Jerez Celebrates as Birthplace of Spanish Football with Historic Match Commemoration
The University of Cádiz commemorates Spain's first documented football match held in Jerez in 1869, challenging traditional views on football's origins in Spain.
- • University of Cádiz commemorates the first documented football match in Spain in 1869, held in Jerez.
- • Discovery challenges Huelva's status as the birthplace of Spanish football, traditionally linked to 1873 match.
- • Match was confirmed via the Gibraltar Chronicle; ended 0-1 with eleven players per side, classifying it as football.
- • Pedro Nolasco played a key role in introducing football to Jerez through promotion of British sports.
- • The university seeks official recognition from the RFEF to acknowledge this historic event.
Key details
The University of Cádiz has celebrated a landmark moment in Spanish football history by staging a commemorative football match to mark the first documented football game in Spain, which took place in Jerez on February 13, 1869. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that Huelva was the birthplace of football in Spain, traditionally thought to be tied to the 1873 match in Minas de Riotinto, officially recognized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Research by the University of Cádiz revealed a contemporary reference in the Gibraltar Chronicle, confirming that the 1869 match in Jerez was indeed a football game, not rugby as previously contested. The match featured eleven players on each side and ended with a 0-1 result. This finding not only predates other known football matches in Spain but also points to Jerez as the cradle where the sport began and developed in the country.
The university emphasizes that while Huelva holds significance as the home of Spain's oldest football club, Recreativo de Huelva, the sport's origins and early evolution are deeply tied to Jerez. The role of Pedro Nolasco, a local figure who promoted British sports in the region, is highlighted as instrumental in introducing and fostering football in Jerez.
The commemorative match was held at 11:30 am, coinciding with the original game's anniversary, despite historical time zone differences. The University of Cádiz is now seeking official recognition from the RFEF to acknowledge this pivotal event in Spanish football history.
This revelation enriches the understanding of football's roots in Spain and honors Jerez's enduring legacy in the sport's national history.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
