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95-764: As in most countries with low temperatures in winter time, the season starts in March and ends in November. The league features several reserve teams of Meistriliiga clubs. According to the rules set by the Estonian Football Association , reserve teams are ineligible for promotion to the Meistriliiga, but can play in the Estonian Cup . During the season, the teams play each of the other four times, twice at home and twice away. This makes for

190-625: A 2 . In the Netherlands , the adjective Jong (young) is commonly used. In England reserve teams of professional clubs play in completely separate leagues and competitions such as the Professional Development League or the Central League , although further down the pyramid , reserve clubs feature in the same system as their parent clubs and can be promoted through the system. They cannot usually play in

285-669: A football ball on Spanish soil occurred in 1873 in either Huelva or Vigo. The investigations about which one was the dean of football in Spain remained inconclusive and open to debate by historians. That year, in Huelva, British workers of the Rio Tinto Company Limited (RTCL) began to arrive at the Minas de Ríotinto after the company won a concession to exploit the copper mines of Rio Tinto . The Englishmen who worked in

380-559: A keiretsu or otherwise, which were separate clubs competing for the same championships. An example is Toyota Automated Loom Works , founding member of the JSL in 1965, later relegated and now competing in the Aichi Prefecture league, and Toyota Motors , now known as Nagoya Grampus , founding member and mainstay of the J. League. Most J. League reserve teams these days are in the corresponding regional league. The most successful

475-604: A European women's club football match was recorded at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on 17 March 2019, when 60,739 fans came to a game between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona ; that attendance exceeded the previous record of 48,121 – also set in Spain in 2019 when Athletic Bilbao played Atlético Madrid at the San Mamés stadium. This record has since been broken again, with the highest attendance for

570-620: A Spanish women's football match being the game at Camp Nou with FC Barcelona against VfL Wolfsburg on 22 April 2022, at 91,648 fans. There are two national competitions, the Liga F and the Copa de la Reina ('Queen's Cup'). The first teams and informal women's football competitions in Spain emerged in the 1970s. However, they were not officially recognized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation until 1980, with

665-458: A champion of the league. Clubs are also allowed have third teams in the league system. In France, the reserve teams of professional clubs playing in Ligue 1 , Ligue 2 or National is restricted to play in fourth-tier Championnat National 2 if the club has a youth center or in fifth-tier Championnat National 3 if a team doesn't have a youth center. Reserve teams have not been allowed to play

760-621: A club's youth team , which usually consists of players under a certain age and plays in an age-specific league. In England, Argentina and the United States the term reserve is commonly used to describe these teams. In Germany and Austria the terms Amateure or II is used, while B team is used in the Spanish football league system , the Czech Republic , Slovakia , and Portugal . In Norway , these teams are distinguished by

855-471: A few years later, Exiles FC and Rio Tinto FC lasted decades and played a pivotal role in the amateur beginnings of football in Spain. Rio Tinto FC catalyzed the Sociedad de Juego de Pelota ('Ball Game Society') in 1884, which organized football games and other typical British sports. These meetings were initially contested between the club's members and later against crews of English ships that docked in

950-480: A group of seven students of that gym led by Juan Astorquia founded the first Basque football club: Athletic Club. This early British influence was reflected in the use of English names such as Recreation Club, Athletic Club, and Football Club. Although Athletic was founded in 1898, the club was not officially established until the historic meeting in Café García on 5 September 1901, where the club's first board

1045-469: A loss. Promotion matches and relegation matches involving clubs of higher or lower leagues are not counted. The table is sorted by all-time points. Reserve teams In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players under contract to a club but who do not normally play in matches for the primary team. Reserve teams often include back-up players from the first team, young players who need playing time to improve their skills, as well as members of

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1140-769: A particular club. In addition, 74.9% said they watched, whenever possible, the matches broadcast on television regarding their favourite teams, and 42.4% had flags, badges, or objects of their favourite teams. Data from this survey confirmed the widespread impression that most of Spain's people are supporters of Real Madrid (32.4%) or FC Barcelona (24.7%), and the other teams have fewer supporters nationwide, such as Atlético de Madrid (16.1%), Valencia CF (3.5%), Athletic Bilbao (3.3%), or Sevilla FC (3.2%). A relationship between football, politics, intercultural relations, identity, and attitudes toward regionalism in Spain has also been reported. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (Spanish: Real Federación Española de Fútbol) –

