When Royal Rolled Real

The Royal English College in Valladolid holds a unique place in the history of football in Spain.

It is believed that the garden at the college was the first place football was played in the country, when English seminaries brought the fast-growing game to the city in the 19th century.

Then, in 1907, when Madrid FC – later renamed Real Madrid (meaning Royal Madrid) – were starting to establish a reputation as the leading side in Spanish football, they met their match in the shape of English seminarians from the Royal English College.

On April 29 1907, just a month after Madrid had sealed a third successive success in the Copa del Rey (Spanish cup), they played a challenge match in Valladolid against a team of selected seminarians from the college.

The result was a resounding 6-2 victory to the Royal English College!

This celebratory photograph was taken on the college patio that same day.