The Spanish Cup is 100 years

From May 27 to June 5, 2002 in the Palace of Ibaigane, you will be able to watch by first hand the first Spanish Cup won by Athletic Club.

Guided visit: Two groups will be made, one group in the morning at 13:00 hours and other group in the afternoon at 17:00 hours. All the people interested will be able to admire the trophy designed by the famous Marabini, and enjoy one of the architectonic jewels of Bilbao, the palace Ibaigane, Athletic’s seat too.

Athletic Club, symbol of Bizkaya, won his first Cup one century ago.

On the month of May of 1902. The president of Madrid F.C., Ricardo Padrós, thought that because of the Coronation of Alfonso XIII one tournament of football, where all the teams legally set up could take part, could be included in the programme of celebrations.

In all, five clubs took part as the representatives of the cities where the new sport was more deep-rooted: Madrid Foot ball and New Foot ball, both of them from the Court of Madrid, Barcelona and Español, the two from Barcelona, and Bizkaya team sent from Bilbao.

In the match against Español later recognized as the first official match, Bizkaya, with white top and black shorts, lined up Arana L. (Bilbao F.C.), Larrañaga (Athletic Club), Arana A. (Athletic Club), Goiri E. (Athletic Club), Ugalde R. (Bilbao F.C.), Silva L. (Athletic Club), Sota (Athletic Club), Astorquia J. (Athletic Club), Dyer (Bilbao F.C), Cazeaux (Athletic Club), and Evans (Bilbao F.C.)

Bizkaya won and eliminated Español by the conclusive result of 5-1. In this match the solidity of the vasc football prevailed to the lively play of the players from Cataluña. Twenty four hours later Bizkaya played against New Foot Ball, this team wasn’t opponent and Bizkaya won by the bulky result of 8-1.

The day of the final

And on 15 May, 1902, the day of San Isidro, the first final of the Spanish Championship was played: Barcelona and Bizkaya. Bizkaya’s line-up: Luis Arana (Bilbao F.C), Careaga (Bilbao F.C.), Larrañaga (Athletic Club), Luis Silva (Athletic Club), Amado Arana (Athletic Club), Goiri (Athletic Club), Cazeaux (Athletic Club), Astorquia (Athletic Club), Dyer (Bilbao F.C), Ramón Silva (Athletic Club) and Evans (Bilbao F.C.). That is to say, seven players from Athletic Club and four from Bilbao F.C.

On one hand we got the easy, practical and incisive football of the vasc team and on the other hand the technical football of the team from Cataluña. The match ended with the victory of Bizkaya by 2-1, goals by Astorquia and Cazeaux.