1235-553: A reserve team, with the creation of Milan Futuro . From the days of the old Japan Soccer League , Japan allowed reserve teams to play in the main league system . Even today reserve teams of J. League clubs are allowed to compete in the Emperor's Cup . These teams were never promoted to the top flight due to their senior squad's presence there. Reserve clubs were usually localized in the same city as their senior team and should not be confused with clubs from sister companies within

1330-432: A total of 36 games played each season. The teams gain three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat. Promotion and relegation between divisions is a central feature of the league. At the end of the season, clubs at the top of their division win promotion to the next higher division, while those at the bottom will be relegated to the next lower one. At the end of a season, the top Esiliiga club gains promotion to

1425-566: A youth center, the promotion is instead awarded to the second. Some clubs even have C or D-sides that play at regional or district levels . In Germany, Hertha BSC II , the reserve team of Hertha Berlin , reached the 1992–93 DFB-Pokal final after their first team were eliminated in the Round of 16. They lost the final 1–0 to Bayer Leverkusen . In the German football league system , however, reserve teams are not allowed to be promoted above

1520-458: Is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every team that has played in the Esiliiga since its inception in 1992. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2021 season. Teams in bold played in the Esiliiga 2021 season . Numbers in bold are the record (highest) numbers in each column. In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for

1615-668: Is a football competition for teams from the Segunda División B, the Tercera División and sometimes from the Preferente Regional who have failed to qualify or have been eliminated in the first round of the Copa del Rey. In April 1927, Álvaro Trejo, a director at Arenas Club de Getxo , first proposed the idea of a national league in Spain. After much debate about the league's size and who would participate,

1710-615: Is characterized by possessing the ball for large portions of the game and moving the ball quickly from one player to the next, with short and quick passes, keeping the ball away from the opponent, and then delivering an incisive pass to score a goal. Professional football in Spain is a sociocultural event that significantly contributes to the Spanish economy in terms of demand and supply. In economic terms, during 2013, professional football generated more than €7.6 billion, including direct, indirect, and induced effects, representing 0.75% of

1805-601: Is no legal record of their existence. The first legally established Spanish football club was the Cricket and Football Club of Madrid , founded in October 1879 under the protection of King Alfonso XII , who was named the Honorary President of the club. Together with Exiles FC and Rio Tinto FC, it was one of the three proto-clubs that pioneered and expanded football in Spain. Even though the Madrid team disappeared

1900-426: Is officially designated as a third-tier league, and it includes a small number of independent teams not affiliated with an MLS team. Most reserve teams play in the same stadiums or the training stadium for their parent team, but several have been established in alternative or nearby markets. Prior to the establishment of MLS Next Pro, most MLS reserve teams participated in the second-tier USL Pro league (now known as

1995-488: Is recognized as the first Catalan championship. The Catalan Championship emerged just a few days after the Campeonato de Madrid , whose first edition was won by Moderno FC . The poorly organized sport still found many detractors that hindered further expansion because it was considered dangerous in its early years. In 1902 the first national championship played in Spain was organized, the Copa de la Coronación , by

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2090-422: Is the sport that interests the majority of Spanish people (48%) and a total of 67% of the population said they were fans of or had a liking for a particular club. In a survey of the sports habits of the Spanish population made in 2010, football was ranked as the second most popular recreational sport practiced by the population (17.9%). 75.9% said they had purchased tickets to a football match. In addition, 67.3% of

2185-596: The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup , therefore making Spain only the second nation after Germany to win both the men's and women's senior World Cup. In all categories, Spain's men's national teams have won 27 titles in FIFA , UEFA , and Olympic tournaments within the European continent and beyond. In qualifying for the UEFA championships, the team ranked highest in the number of shots (227) and possession (70%) and completed with

2280-528: The 3. Liga and since 2008–09 have not been allowed to play in the cup competition to serve the non-reserve team's interests. In the 2003–04 season, Bayern Munich 's reserve team won the Regionalliga Süd , a semi-professional league then in the third tier of German football (now the fourth), finishing nine points clear of the second-placed FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt . Due to the rule which prohibits one club from having two teams in fully professional leagues,

2375-675: The Club Regatas de Barcelona (a club of rowing and sailing ) and cricket players of the British Club de Barcelona located on Rambla dels Capuchins . James Reeves , the spokesman of the British members of Club Regatas, convinced some members of the two clubs to practice football, thus forming a society known as the Barcelona Football Club . This group of football pioneers in the city played several matches in

