Real C.D. España


Real Club Deportivo España, Real España, or simply España is a Honduran football club, which plays in the Liga Nacional de Honduras. With 12 championships, España is one of the most accomplished Honduran football clubs, and its popularity is recognized outside of Honduras' boundaries. Their title of Real was awarded by King Juan Carlos I in 1977. This is a unique distinction, as they are the only club outside of Spain to be so honored by the Spanish monarchy.
They are based in San Pedro Sula, Cortés, and their home venue is the Estadio Francisco Morazán.

History

Real España was founded on 14 July 1929 at Escuela Ramón Rosa, de San Pedro Sula by Pastor Reyes, Juan Banegas, "Teco" Lardizábal, Hugo Escoto Soto and Leonardo Muñoz as Club Deportivo España.
Their professional history begins in 1965–66, with the founding of the Honduran national league. For most of the league's first decade, Los Aurinegros were a mid-table side. However, in the early 1970s, things began to change. The team was anchored by defender Jaime Villegas, who would play for Real España from 1970 to 1986, and make a club record 306 appearances. In 1974, the addition of two new faces, keeper Julio César Arzú and striker Jimmy James Bailey, turned the team into title contenders for the first time. The team finished third in the regular season's table, which was good enough to qualify them for a quadrangular tournament, a round robin with the league's top four teams. Real España won this phase, forcing a championship playoff with regular season champions Motagua. Antonio Pavón Molina scored the lone goal of their 1–0 victory, making Los Aurinegros champions of Honduras for the very first time.
In 1975, la Máquina got even stronger. They added a defensive midfielder named Gilberto Yearwood, who would eventually be considered one of the greatest Honduran players of all team. On the pitch, they enjoyed similar results, finishing third in the regular table, winning the quadrangular playoff, and earning a championship playoff with Olimpia. The teams drew the first leg 0–0, but Real España won the second leg 2–0, with goals from Alberto Ferreira da Silva and Gilberto Yearwood.
1976 saw the club climb to an even higher level. They won the regular season championship with 38 points and only narrowly finished second to Motagua in the quadrangular. In the resulting playoff, the teams drew 0–0 in the first leg, played at Motagua's stadium in Tegucigalpa. Back in San Pedro Sula, the story was different. Real España dominated, winning the match 4–1 and clinching their third straight championship. It was known as "el tricampeon", and it was the first such accomplishment in the history of Honduran soccer.
After this, international attention was descending on the club for the first time. Yearwood, who had starred in the 1977 FIFA World Youth Championship for Honduras, moved abroad and would spend ten years playing in Spain's La Liga. King Juan Carlos I of Spain bestowed the Real title on the club the following summer. Things were looking up.
In 1977, the club set out in search of an unprecedented fourth consecutive title. They finished third in the regular season and won the quadrangular, only to bow 2–0 to Olimpia in the championship playoff. They reached the championship round again in 1978–79, but were once again defeated, this time by Motagua. Then, in 1979, disaster. Real España's form collapsed and they plummeted to 8th in the league. Worse, crosstown rivals Marathón won the championship.
They set out to redeem this in 1980, winning the regular season championship with 14 wins in 27 matches. In the pentagonal round robin, though, things became complex—Olimpia, Marathón, and Real España were all tied at the top of the table, forcing a second round-robin between those three. Real España had the chance to win the championship then and there, but after every match ended in a draw, the pentagonal title was awarded to Marathón on goal difference. That set up an all-San Pedro Sula championship match.
The teams split the first two legs, forcing a decisive third playoff match. With all of San Pedro Sula watching in anticipation, Real brought home their fourth title by a 2–1 scoreline. This was the end of Real's golden era. Their glory side was beginning to age, and Olimpia was ascending to the dominant heights of Honduran football. It was not until the late 1980s that a revival would begin.
After near misses in 1986 and 1987, Real reclaimed their glory in 1988 by winning the regular season championship and then beating Olimpia in an extra time playoff final to claim their fifth title. 1989–90 saw the two teams meet again in the championship final, which ended level; Olimpia was awarded the crown on the basis of a superior regular season record. Real, however, was not finished—they came right back by beating Motagua 2–1 to win the 1990–91 championship. Rodolfo Richardson Smith was the hero, scoring a double in the second leg of the finals. La máquina only narrowly missed a second consecutive crown when they bowed to Motagua in the 1991–92 title match.
Two years later, in 1993–94, Real España hoisted their seventh championship in the most dominant style of all, by winning both the regular season and triangular playoff. No championship match was necessary in this most impressive season; out of 31 domestic matches, la maquina had lost just once. The leader of the charge that season was Carlos Pavón, an 18-year-old striker who was attracting all sorts of international attention. Pavón would leave after the season to spend a decade abroad, playing in Mexico and Italy. Real, meanwhile, entered a decade long title drought.
Their return to glory came in Apertura 2003, under the managerial leadership of Juan de Dios Castillo. Castillo had built his team around two Brazilian strikers, Pedrinho and Luciano Emilio, and it paid off. Luciano Emilio won the league scoring title, and each scored in the championship final, which saw Real España defeat Olimpia 4–2 on aggregate.
However, the glory was fleeting. Diaz Castillo left for Marathon, while Olimpia signed Luciano Emilio and used his talents to win four out of the next five titles. Those were frustrating times, as Real missed the championship playoffs four tournaments in a row. It was not until Clausura 2007 that the club returned to form.
Under Mexican manager José Treviño, the club won the regular season title and stormed into the playoffs. Treviño had a strong team--Carlos Pavón had returned from Europe, and was joined at striker by Milton Núñez and the Brazilian Esvaldo Ferreira. A victory over Motagua earned them a berth in the finals against crosstown rivals Marathon. Marathon won the first leg, 2–1, which set up a dramatic championship showdown. With just thirteen minutes left in the last leg, the teams were level, 1–1, which would have given Marathon a win on aggregate. However, Milton Núñez scored a brilliant goal to even the tie, then used his perfect aerial pass to set up Ferreira for the winning goal. Real España were champions of Honduras for the ninth time.
The club finished runners up in both Apertura 2008 and Clausura 2009, but returned to the top in dramatic style in Apertura 2010. A double from attacking midfielder Luis Lobo lifted the club to a semi-final win over Marathon, and in the finals they defeated Olimpia in extra time. They won it again in Apertura 2013, beating Real Sociedad on penalties, and then again in Apertura 2017, holding off Motagua in extra time.

