Unión Española facts for kids
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| Full name | Unión Española S.A.D.P. | ||
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| Nickname(s) | La Furia (The Fury) El Rojo (The Red) Hispanos (Hispanics) |
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| Founded | 18 May 1897 as Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación |
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| Ground | Estadio Santa Laura | ||
| Capacity | 19,000 | ||
| Owner | Jorge Segovia | ||
| Chairman | Arturo Juarros | ||
| Manager | Miguel Ponce | ||
| League | Chilean Primera División | ||
| 2024 | Primera División, 6th of 16 | ||
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Unión Española S.A.D.P. is a professional football club. They are based in the Independencia neighborhood of Santiago, Chile. The team currently plays in the Primera División de Chile, which is the top football league in Chile.
Contents
History of Unión Española
How the Club Started
The club began on May 18, 1897. It was founded by Spanish immigrants living in Chile. They first called it Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación. Later, in 1918, two other teams were formed: Club Ciclista Ibérico and Club Ibérico Balompié. These two clubs joined together in 1922. They became a new club called Unión Deportiva Española. This team played its home games at the Estadio Santa Laura.
In its early years, Unión Deportiva Española played in the Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago championship. They won their first two titles in the Copa Chile in 1924 and 1925. The team's captain was a Spanish defender named Juan Legarreta.
In 1927, the championship changed its name to Liga Central de Football. The league had many clubs, so it was split into two groups. Unión Deportiva Española played in Serie A. In 1928, they won their second title in the Liga Central de Fútbol.
In May 1933, Unión Deportiva Española helped create the Professional League of Chile. This league was part of the Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago. In the Apertura Championship that year, Unión finished second. They lost the final to Colo-Colo with a score of 2–1. In the main championship, they ended up in fourth place out of eight teams.
In 1934, Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación and Unión Deportiva Española officially merged. The club then took its current name, Unión Española. This was symbolically re-founded on December 9, 1935.
In 1939, the club played only one match in the Primera División. This was due to the Spanish Civil War. The club's leaders decided to take a break for a year. In 1940, Unión played with a youth team. They finished in tenth place. In 1943, Unión Española won its first professional title in the Primera División.
After finishing second in 1945 and 1948, they were runners-up again in 1950. They lost the championship play-off to Everton 1–0. Unión won the Primera División title again in 1951. This was their second title, led by Spanish coach Isidro Lángara.
The Golden Age of Unión Española
In 1970, with Argentine coach Nestor Isella, Unión Española finished second in the Chilean Primera División. They lost the final to Colo-Colo. However, being runners-up allowed Unión to play in the Copa Libertadores for the first time. In the Copa Libertadores 1971, they won their group. They made it to the semi-finals but were then eliminated. In the local league, Unión finished third. The next season, they were runners-up again against Colo-Colo. This qualified them for the Copa Libertadores once more.
In 1973, Luis Santibáñez became the coach. Unión won the Primera División championship for the third time. Guillermo Yávar was the top goal scorer in the league that year. In international games, Unión did not do well in the Copa Libertadores 1973. They finished last in their group.
Coach Luis Santibáñez left for a short time in 1974. He returned to the club in June 1974. Unión had an average season, finishing fourth in the Primera División. They also finished last in their Copa Libertadores group. However, Unión won the Copa Libertadores play-offs. This meant they qualified for the next year's tournament.
The 1975 season was one of Unión Española's best. They won the national championship. They also finished second in the Copa Libertadores against Independiente from Argentina. In 1976, many of Unión Española's players left for other clubs. In the Primera División, Unión tied for first place with Everton. They played a championship play-off, which Unión lost. They did not qualify for the Libertadores tournament that year. However, in 1977, Unión became champions again.
Ups and Downs in the 1980s and 1990s
The 1980s were a mixed period for the club. In 1983, Unión had a very bad season. They finished 20th out of 22 teams. This meant they should have been moved down to the Second Division. But the Asociación Central de Fútbol (AFC) decided they would not be relegated. The next year, Unión played well enough to qualify for a special play-off. They finished third in this play-off.
In 1987, a club legend, Honorino Landa, passed away. A special cup, the "Copa Honorino Landa," was held in his honor. Unión played against Universidad Católica and lost 3–0. That year, the club finished twelfth in the league. In 1988, Unión finished second in the Copa Chile. They lost to Colo-Colo in the final.
In 1989, Unión played in the Winter Cup. This tournament was created to keep clubs active during the Copa América 1989. Unión won this cup, beating Huachipato 2–0 in the final.
In 1992, Nelson Acosta became the coach. In his first season, Unión won the Copa Chile 1992. Marcelo Vega was the top scorer with 13 goals. The club won the Copa Chile again in 1993. They beat Cobreloa 3–1 at the Estadio Nacional.
In 1997, Unión Española celebrated 100 years. However, this year they were moved down to the Second Division, now called Primera B. Coach Acosta left the club after this. For the 1999 season, Juvenal Olmos was hired as coach.