2470-457: The Coupe de France to serve the non-reserve team's interests. However, if the first team plays or get relegated in the fourth-tiered National 2 , the reserve team is restricted to a fifth-tiered level . If a reserve team finishes first in his National 2 group, the promotion is awarded to the second. Additionally, if a reserve team finishes first in his National 3 group but the club doesn't have

2565-793: The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in 2018 and 2022 (runners-up in 2014, and third-place in 2010 and 2016). Within Spain, regional teams, most notably the Catalonia national football team , the Basque Country national football team , and even the Galicia national football team , began to compete against each other from 1915 onwards. Despite not being officially recognized by FIFA , these regional teams still occasionally play friendly games, with some national team players playing for both teams. Some autonomous governments and social sectors in

2660-803: The FIFA World Cup and succeeded in the UEFA European Championship and the Olympic tournament . The biggest success achieved by the national team was the historic treble of winning tournaments in a row: the UEFA European Championship in 2008, the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and the UEFA European Championship in 2012. They also won the UEFA Cup in 1964 and in 2024. The Spain women's national football team became world champions following their victory in

2755-541: The FIFA World Cup in 2015 . A place in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings was secured for Spain in 2021, when their players won all categories of the UEFA awards , the first time this was done all from one nation. In 2023, Spain were crowned World Champions , being only one of five national teams to have been so since the first Women's World Cup in 1991 . Together with their youth teams , Spain became

2850-723: The League Cup , the Eva Duarte Cup , and the President's Cup of the Spanish Football Federation. Up to a total of sixteen clubs have been winners of some of the official competitions in Spain at the highest level, and FC Barcelona is the most awarded club with seventy-five national titles, The Spanish football league system consists of several leagues bound together hierarchically by promotion and relegation. In addition, Spanish Royal Federation Cup

2945-510: The Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP)(English: Professional Football League), an independent body that was formed at the initiative of the clubs themselves after disagreements with the RFEF regarding the management professionalization and economic division of the League benefits. Since the entry into force of Spanish Law 10/1990, almost all clubs competing professionally in Spain are companies under

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3040-597: The Meistriliiga . This is providing that the Esiliiga club meets the licensing criteria of the Meistriliiga. Reserve teams in Estonia play in the same league system as the senior team, however, they must play at least one level below their main side, and are thus ineligible for promotion to the Meistriliiga. Two bottom end clubs of Esiliiga are relegated to the Esiliiga B , and two top clubs of Esiliiga B are promoted to

3135-586: The Primera División . The following season CD España Industrial , the reserve team of FC Barcelona , also finished as runners-up in the same play-off but were similarly denied. However, after winning another promotion play-off in 1956, España Industrial separated from FC Barcelona and were renamed CD Condal . The club were now able to be promoted to the Primera División. However, they survived only one season and were relegated in 1957. In 1968

3230-486: The RFEF eventually agreed on the ten teams forming the first Primera División in 1928. FC Barcelona , Real Madrid , Athletic Bilbao , Real Sociedad , Arenas Club de Getxo , and Real Unión were selected as previous Copa del Rey winners. Athletic Madrid , RCD Español , and CE Europa qualified as Copa del Rey runners-up and Racing de Santander qualified through a knock-out competition against Sevilla FC . Barcelona

3325-725: The Segunda División . Since 2015, the Bulgarian Football Union allowed Bulgarian teams to have reserve sides in Bulgarian football league system , obliged to play one level below their main side and also can not compete in the Bulgarian Cup . On 26 May 2023, CSKA 1948 II secured first place in Second League , the second level of Bulgarian football, becoming the first reserve team to become

3420-747: The U.S. Soccer Federation and ultimately resulted in a compromise where only eight MLS first teams would participate while the rest fielded their reserve teams. Football in Spain Football is the most popular sport in Spain , with 61% of the population interested in it. Spain has some of the most influential teams in Europe ( Real Madrid , Barcelona , Atlético de Madrid , Sevilla , Valencia , and others) as well as many players (mostly unprofessional) and teams registered in all categories (1,063,090 players in 21,148 clubs). Moreover, football

