Real Betis

Real Betis Balompie was founded on 12 September 1907 in Seville, Spain, making them one of the oldest and most storied clubs in Andalusian football. Wearing distinctive green-and-white vertical stripes, Betis play their home matches at the historic Estadio Benito Villamarin. The club holds a special identity in Spanish football as the "working class" club of Seville, in contrast to the more bourgeois associations of city rivals Sevilla FC. The fierce Derbi Sevillano between the two clubs is one of the most passionate derbies in Spanish football.

Real Betis have won the La Liga title once, in the 1934-35 season, and have also won the Copa del Rey on three occasions: in 1977, 2005, and most recently in 2022 when they defeated Valencia in a dramatic penalty shootout final in Seville. Their 2022 Copa del Rey victory brought unprecedented scenes of celebration in the city and established them as a genuine force in the modern era of Spanish football under coach Manuel Pellegrini. In European competition, Betis have had notable runs, including reaching the 2022 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

Throughout their history, Real Betis have produced and attracted many fine players. Club legend Joaquin Sanchez, who returned to the club in 2015 and played well into his late 30s before retiring, is arguably the most beloved figure in the club's modern history. Other notable names include Denilson, Rafael Gordillo, and more recently Nabil Fekir, Sergio Canales, and Andres Guardado. The Betis youth academy, known as the Ciudad Deportiva Luis del Sol, has also developed several top talents.

Under coach Manuel Pellegrini, who arrived in 2020, Betis transformed into one of La Liga's most attractive and competitive sides, playing an expansive, attacking brand of football. The Copa del Rey victory in 2022 was followed by consistent top-six finishes and regular European football. With a passionate fanbase of around 55,000 season-ticket holders — one of the highest in Spanish football relative to stadium size — Real Betis have established themselves firmly as one of the top clubs in Spain.