Albacete Balompié is a Spanish football team based in

Albacete Albacete (, also , ; ar, ﭐَلبَسِيط, Al-Basīṭ) is a city and municipality in the Spanish autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and capital of the province of Albacete. Lying in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula, the ...

, in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Founded on 2 August 1940, it currently plays in Segunda División, the second tier of Spanish football, holding home matches at ''

Estadio Carlos Belmonte Estadio Carlos Belmonte is a multi-purpose stadium in Albacete, Spain. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Albacete Balompié. History The stadium holds 17,524 and was built in 1960. It replaced the ageing Campo del ...

'', with a capacity of 17,524.

History

This team is from Albacete a city in Castilla-La Mancha. It's been reported in at least three sources that football was first taught in

by John Hulse, an English Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways Company, establishing the foundation of Locomotoras Albacete, after the same-named steam locomotive factory in the city, owned by the Goicoechea family, owners of

Talgo Talgo (officially Patentes Talgo, SAU) is a Spanish manufacturer of intercity, standard, and high-speed passenger trains. Corporate history TALGO, an abbreviation of Tren Articulado Ligero Goicoechea Oriol (English: ''Lightweight articulated tr ...

. Thus, like in Swindon, football in Albacete is originally linked to the railway industry. Hulse introduced the Sheffield Rules in Albacete, and some of the first matches to be reported are against recreational clubs from

Murcia Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...

(1897), Alcázar de San Juan (1899), and

Villarrobledo Villarrobledo () is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It's better known for having the world's largest area covered by vineyards (more than 30,000 has., approxima ...

(1899). After years of amateur and regional development of football, it would not appear formally until the end of the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...

. The club was founded in 1940 under the name Albacete Foot-ball Association, being later changed in an attempt to make it sound "more Spanish". At the

second division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...

in 1985–86, repeating the feat five seasons later. In 1989,

Benito Floro Benito Floro Sanz (born 2 June 1952) is a Spanish football manager. Football career Floro was born in Gijón, Asturias. During his professional career he managed Albacete Balompié (two spells, starting off in 1989 in Segunda División B and ...

consecutively promoted the club from the third division to

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...

, overachieving for a seventh place in the first season in the top level. Floro would later coach Real Madrid, returning to ''Alba'' two seasons later as the club was relegated in 1995–96. After years in the second division facing serious economic and sporting difficulties, Albacete returned to the top flight in the 2002–03 campaign, led by César Ferrando (later of Atlético Madrid). However, Albacete dropped in 2004–05 after posting just 6 wins from 38 matches, going on to stabilize in the subsequent seasons in the second level. The 2010–11 season brought two coaching changes, with both

Antonio Calderón Antonio Calderón Burgos (born 2 June 1967) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, currently a caretaker manager Challenger Pro League club of Deinze. Over eight seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 215 games ...

and

David Vidal David Vidal Tomé (born 2 August 1950) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. Football career Vidal was born in Porto do Son, A Coruña, Galicia. After an unassuming career (the central defender never play ...

(who returned to the club only a few months after leaving) being fired, as Albacete returned to the third division after 21 years. That season the club finished last in Segunda División with only 32 points in 42 matches. On 6 December 2011,

Andrés Iniesta Andrés Iniesta Luján (; born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and is the captain of J1 League club Vissel Kobe. Considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Iniesta has spent most of hi ...

– who played for the club in his youth before joining

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

– became the club's major shareholder, donating

€ The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and unilaterally adopted by Kosovo and Montenegro. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists ...

420,000 to the cash-strapped club. The club managed to reach the round of 16 of the

2011–12 Copa del Rey The 2011–12 Copa del Rey was the 110th staging of the Copa del Rey (including two seasons where two rival editions were played). The competition began on 31 August 2011 and ended on 25 May 2012 with the final, which was held at the Vicente Calde ...

, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate. In March 2013, Agustín Lázaro, chief executive officer (CEO) of Andrés Iniesta's

winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...

enterprise, was appointed as Albacete's chairman. In June, Iniesta loaned the club a further €240,000 to cover unpaid wages, thus preventing its administrative relegation to the fourth tier. In 2014, Albacete returned to the Segunda División, but was relegated two seasons later after finishing the

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...

in the 21st position. The club again returned to the Segunda División in the 2016–17 season after winning against Valencia Mestalla in the last round of the

promotion play-offs Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...

. Albacete finished the 2018–19 season in 4th position of the Segunda División, but then lost to RCD Mallorca in the La Liga play-offs and remained in Segunda División for the 2019–20 season. On next season, Albacete finished last in second division and we're relegated to the third division. Thus ending their four-years stay in the second division. Albacete promoted to Segunda in the 2021–22 Primera RFEF season playoffs, by defeating

Deportivo de La Coruña Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña (), commonly known as Deportivo La Coruña (), Deportivo or simply Dépor, is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. They currently play in the Primera División RFEF – ...

in their home turf. The team came back from a 1–0 deficit, winning 1–2 with an overtime goal.

Seasons

Season to season

---- *7 seasons in

*25 seasons in Segunda División *1 season in

Primera División RFEF Primera may refer to * Nissan Primera, a car * Primera Air, a former airline * Primera división (disambiguation), multiple top division football leagues * Primera, Texas, a town in Cameron County, Texas * Alí Primera, Venezuelan musician, compos ...

*11 seasons in Segunda División B *29 seasons in

Tercera División Tercera División ( en, Third Division) was the fourth tier of the Spanish football league system. Founded in 1929, it was below the ''Primera División'' (also known as La Liga), the '' Segunda División'', and the semi-professional '' Segunda ...

*9 seasons in Categorías Regionales

Current squad

''The numbers are established according to the official website

an
www.lfp.es
'

Reserve team

Out on loan

Current technical staff

Honours

* Segunda División: (1) 1990–91 * Segunda División B: (2) 1989–90, 2013–14, 2016–17 *

: (8) 1945–46, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1981–82 *

promotion: (2) 1990–91, 2002–03 * Segunda División promotion: (2) 1984–85, 1989–90

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at the

, which has an all-seated capacity of 17,524. Originally built in 1960, the stadium underwent two major redevelopments, the last being in 1998.

International players

* Óscar Dertycia * Carlos Roa * Andy Bernal *

Vali Gasimov Vali Aydin oglu Gasimov ( az, Vəli Aydın oğlu Qasımov, also spelled Veli Aydin oglu Kasumov; russian: Вели Айдынович Касумов; born 4 October 1968) is an Azerbaijani football coach and a former player who played as a str ...

Ronny Gaspercic Ronald 'Ronny' Louis Gaspercic (born 9 May 1969) is a Belgian retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is of Croatian descent. Club career Born in Genk, Gaspercic started his professional career with local K.R.C. Genk, then named FC Wi ...

Marco Etcheverry Marco Antonio Etcheverry Vargas (born 26 September 1970) is a Bolivian retired professional footballer who played as a forward. A creative playmaker, he is considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time. Etcheverry played for D.C. ...

* Zago * Ivaylo Andonov *

Albert Meyong Albert Meyong Zé (born 19 October 1980), known as Meyong, is a Cameroonian former footballer who played as a striker, currently a manager. He spent most of his professional career in Portugal, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 231 matches and ...

Mark González Mark Dennis González Hoffmann (born 10 July 1984) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played top flight football in Chile, Russia, Spain, Brazil and England. He was described by José Mari Bakero, the s ...

* Danny Carvajal * Luis Conejo *

Keylor Navas Keilor Antonio Navas Gamboa (born 15 December 1986), known as Keylor Navas, is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Costa Rica national team. He was named CONCACAF Men's G ...