3515-761: The UEFA Futsal Championship and two times champion in the FIFA Futsal World Championship . Modern football was introduced to Spain in the late 19th century by a combination of mostly British immigrant workers , visiting sailors, and Spanish students returning from Britain. In the late 1870s, various English workers scattered throughout the peninsula began to establish informal groups that were dedicated to different recreational practices, especially cricket and football, particularly in Spanish ports of Vigo , Andalusia , Huelva , Seville , and Bilbao . The first kick to

3610-577: The UEFA Women's Championship . Its youth division has had success in recent times. The under-20 team won the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022 (runners-up in 2018). The under-19 team won the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in 2004, 2017, and 2018 (runners-up in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016). The under-17 team won the UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship in 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2018 (runners-up in 2009, 2014, 2016, and 2017), as well as

3705-479: The USL Championship ) from 2014 to 2022. The league is operated by United Soccer League , a separate organization from MLS, and included independent teams that signed affiliation pacts with MLS teams. A few other MLS teams fielded their reserve teams in the third-tier USL League One , also operated by USL, and some MLS teams never fielded a reserve side in either USL league. Prior to the arrangement with

3800-697: The Ukrainian Cup . Since 1999–2000 in Ukraine started to talk about reviving some kind of separate competition for such teams or youth competitions. In 2004 there was organized competition for the Vyshcha Liha teams doubles. Some doubles were formed out of already existing second teams, other clubs kept their second teams as well as created additional doubles. It certainly reduced the number of second teams in regular league competitions as well eliminated some farm clubs. In 2008, championship among doubles

3895-767: The Ukrainian Second League or lower, some better have competed in the Ukrainian First League (such as FC Dynamo-2 Kyiv ). Also some smaller clubs voluntarily would join bigger club as its farm (Ternopil-Nyva-2, Poltava-2 Karlivka, others), while other would be forced to be revived anew as the original club would be changed into a new better club. On rare occasions in the professional league competitions were allowed to compete some clubs' academies ( Sports school of Olympic Reserve (SSOR) Metalurh , FC Dnipro-75 Dnipropetrovsk , others). Until 1999 second teams and third teams were allowed to compete in

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3990-555: The port of Huelva . The earliest known example of this dates to March 1888, when the club played football and cricket matches against the mariners of a merchant ship called Jane Cory . This society developed into the oldest official football club in Spain, Recreativo de Huelva , founded in December 1889 by two Scottish doctors of the Rio Tinto Company, Alexander Mackay and Robert Russell Ross. Exiles FC lasted until

4085-823: The 1892–93 season, most of which were training matches between the Blue and Red teams. The last game of the season on 12 March 1893 was the subject of the first proper chronicle of a football match in Spain, appearing in La Dinastía . The photograph of the two sides before the game is regarded as Spain's oldest image of a football team. However, Palamós FC was the first official and registered Catalan football club in 1898. The Swiss Hans Gamper founded FC Barcelona on 29 November 1899. Other clubs founded in 1900 – such as Escocès FC (previously Sant Andreu), Hispania AC (previously Team Rojo), University SC, FC Internacional , and Irish Football Club – competed for local support in

4180-581: The Copa Macaya on 6 January 1901, which was organized on the initiative of Alfonso Macaya: the then honorary president of Hispania AC, who went on to win the first edition of the competition, thus becoming the very first Spanish club to win an official title. Copa Macaya was the first tournament ever played in Spain and all Iberian Peninsula and was the predecessor of the Catalan football championship (Catalan: Campionat de Catalunya ). The Copa Macaya

4275-695: The Cup were restored in the 1939–40 season after the Civil War had ended. Francisco Franco's regime , a fascist political system, began to use football as a propaganda tool for the new regime. In 1941, as part of his policy of eradicating regional identities, the Franco regime banned using non-Castilian names. As a result, many clubs that had chosen English prefixes previously, such as Athletic or Football clubs, had to amend their initial names for other Castilian (such as Atlético or Club de Fútbol). The Catalan Championship

4370-549: The Esiliiga. The two-legged play-offs for the Meistriliiga spot are contested between the ninth placed (second bottom) club in the Meistriliiga and the second in the Esiliiga, and the two-legged play-offs for the Esiliiga spot are contested between the eighth placed (third bottom) club in the Esiliiga and the third in the Esiliiga B. The following clubs are competing in the Esiliiga during the 2024 season . – never been relegated from Esiliiga – never played in Meistriliiga – ineligible for promotion to Meistriliiga The table