The 2000s and Beyond
Unión Española returned to the Primera División in 2000. They earned a record 70 points that season. In the Primera División, Unión finished fourth. Coach Juvenal Olmos left for Universidad Católica. Former player Leonardo Véliz became the new coach in 2001.
Fernando Carvallo coached the team for two seasons (2003–04). In his second season, Unión was eliminated from the play-offs by Santiago Wanderers. This was during the Torneo de Apertura. In the Torneo de Clausura that same year, Unión finished second. They lost the final to Cobreloa.
Fernando Carvallo left to coach Palestino. Fernando Díaz Seguel took over as coach. Under Díaz Seguel, Unión Española won the Torneo Apertura 2005. This was their sixth Primera División title.
Because they won the Apertura 2005, Unión played in the Copa Libertadores 2006. They did not make it to the second stage of this tournament. They finished third in their group. In the national league, Unión had a poor season, finishing thirteenth.
In 2007, Unión Española had an average season in the Torneo de Apertura. They finished eighth. But in the Torneo de Clausura, their performance got much worse. They finished eighteenth and almost had to play in the promotion play-offs.
In 2008, Marcelo Espina from Argentina became coach. Unión won their first three games. But their performance declined later. In July 2008, Spanish businessman Jorge Segovia bought the club. He paid 2.5 billion pesos. Segovia's first change was hiring Jorge Garcés as coach. However, Garcés also struggled and was dismissed. Luis Hernán Carvallo replaced him. The club then had to play in the Promotion play-offs against Deportes Puerto Montt. Unión barely avoided being moved down to Primera B, winning 5–4 on total score.
In 2009, the club had a great season in the Torneo de Apertura. They finished first in the regular phase. This qualified them for the play-offs and the Copa Sudamericana 2009. In the play-offs, they finished second. They lost to Universidad de Chile 2–1 on total score. Because they finished first in the Apertura, Unión qualified for the Copa Sudamericana 2009. They beat La Equidad 3–2. They then played against Vélez Sársfield in the Round of 16. Unión almost made it to the quarter-finals, losing 5–4 on total score.
In the Primera División Chilena 2010, Unión finished fifth. This qualified them for the Libertadores play-offs. Unión won this play-off against Audax Italiano in the final. This meant they qualified for the 2011 Copa Libertadores First Stage against Bolívar. In the first stage, Unión won 1–0. They moved to the group stage but finished last in their group.
Unión won the Apertura Tournament in 2013. They beat Colo-Colo 1–0 in the final. They tied with Universidad Católica in points. But Unión won the tournament because they had a better goal difference.
Stadium Information
Unión Española has played its home games at the Estadio Santa Laura since it opened in 1922.
After Jorge Segovia bought the club in May 2008, the stadium was renovated. This cost 4 billion pesos. In 2009, the stadium was renamed Estadio Santa Laura–Universidad SEK.
Club Rivals
Unión Española has traditional rivals. These include Palestino, a team founded by people from the Palestinian community in Chile. Another rival is Audax Italiano, which was started by local Italian immigrants.
Unión, Palestino, and Audax play against each other in what is called the Clásico de Colonias. This means "Diaspora Derby."
Club Facts
- 85 Seasons in Primera División: (1933–1938, 1940–1997, 2000–)
- 2 Seasons in Primera B: (1998–1999)
- 13 Participations in Copa Libertadores (1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1994, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2021)
- 4 Participations in Copa Sudamericana (2009, 2018, 2019, 2022)
- 1 Participation in Copa Ganadores de Copa (1970)
- Record Primera División victory — 14–1 v. Morning Star (1934)
- Record Primera División defeat — 0–6 v. Santiago Morning (1954)
- Record Copa Chile victory — 7–0 v. Municipal La Pintana (2011)
- Most goals scored (Primera División matches) — 132, Honorino Landa (1960–1965, 1969, 1973)
- Highest home attendance — 76,118 v. Colo-Colo (7 January 1990) (at Estadio Nacional)
- Primera División Best Position — Champions (1943, 1951, 1973, 1975, 1977, 2005-A, 2013-T)
- Copa Chile Best Season — Champions (1992, 1993)
Players
Current squad
Current squad of Unión Española as of 1 May 2021 ()
Sources: ANFP Official Web Site: http://www.anfp.cl/club/51/union-espanola
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- Teams in the Chilean Primera Division can have up to seven players who are not Chilean citizens. Also, only five foreign players can be on the field at one time. If a team has more than seven foreign players in the squad or five on the field, they can be penalized by the ANFP. The club's current squad has all its foreign player spots filled, with two players from Argentine, one from Palestine, and one from Uruguay.