Colours and badge

España's colours are black and yellow, a fact reflected in the club's nickname: Aurinegros. The club logo was changed in 2006 to give a younger, more fresh look. The club mascot has changed many times. It has been a yellow and black owl, a train, and most recently a robot. The crown symbolizes the "royal status" granted to the club by the King of Spain. This is noticeable in other clubs such as Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Real Murcia, Real Valladolid and Real Zaragoza.
Joma is the team's official sportswear manufacturer.

Stadium

Real España plays their home matches at the Estadio Francisco Morazán. It has been Real España's home stadium since its creation. In 2008 Real España played all their home games at the Estadio Olímpico due to the Estadio Morazán's renewal.

Club Rivalries

Clásico Moderno (Honduras)

El Clásico Moderno also referred by some as the Clasico Moderno Hondureño is a Honduran football match played at least four times a year in the Liga Nacional de Honduras and consists of two teams, C.D. Olimpia and Real C.D. España.

Clásico Sampedrano

El Clásico Sampedrano is a Honduran football match played at least four times a year in the
Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras and consists of two teams, Marathón and Real España. These two teams are from San Pedro Sula, hence the name.

Motagua–Real España football rivalry

The Motagua–Real España classic is not as fierce as the other two already mentioned as these both teams have a good relationship with each other from the players, to the board and the fans; however they had played six intense league finals, three won by each side.

Achievements

Domestic
International
#NameCareerGoalsApps
1Carlos Pavón1992–94,
2003,
2006–09,
2011–13		81148
2Jimmy James Bailey1973–8552191
3Carlos "Chico" Handal51
4Luciano Emilio2002–044568
5Júnior Costly1978–8941

#PlayerCareerAppsGoals
1Jaime Villegas1970–863092
2Mauricio "Guicho" Fúnez1983–972966
3Edy Contreras285
4Antonio Pavón Molina232
5Milton "El Chocolate" Flores1992–022310
6Edelmín "Pando" Castro1970–8222037
7Anthony Costly1977–82,
1987–91		209
8Carlos Orlando Caballero1980–9120330
9Jimmy James Bailey1973–8519152
10Camilo "Tin Tin" Bonilla176
11Santos "Indio" Ruiz170

League and Playoffs Performance

SeasonPositionGPWDLGFGAPTSPlay-offs
1993–941st2714121??40Champions
1994–953rd271098272339Second round
1995–966th27999323336Runners-up
1996–976th278109242434Second round
1997–98 Apertura5th20884302632Semi-finals
1997–98 Clausura8th20587242623Did not qualify
1999 Apertura4th185112241826Runners-up
1999–00 Apertura9th18459132117Did not qualify
1999–00 Clausura8th18378142216Did not qualify
2000–01 Apertura4th18666212424Semi-finals
2000–01 Clausura4th18648272922Semi-finals
2001–02 Apertura5th18594211524Did not qualify
2001–02 Clausura5th18585161523Did not qualify
2002–03 Apertura4th18684251826Semi-finals
2002–03 Clausura3rd18963251533Semi-finals
2003–04 Apertura2nd181053362335Champions
2003–04 Clausura4th16736282524Semi-finals
2004–05 Apertura3rd18945231231Semi-finals
2004–05 Clausura4th17575191822Semi-finals
2005–06 Apertura6th18657232323Did not qualify.
2005–06 Clausura6th18585151723Did not qualify.'
2006–07 Apertura7th18567182021Did not qualify.
2006–07 Clausura1st181143271036Champions
2007–08 Apertura6th18648222522Did not qualify
2007–08 Clausura3rd18846262228Semi-finals
2008–09 Apertura1st181152351738Runners-up
2008–09 Clausura3rd18864201230Runners-up
2009–10 Apertura4th18936262030Semi-finals
2010–11 Apertura3rd18774281828Champions
2010–11 Clausura5th18675252525Did not qualify
2011–12 Apertura1st18972251334Runners-up
2011–12 Clausura5th18747282625Semi-finals
2012–13 Apertura6th18567212221Quarter-finals
2012–13 Clausura8th18576182222Did not qualify''

All-Time Table

#GWDLFA+/-
3140953948938117131352+361

36 Game Average

PointsWonDrawnLostForAgainstDifference
531313104334+9

International competition

CONCACAF Champions' Cup

Clausura 2016

Managers