4465-513: The European level. Nevertheless, the triumphs of the Spain national team in the 2008 and 2012 European Championship , and 2010 FIFA World Cup , with an attractive playing style , marked a turning point that divided the history of the Spain national football team into two parts. The Spain national football team won FIFA Team of Year in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, and the Laureus World Sports Award for Team of

4560-712: The Shipyard Workers. This group of football pioneers were part of a multi-sports club called Club Atleta , which had been founded in late 1889. In November 1892, the president of Club Atleta , Enrique Jones Bird, successfully asked for permission to play in the Hippodrome of Lamiako , which thus became the new home of organized football in the Basque Country. It was from Lamiako that the sport of football took off in Bilbao, with several Bilbainos swarming

4655-430: The Spanish GDP. Moreover, due to the financial crisis in the last few years, many Spanish football clubs in the top two divisions have been facing severe economic troubles due to paying bank debts. In addition, the European Union authorities have warned the Spanish authorities to halt public funding of debt-ridden clubs. Spain's national futsal team is one of the strongest teams in the world, being six times champion in

4750-412: The USL, MLS ran its own reserve league, the MLS Reserve League , from 2005 to 2014. Since 2016, the U.S. Open Cup has only permitted one team to participate per organization, thus excluding reserve teams if its parent team is participating. MLS attempted to exclusively field its reserve teams in place of its first teams in the 2024 edition to relieve fixture congestion. This proposal was rejected by

4845-409: The Year in 2011. The Spain national football team won four trophies in FIFA and UEFA tournaments: one FIFA World Cup in 2010 and three UEFA European Championships in 1964, 2008, and 2012. In addition, it was runner-up in the UEFA European Championship in 1984 and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 . The Spain national under-23 team won the gold medal in the 1992 Olympic tournament and

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4940-400: The birth of the Spanish League . The first league championship began in 1929. The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) disrupted national competitions. Although the Spanish League was suspended, the Catalan and Valencian clubs continued contesting the Mediterranean League in early 1937. Barcelona later toured Mexico and the United States, supporting the Spanish Republic. The Spanish League and

5035-484: The club rejoined the FC Barcelona family as the reserve team and eventually evolved into FC Barcelona B . In 1983–84 Castilla CF and Bilbao Athletic , the reserve teams of Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao respectively, finished as winners and runners-up of the Segunda División. Castilla, Bilbao Athletic and Atlético Madrid B finished third in 1987–88 , 1989–90 and 1998–99 respectively. In normal circumstances, these teams would have all been promoted except for

5130-502: The club's first president. Unlike previous clubs, Sevilla FC was solely devoted to football, leading it to be considered Spain's first football club. The first official football match in Spain was contested between Sevilla FC and Recreativo de Huelva in Seville on 8 March 1890, at an abandoned mine near Calle Sanz. There were two Spanish players on each team; all other players were British, mostly Scottish, including Sevilla's captain Hugh MacColl . Sevilla FC won 2–0 . Football

5225-535: The clubs in the Scottish Premiership enter the Scottish Challenge Cup for lower division clubs (and some entrants from other parts of the British Isles). Proposals have been made by the bigger clubs to have 'B teams' placed into the Scottish football league system , but as of 2020 these have been rejected. The South-Korean R League serves as a dedicated competition for reserve teams and has been intermittently active since 1990, with several interruptions and format changes throughout its history. In its current form,

5320-499: The country's national football governing body – organizes two Cup competitions: the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España . The Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP) (English: Professional Football League), integrated by a total of 42 football clubs, forms part of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) but has autonomy in its organization and functioning. It is responsible for organising state football leagues in coordination with RFEF. The Spain national football team once won

5415-471: The country, and the first idols in Spain began to appear, like Pichichi and Paulino Alcántara . The Spain national team was created in 1920 during the dispute of the Olympic Games in Antwerp. The success of the Spanish national team in the Olympic Games, which won the silver medal, was huge in the development of football as a mass social event in Spain. The interest in football grew, more people attended stadiums, more football information appeared in

5510-434: The creation of the first football associations in charge of its regulation. The first football association founded in Spain was the Catalan Football Federation (Catalan: Federació Catalana de Futbol ), established in Catalonia on 11 November 1900, as the Football Association of Catalonia (Catalan: Football Associació de Catalunya ). With the first associations also came the first competitions and tournaments, such as