Nenad Bjelica Nenad Bjelica (; born 20 August 1971) is a Croatian professional football manager and former player who was most recently in charge of Prva HNL club Osijek. Club career Born in Osijek, Bjelica started playing for a local club, Metalac Olt, i ...

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Trésor Kandol Trésor Osmar Kandol (born 30 August 1981) is a Congolese international footballer who plays as a striker for Crawley Wanderers FC. He previously played for Isthmian League Premier Division side Hampton & Richmond Borough, as well as for Ba ...

Javier Balboa Javier Ángel Balboa Osa (born 13 May 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger, most notably for Real Madrid and Benfica. After emerging at Real Madrid's youth system, he could never establish himself in its first t ...

* Rachid Rokki *

Moussa Yahaya Moussa Yahaya (born 4 January 1975) is a Nigerien retired footballer who played as a striker. He represented the Niger national team on sixteen occasions. Football career Born in Agadez, Yahaya began playing with JS du Ténéré. In 1995, he st ...

* Abass Lawal * Rommel Fernández *

Nelson Cuevas Nelson Rafael Cuevas Amarilla (; born 10 January 1980) is a Paraguayan former footballer and current singer. He represented the Paraguay national football team at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups and the 1999 and 2007 Copa América tournamen ...

Fernando Morientes Fernando Morientes Sánchez (; born 5 April 1976) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker, currently a manager. He played for a number of clubs during his career, including Real Madrid, Monaco, Liverpool and Valenci ...

* Cătălin Munteanu *

Roman Zozulya Roman Vyacheslavovych Zozulya ( uk, Роман В'ячеславович Зозуля, born 17 November 1989) is a Ukrainian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Rayo Majadahonda. He played in the Ukrainian Premier ...

* Joe Bizera * Darío Delgado * Nicolás Olivera * Antonio Pacheco *

Horacio Peralta Walter Horacio Peralta Saracho (born 3 June 1982) is a Uruguayan football striker currently playing for Deportivo Maldonado in Uruguay. Career After beginning his professional football career with local side Danubio F.C., Peralta has had a jo ...

* José Luis Zalazar

Famous coaches

Dagoberto Moll Dagoberto Moll Sequeira (born 22 July 1927) is a Uruguayan former professional association football, football player and manager. He is remembered for his part in the "Orquesta Canaro", an attacking line of Deportivo de La Coruña in the 1950s f ...

(1960–61) *

Enrique Orizaola Enrique Orizaola Velázquez (26 March 1922 – 10 June 2013) was a Spanish football player and coach. Playing career Born in Santander, Cantabria, Santander, Orizaola played for Racing de Santander. Coaching career Orizaola coached Gimnástica ...

(1976–78) *

Máximo Hernández Máximo Hernández Sánchez (11 August 1945 – 22 March 2020) was a Spanish footballer who played as a central defender, and a coach. Playing career Born in Madrid, Hernández graduated with Real Madrid's youth setup, and moved to neighbourin ...

(1979–80) *

Ignacio Bergara Ignacio Miguel "Nacho" Bergara de Medina (20 July 1940 – 4 January 2004) was a professional football player and manager. Career Bergara was born in Montevideo and began his playing career with local side Racing Club de Montevideo. Ignacio an ...

(1981–84) *

Julián Rubio Julián Rubio Sánchez (born 28 January 1952) is a Spanish former football midfielder and manager. He appeared in 134 La Liga matches over six seasons (14 goals), mainly in representation of Sevilla. His professional career was closely associat ...

(1984–85) *

Pachín Enrique Pérez Díaz (28 December 1938 – 10 February 2021), known as Pachín, was a Spanish football defender and manager. Club career Born in Torrelavega, Cantabria, Pachín signed with Real Madrid in 1959 from Segunda División club CA Os ...

(1985–86) * Pepe Carcelén (1988–89) *

(1989) *

(1989–92) *

(1992) *

Ginés Meléndez Ginés Meléndez Sotos (born 22 March 1950) is a retired Spanish association football, footballer and manager (football), football manager. Football career Ginés, stopped playing football with 21. He then studied as a coach, and began training ...

