006. This meant El Decano was back among the best teams in Spanish football for the 2006/07 season.

What's in a Name?

When the club first started, it was known as Huelva Recreation Club. Later, its name changed to R.C. Recreativo de Huelva, which is what it's called today.

Trophies and Triumphs

Recreativo de Huelva has had some great moments in its history:

• They were champions of Andalucía every year from 1903 to 1914.
• They reached Spain's top league, Primera División (now called La Liga), in the 1978-79, 2002-2003, and 2005-2006 seasons.
• In 2003, they made it to the final of the Copa del Rey, which is a big cup competition in Spain.

Journey Through the Leagues

Recreativo de Huelva has played in different leagues throughout its long history. They have spent many seasons in the Segunda División, which is the second tier of Spanish football. They have also had several seasons in La Liga, the highest league in Spain, including in 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09.

Famous Players

Many talented players have played for Recreativo de Huelva. Here are a few:

• Antonio Valencia
• Santi Cazorla
• Mariano Pernía
• Gastón Casas
• Joaozinho
• Franz Platko
• Yago Alonso
• Nelson Zelaya
• Manuel Almunia
• Luis Aragonés
• Curro Torres
• Óscar Arpón
• Raúl Molina
• Xisco Muñoz
• Alex Pereira

Famous Coaches

Great coaches have also guided the team:

• Eusebio Ríos
• Víctor Espárrago
• Joaquín Caparrós
• Lucas Alcaraz
• Marcelino García Toral