Copa del Rey 1911

Lore & Background

The 1911 edition was one of the most turbulent in the tournament's history. A complaint against Athletic Bilbao for improper alignment was unsuccessful but caused protests and withdrawals. Athletic played with up to five players from Club Atlético de Madrid, then a branch of the Bilbao team. After the first round, Real Sociedad protested Athletic's use of two English players (Sloop and Martin) who had not resided in Spain for six months; the Spanish FA rejected the protest, and Real Sociedad withdrew. Athletic then stopped using those players but refused to replay their match, leading to further withdrawals. In the quarter-finals, Barcelona was disqualified after refusing to replay a match against Sociedad Gimnástica due to a similar alignment issue. Both semi-finals ended in withdrawals, but CD Español reconsidered and played the final, losing 3–1. Contrary to popular belief, Athletic Bilbao did not immediately adopt a policy of selecting only local Basque players after this tournament; historical records show that non-Basque players continued to feature for several more years, and the policy was not formally adopted until later. Andrew Veitch was not the last foreigner to make a competitive appearance for the club.

In Their Own Story

The train whistle echoed as the squad arrived in Madrid, bags heavy with hope and anticipation. The pitch at Calle Serrano was dusty under the June sun, lacking the polish of modern stadiums but rich with history. As the final whistle blew, the silence broke into cheers that would echo through generations of Curva Sur faithful.

Reader's Guide

The tournament featured 13 teams, but three withdrew before it started and three more during the competition. The final was played on 15 April 1911 at Josaleta Stadium in Getxo. Athletic Bilbao defeated CD Español 3–1 to win their 5th Copa del Rey title.

Did You Know?

• Three teams withdrew before the draw to protest the use of foreign players.
• Real Sociedad withdrew after the Spanish FA rejected their protest about two English players in Athletic's lineup.
• Barcelona was disqualified after refusing to replay a match ordered by the Spanish FA.
• Both semi-finals ended in withdrawals, and the final nearly did not take place.
• This tournament led Athletic Bilbao to adopt a policy of only selecting Basque players.