''(interim)'' (1992) *

Víctor Espárrago Víctor Rodolfo Espárrago Videla (born 6 October 1944 in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan football coach and former midfielder. International career He was capped 67 times for the national team between 1966 and 1974. His playing career highlight ...

(1992–94) *

Luis Suárez Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (; born 24 January 1987) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Uruguayan Primera División club Nacional and the Uruguay national team. Nicknamed ''El Pistolero'' ('The Gunman'), he is ...

(1994) *

''(interim)'' (1994) *

(1994–96) *

Iñaki Sáez José Ignacio "Iñaki" Sáez Ruiz (born 23 April 1943) is a Spanish former football player and manager. A defender, he spent the vast majority of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao, which he later also coached in various levels, a ...

(1996) * Manolo Jiménez (1996) *

Mariano García Remón Mariano García Remón (born 30 September 1950) is a Spanish retired football player and coach. A former goalkeeper, he is best known for his spell at Real Madrid, which he helped to six La Liga and three Copa del Rey trophies. He subsequentl ...

(1996–97) * Luis Sánchez Duque (1997) *

(1998) *

Luigi Maifredi Luigi Maifredi (born 20 April 1947), commonly known as Gigi Maifredi, is an Italian football manager, currently working as a technical collaborator of Italian club Brescia. Career Born in Lograto (Province of Brescia), started out playing in ...

(1998–99) *

(1999–01) *

Paco Herrera Francisco "Paco" Herrera Lorenzo (born 2 December 1953) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder, and is a manager. His managerial career of over a quarter of a century was spent mostly in Segunda División, where he led 13 ...

(2001–02) * César Ferrando (2002–04) * José González (2004–05) * César Ferrando (2005–07) *

Quique Hernández Enrique "Quique" Hernández Martí (born 30 October 1958) is a Spanish football manager. Football career Born in Anna, Valencia, Hernández started managing in his early 20s. For the following twenty years, with the exception of the 1995–9 ...

(2007–08) *

(2008) * Juan Ignacio Martínez (2008–09) *

(2009) *

José Murcia José 'Pepe' Murcia González (born 3 December 1964) is a Spanish association football, football manager (association football), manager who manages Qatari Second Division side Muaither SC. Career Born in Córdoba, Andalusia, Murcia never playe ...

(2009) *

(2009–10) *

(2010) *

(2010–11) *

(2011) * Mario Simón (2011) * Antonio Gómez (2011–13) * Luis César (2013–16) * César Ferrando (2016) * José Manuel Aira (2016–17) *

Enrique Martín Monreal Enrique () is the Spanish variant of the given name Heinrich of Germanic origin. Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Enric (Catalan), Enrico (Italian), Henrik (Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian), Heinrich (German), Hendrik, Henk (D ...

(2017–18) *

Luis Miguel Ramis Luis Miguel Ramis Monfort (born 25 July 1970) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played mainly as a central defender, currently manager of CD Tenerife. He amassed La Liga totals of 165 matches and eight goals over nine seasons, ma ...

(2018–20) *

Lucas Alcaraz Luis Lucas Alcaraz González (born 21 June 1966) is a Spanish retired footballer, currently manager of UD Ibiza. In a managerial career of over two decades, he competed in ten La Liga seasons at the helm of Recreativo, Racing de Santander, Gra ...

(2020) *

Aritz López Garai Aritz López Garai (born 6 November 1980) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central midfielder, currently a manager. He amassed Segunda División totals of 325 matches and 13 goals over nine seasons, in representation of six clubs. ...

(2020–)

References

External links

Official website

Futbolme team profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albacete Football clubs in Castilla–La Mancha Association football clubs established in 1940 1940 establishments in Spain Segunda División clubs Railway association football teams La Liga clubs Primera Federación clubs Sport in Albacete Football clubs in Spain