5605-435: The early 1910s; the club had good relations with the first football clubs to emerge in the city, and collaborated with them by providing knowledge, players, coaches, and even sharing its field, El Relleno . After Recreativo de Huelva, Sevilla FC is the next-oldest club in Spain, having been founded on 25 January 1890, by Isaias White and the then British vice-consul of Seville , Edward Farquharson Johnston , who became

5700-406: The fact that their senior team was already in the Primera División. In 1980 Castilla CF also reached the Copa del Rey final and qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup . During their cup run, they beat four Primera División teams including Hércules CF , Athletic Bilbao , Real Sociedad and Sporting de Gijón . The latter two eventually finished second and third in the Primera División. In

5795-424: The field to watch the teams of British workers challenge each other every weekend, and eventually, the local citizens themselves decided to challenge a British team in 1894 , which ended in a 6–0 win for the British. The result, however, did not discourage the enthusiastic locals who were quick to play another match and soon the sport gained followers among the young students of the Gymnasium Zamacois, and in 1898,

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5890-400: The final they played Real Madrid but lost 6–1. However, because Real also won La Liga , Castilla CF qualified for European Cup Winners' Cup. Despite beating West Ham United 3–1 in the opening game at the Bernabéu , they lost the return 5–1 and went out in the first round. Málaga CF was originally formed in 1948 as Atlético Malagueño , the reserve team of CD Málaga . In 1992 CD Málaga

5985-652: The first competitions, including the first-ever tournament held in Spain, the Copa Macaya . In Madrid , the first games were promoted by Institución Libre de Enseñanza (ILE; 'Free Educational Institution'), an educational and cultural centre. The first official and registered football club in Madrid was Football Club Sky , founded in 1897. A conflict between its members caused the club to split in two in 1900. Then, several clubs also emerged in Madrid, most notably Madrid Football Club , officially established in March 1902 by Catalan brothers Juan and Carlos Padrós . The rapid growth of football enthusiasts and entities led to

6080-478: The first nation ever to hold all three Women's World Cups at the same time when they won the senior 2023 World Cup, 2022 U-20 World Cup , and 2022 U-17 World Cup . Junior teams of Spain have been successful, having the following victories: Currently, the three most essential competitions between clubs in Spain are La Liga (English: League), the Copa del Rey (English: King's Cup), and the Supercopa de España (English: Spanish Supercup). Other extinct competitions were

6175-438: The first team plays in the second-tiered 1. divisjon , the reserve team is restricted to a fourth-tier league , maintaining a league difference of two. Reserve teams bear the same name as their respective first teams with a "2" attached as a suffix. If a reserve team ends the season in a promotion spot to a league it cannot enter, that promotion is instead awarded to the best following team. Scotland has two reserve leagues under

6270-441: The first team recovering from injury. In some countries, reserve or development teams compete in entirely separate competitions from first teams, while some countries allow reserve teams or farm teams to compete in the same league system as their club's first team, although usually in separate divisions. Reserve teams usually consist of a combination of emerging youth players and first-team squad players. These teams are distinct from

6365-415: The founding of the National Women's Football Committee. The first official national competition was the Copa de la Reina ('Queen's Cup'), established in 1983. The Women's National League began playing in the 1988–89 season. The Spain women's national football team has qualified three times in the FIFA Women's World Cup , becoming World Champions in 2023 following their victory over England; and twice in

6460-430: The highest pass percentage (91%) out of all qualifying teams. The team was also the first to retain the Henri Delaunay trophy . The First Division of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional – commonly known in the English-speaking world as La Liga – is one of the strongest football leagues in both Europe and the world. At the club level, Spanish football clubs have won a total of 66 international tournaments. They are

6555-409: The historical communities (especially in Catalonia and Basque Country ) prefer to call their regional teams the national team while claiming to participate in international tournaments. The Spain national team , commonly referred to as La selección (English: The selection) or La Roja (English: The Red one), made their international debut at the 1920 Olympic Games in Belgium and came away with

6650-405: The league has been played since 2016. Reserve teams in Spain play in the same league pyramid as their parent club but may not play in the same division. Since 1990 reserve teams are restricted to play in Copa del Rey . In 1951–52 CD Mestalla , the reserve team of Valencia CF , won the Segunda División promotion play-off but were denied promotion because their senior team was already in

6745-416: The legal status of sports companies, whose ownership is in the hands of its shareholders. Only three professional clubs ( Athletic Club , Barcelona, and Real Madrid) kept their original structure, such as sports clubs directly controlled by their members. After the appearance of private television in Spain, clubs' revenue increased due to lucrative contracts signed to broadcast matches on television, allowing