2025 Summer Transfers
Players Joining the Team
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Players Leaving the Team
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Managers
Current Staff
| Position | Name |
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| Coach |  Jorge Pellicer |
| Assistant coach | Francisco Quiroz |
| Fitness coach | Felipe Prieto |
| Goalkeepers' coach | Matías Fernández |
| Physician | Cristián Carmona |
| Physiotherapists | Felipe Suárez - Pablo Celis |
Historical Managers
- Alfredo Plá (1918-1919)
- Juan Legarreta (1920-1929)
- Gerardo Mediavilla (1930)
- Raimundo Caballero (1931-1932)
- Gerardo Mediavilla y Juan Bautista Lapiedra (1933)
- Enrique Teuche (1934-1935)
- Luis Tirado (1936-1938)
- Atanasio Pardo (1938−1939)
- Manuel Casals (1940-1943)
- Atanasio Pardo (1943−1944)
- Carlos Schneeberger (1945)
- Isidro Lángara (1950−1951)
- Hernán Fernández (1954)
- Martín García (1955−1958)
- Francisco Hormazábal (1959−1960)
- Francisco Villegas (1961)
- Voltaire Carvajal (1961)
- Luis Tirado (1962)
- Domingo González (1962-1963)
- Isaac Fernández (1964)
- Dante Pesce (1965)
- Domingo González (1965-1966)
- Francisco Molina (1966-1967)
- Andrés Prieto (1968)
- Sergio Navarro (1969)
- Pedro Areso (1969)
- Miguel Mocciola y Pedro Areso (1969-1970)
- Federico Vairo (1970)
- Pedro Areso (1970)
- Néstor Isella (1971-1972)
- Luis Santibáñez (1973-1974)
- Jaime Ramírez (1974)
- Manuel Rodríguez (1974)
- Luis Santibáñez (1974-1977)
- Pedro García (1978)
- Luis Álamos (1978)
- Germán Cornejo (1978-1979)
- José María Silvero (1979)
- Orlando Aravena (1980)
- Nicolás Novello (1981)
- Honorino Landa (1982-1983)
- Humberto Cruz (1983)
- Caupolicán Peña (1983)
- Orlando Aravena (1984-1985)
- Mario Moreno (1986)
- Héctor Pinto (1986-1988)
- Juan Machuca (1988)
- Luis Santibáñez (1988)
- Manuel Rodríguez (1989-1991)
- Juan Rodríguez (1991)
- Pedro García (1991)
- Nelson Acosta (1992)
- Ricardo Contreras (1992)
- Guillermo Yávar (1992)
- Miguel Ángel Neira (1992)
- Nelson Acosta (1992-1996)
- Julio Comesaña (1996)
- Jorge Américo Spedaletti (1996)
- Guillermo Páez (1996-1997)
- Luis Ahumada (1997)
- Rogelio Delgado (1997)
- Guillermo Yávar (1998)
- Juvenal Olmos (1999-2000)
- Leonardo Véliz (2001-2002)
- Roberto Hernández (2002-2003)
- Fernando Carvallo (2003-2004)
- Fernando Díaz (2005)
- Fernando Carvallo (2006)
- Manuel Rodríguez (2006)
- Héctor Pinto (2007)
- Marcelo Espina (2007-2008)
- Jorge Garcés (2008)
- Luis Hernán Carvallo (2008-2009)
- José Luis Sierra (2009)
- Rubén Israel (2009-2010)
- José Luis Sierra (2010-2015)
- Fernando Vergara (2015-2016)
- Vladimir Bigorra (2016)
- Martín Palermo (2016-2018)
- Sebastian Zúñiga (2018)
- Fernando Díaz (2018-2019)
- Ronald Fuentes (2019-2020)
- César Bravo (2021)
- Jorge Pellicer (2021)
- César Bravo (2021-2022)
- Gustavo Canales (2022)
- Ronald Fuentes (2023)
- Miguel Ponce (2024-Act.)
Honours and Achievements
Unión Española has won the Primera División seven times. This places them behind Colo-Colo (31 wins), Universidad de Chile (18 wins), Universidad Católica (14 wins), and Cobreloa (8 wins). They have also won two Copa Chile titles.
On the South American stage, Unión has played in the Copa Libertadores nine times. They have also played in the Copa Sudamericana once and the Copa Ganadores de Copa once. Unión was also the runner-up in the 1975 Copa Libertadores.
National Titles
- Primera División de Chile
- Winners (7): 1943, 1951, 1973, 1975, 1977, 2005–A, 2013–T
- Copa Chile
- Winners (2): 1992, 1993
- Copa Invierno
- Winners (1): 1989
- Campeonato de Apertura
- Winners (1): 1947
- Supercopa de Chile
- Winners (1): 2013
- Primera B de Chile
- Winners (1): 1999
International Achievements
- Copa Libertadores
- Runners-up (1): 1975
Regional Titles
- Copa Chile de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (3): 1920, 1924, 1925
- Copa Unión de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1920
- Campeonato de Apertura de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1925
- Primera División de la Liga Central de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): Serie A 1928
- Torneo Metropolitano de Chile
- Winners (1): 1970
- Copa Arauco de la Segunda División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (3): 1919, 1922, 1923
Legacy of the Club
Unión Española is known as one of the "four great" football clubs in Chile. It is also one of the oldest teams in the country. Unión Española is the second oldest club in the Primera División Chilena. Only Santiago Wanderers, founded in 1892, is older.
Women's Football
The club also has a women's football team. This team competes in national tournaments with its younger age groups.
See also
In Spanish: Unión Española para niños