6840-494: The main club and promoted to professional ranks starting again from regional competitions. As it was mentioned above, farm teams in Ukraine are not necessary denoted with 2 (or 3 ), but could be a separate club that have an agreement with another club. Among examples there are FC Karlivka that used to be called FC Poltava-2 (the second team of FC Poltava ), FC Kalush was known as LUKOR Kalush and Prykarpattia Kalush (the second team of FC Spartak Ivano-Frankivsk ), FC Krasyliv

6935-615: The mines gathered to play their favourite sports, like cricket, rugby , and football. Meanwhile, in Vigo, a group of British workers for the Eastern Telegraph Company arrived there from Porthcurno , a small isolated town in the far west of England, thus earning the nickname "Exiles". These two colonies gave birth to the first Spanish football teams: Exiles Foot-Ball Club (1876) and Río Tinto Foot-Ball Club (1878). These teams were never officially established, so there

7030-475: The most successful in different current European competitions, such as UEFA Champions League , UEFA Super Cup , and UEFA Europa League ; and were also the most successful in the extinct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup . During its most successful time, Tiki-taka was the characteristic football style of play developed by the Spain national football team (and at the club level, by FC Barcelona ). This football style

7125-520: The newspapers, and football was used as an element of national prestige and political propaganda. After the Olympic triumph, football experienced a popularity boost among Spanish fans, and as a result, stadium attendance increased, and the pressure of professionalism grew. Spanish football eventually turned professional in 1925. An agreement between several clubs was made on November 23, 1928, officially establishing Spain's national football division and

7220-455: The people said they saw all, almost all, many, or some of the football matches broadcast on television. In another survey undertaken in 2014, football practice decreased to 14% of the population, being overtaken by other sports such as running, cycling, and swimming for recreation. However, in this survey, football was still the sport that interested the most of Spain's people (48%). 67% of the population said they were fans of or sympathized with

7315-517: The previous two seasons, in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2011. The Spain national football team represents Spain in international women's football since 1980, after the ban on women's football was lifted. The Spain national team made their debut on February 5, 1983, in Pontevedra . Spain achieved second place in the 1997 European Championship , the first time they had ever been in this tournament. Spain first qualified for

7410-502: The recently established Madrid Football Federation , which was the catalyst for the current Copa del Rey due to its success. The Copa del Rey (English: King's Cup) competition was founded in 1903, one year after a previous football tournament named Coronation Cup. It was Spain's national football Championship from 1903 until the establishment of the League Championship in 1928. The Spanish Federation of Football Clubs

7505-554: The same division as their parent team. However, in other countries, reserve teams play in the same football league as their senior team and have competed in the domestic cup competitions. In Spain this has seen the reserve team of CD Málaga change identity and play in La Liga while Castilla CF , the reserve team of Real Madrid , reached the Copa del Rey final, qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup and won

7600-447: The same division with their primary team (senior team). On several occasions, the second team of Dynamo Kyiv ( Dynamo-2 Kyiv ) won the Ukrainian First League , but was not allowed to be promoted to premiers where the primary team of Dynamo Kyiv competes due to the rule. As any rules there are some exceptions, the second team of FC Nyva Ternopil ( FC Ternopil ) were allowed promotion to the same division after it lost its affiliation with

7695-664: The silver medal in 2000. The Spain national football team won the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in 2005, 2007, and 2018, the silver medal in 1955, and the bronze medal in 1963 and 1967. In addition, the honours list includes numerous titles at junior-level teams: Spain has won the Maurice Burlaz Trophy, the prize awarded to the national association that has achieved the best results in UEFA's men's youth competitions (UEFA European Under-19 Championship and UEFA European Under-17 championship) over

7790-399: The silver medal. Since then, the Spain national team has participated in fifteen of twenty-one FIFA World Cups and nine out of fourteen UEFA European Championships . Historically, the Spain national team did not achieve important results in terms of trophies or develop an attractive playing style. Surprisingly, this fact contrasted with the huge success of the main Spanish football clubs at

7885-492: The teams to sign top players. However, as a result, most clubs also vastly increased their spending. La Liga has been in significant financial turmoil in the last few years. As of 2013 , Real Madrid and Barcelona were at the top of the Forbes list of most valuable football teams , while the remaining Spanish clubs had a debt of around €4.1 billion. For this reason, most clubs had to cut their budgets drastically. In 2013,

7980-483: The third biggest club, Atlético Madrid, had a debt of around €180 million; to relieve the debt, the club sold star player Radamel Falcao for €60 million. Television companies also began to lose subscribers; Digital+ said it had lost 15% of subscribers since 2012, and Mediapro lost 25% from 2011 to 2013, also having to shut down MARCA TV . Social interest in women's football has been growing in recent years, leading to increased economic investment. A record crowd for

8075-563: The third-placed 1. FC Saarbrücken was promoted to the Second Bundesliga instead. In 2018, the Italian Football Federation allowed the possibility for Serie A teams to register a reserve Under-23 team in the third-tier Serie C league, with only Juventus taking that opportunity. In 2023, Juventus Next Gen was joined by Atalanta Under-23 . In 2024, AC Milan became the third Italian club to form

8170-582: The umbrella of the SPFL Reserve League , where 27 of the senior clubs competed in its first year, only for several (including Celtic and Rangers ) withdrew to pursue their own programme of fixtures. The predecessor was the SPFL Development League until 2018. It was described as a development league for under-20s, but teams could field up to five over-age players in each game. Reserve teams (limited to under-21 players) of

8265-535: Was JEF United Ichihara Chiba Reserves , who competed in the then national third division, the Japan Football League . (Furukawa Electric Chiba still exists but is no longer affiliated with the JEF club.) In Norway, reserve football teams are permitted to participate at all levels of league football except for the two highest divisions, making the 2. divisjon the highest league they can enter. However, if

8360-503: Was banned, and the Catalan shield was taken from FC Barcelona's badge. Spanish football began to rebuild slowly after the War, but Spain's isolated international position meant they did not properly re-enter International football until 1950. Later, Franco's regime could use football, based on the European triumphs of Real Madrid in the 1950s, for political purposes. In this manner, Real Madrid

8455-497: Was disbanded and two years later Atlético Malagueño were relaunched as Málaga CF. They were eventually promoted to the Primera División in 1999. There was a Reserve League in the Thai Premier League from 2016 onwards. In Ukraine, there are two types of reserve teams, one doubles and the other dvushky ( dviyky, triyky ) or second teams . The second teams compete in regular league competitions usually in

8550-413: Was elected. In the late 19th century, Catalonia enjoyed the country's most developed industry, largely thanks to its cotton industry . For this reason, Barcelona was home to a group of British immigrants. The first known football match in the city was held on the grounds near the Hippodrome of Can Tunis in late 1892. Very little is known about that meeting, only that it was the work of members of

8645-576: Was formed in 1909. However, there were discrepancies between the member clubs years later, and some of the clubs formed another association called the Royal Spanish Union of Clubs of Football. Finally, the two associations reached an agreement, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation was founded in 1913, which allowed Spanish football to enter FIFA . In these years, Athletic was the most dominant club in

8740-655: Was introduced in the Basque Country by two distinct groups, both with British connections: British shipyard workers and Basque students returning from schooling in Britain. The British employees of the Nervión Shipyards, located in Sestao ( Vizcaya ), organized and played the first known football match in the region, which was held on 4 April 1890, between the Machinery Department (engineers) and

8835-506: Was known as FC Krasyliv-Obolon as the second team of FC Obolon Kyiv , and there are other examples. Major League Soccer , the highest level of competition in the United States soccer league system , runs its own distinct reserve league, MLS Next Pro , which began play in 2022. Since the United States does not use promotion and relegation , there is no risk of reserve teams having to compete against their parent teams. MLS Next Pro

8930-620: Was transitioned to youth competition (under-21) as Vyshcha Liha was also transformed into Premier Liha. In 2012, there was introduced additional competition in Premier Liha, the under-19 championship (see Ukrainian Premier League Reserves and Under 19 ). All these youth competitions "cleaned" the lower league structure of the second teams, but some clubs continue field them at national or regional levels. In Ukraine, second teams act same as farm teams and they do not have an age restriction as youth teams. Second teams are not allowed to compete in

9025-409: Was used as a Spanish brand of success to promote Spain's image abroad and the pride of being Spanish in the country itself. Spain was selected as the host of the 1982 FIFA World Cup , and the national team was eliminated in the second group stage. Until the 1984–85 season, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) organized the league tournament. Since then, the competition has been organized by

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