Racing de Santander

Real Racing Club played their first football match on 23 February 1913, losing 1–2 to neighbouring Strong. It was officially founded on 14 June, as Santander Racing Club, appearing in its first tournament during that summer (Luis Redonet Trophy) and being admitted to the Northern Federation on 14 November, eventually merging with Santander Football Club.

In the 1928–29 season, the Spanish League competition began. After a complicated elimination process to determine the tenth and final team for the new First Division, Racing successively beat Valencia, Betis and Sevilla. The club was part of the first goalless game in the league, against Athletic Bilbao.^{[citation needed]}

During the Second Republic, the classifications of Santander varied. In 1930–31, It achieved the runner-up position in the Spanish League, tied at 22 points with champion Athletic Bilbao, and third-place Real Sociedad. This is the highest finish achieved by the club in all its history, trained by the English Robert Firth and chaired by Fernando Pombo.^{[citation needed]}

They also participated in the International Tournament of Paris, falling in the semifinal to Slavia of Prague (2–1). In the 1930s, under the presidency of the academic José María de Cossío, it had varied positions, from third place in (1933–34) to low table rankings. In seasons 1934–35 and 1935–36, Racing played in the Commonwealth Championship of Castilla-Aragón, in which it finished second in the first season. Meanwhile, in Cantabria a lesser championship was disputed, not qualifying for the Spanish Cup; Santoña won it. During the 1935–36 season, Racing was the first club in the Spanish league to beat Barcelona and Real Madrid in the four league matches (both home and two as a visitor) in the same season: on 8 December 1935 they won 4–0 against Barcelona in the Campos de Sport de El Sardinero, on 15 December they won in Madrid 2–4, on 8 March 1936 they beat Barcelona 2-3 and on 15 March they defeated Madrid 4–3 at El Sardinero. The only player to score in all matches (one goal in each match, and two in Madrid) was Milucho.^{[citation needed]}

In 1950, the Cantabrians returned to the top flight after a ten-year absence, scoring 99 goals in only 30 games.^[3][4]

During the period of Francoist Spain, the club was renamed Real Santander in 1941, because of the prohibition on non-Spanish names. The name was restored in 1973 as the team returned to the first division one year after nearly relegating, under young manager José María Maguregui. Racing was immediately relegated, And spent the ensuing seasons bouncing between divisions one and two, also being crowned champions in Segunda División B (the new third level, created in 1977) in 1991. Veteran Quique Setién returned to his main club the following year, helping it return to the top flight and scoring in the 1994–95 campaign against FC Barcelona, in a historic 5–0 home win.^[5]

Racing was the first Spanish team to wear a sponsor's name on their shirt: German electronics company Teka on 27 December 1981 away to Real Madrid (the corporation then sponsored the opponents early in the following decade).^[6]

On 25 March 2000, Racing played its 1,000th game in La Liga.

In the 2000s, Racing only played one season in the second division, winning promotion with Setién as manager. Racing finished the 2005–06 season in the 16th position, just 1 point away from relegation back to Segunda división.^[7] The next season was much better, as the club finished 10th, easily retaining its place in the top flight.^[8] In 2007–08, under Marcelino García Toral, it finished in sixth position, thus qualifying to the UEFA Cup for the first time ever; additionally the club reached the semifinals of the Copa del Rey twice during this decade, being ousted by eventual runners-up Getafe CF and Atlético Madrid in 2008 and 2010, respectively.^[9]

On 22 January 2011, Indian business tycoon Ahsan Ali Syed, founder and chairman of investment company Western Gulf Advisory, completed his takeover of Racing de Santander. Following his takeover, he immediately sacked Miguel Ángel Portugal.^[10] A turbulent 2011–12 season saw the club go through three different managers, all of which were unable to prevent Racing from being relegated to the Segunda División, bringing an end to their decade stay in the top flight of Spanish football.^[11]

At the end of the following campaign, Racing again finished at the bottom of the table, sealing their fate of a consecutive relegation.^[12] During the season, Racing had also been immersed in a severe institutional and financial crisis.^[13][14] The club's relegation brought an end to 22 years of playing in Spain's professional divisions. In spite of that plight, the team was able to reach the quarterfinals in the 2013–14 edition of the domestic cup after ousting top-divisioners Sevilla FC^[15] and UD Almería;^[16] in the first leg against the latter, club fans stormed the presidential tribune at Estadio El Sardinero and assaulted chairman Ángel Lavín.^[17]

On 27 January 2014, Racing's players, citing several months of unpaid wages, announced they would not play their upcoming cup match unless the club's president and board resigned. Three days later, in the club's second-leg fixture against Real Sociedad, the players gathered at the centre circle following kick-off, refusing to play. Referee Jesús Gil Manzano suspended the game after one minute, with Racing being given a loss due to forfeit.^[18][19][20] As a result of the protest the club was fined and banned from competing in the following edition of the competition.^[21] On 31 January Lavín was sacked, with former player Juan Antonio Sañudo being appointed his successor by practically all the shareholders.^[22]

Racing won their group in the 2013–14 Segunda División B, and won the playoff against Llagostera to be promoted back to the second tier, but they were immediately relegated in the 2014–15 season. They again took first place in the Segunda B section in 2015–16, but were eliminated in the promotion playoffs, failing to score a goal across four matches in the ties lost to Reus and Cádiz.^[23]

Racing was promoted back to the second division after four years in the third tier in 2018–19, by winning their regional group and defeating Atlético Baleares in the promotion playoff on the away goals rule, but they were immediately relegated in the 2019–20 season after only winning five games out of 42 and finished in last place. They were unable to bounce back to the second tier immediately, finishing fourth then second in the unique small two-phase group setup during 2020–21 Segunda División B to find themselves remaining at the third level, in the newly formed Primera División RFEF, for the 2021–22 season. Racing confirmed their finish the season in first place and promoted to Segunda División, after two years in third division and fighting with Deportivo La Coruña for the top spot. On 3 June 2022, Racing took the inaugural Primera División RFEF title with a 3-0 win over Andorra.

Racing Santander is one of few Spanish teams that have played the majority of their history in La Liga, but do not have a major rival, mostly because Racing are the only fully professional team from Cantabria, so there isn't much competition between Racing and any other club from that area, with most others playing at the regionalised fourth level; only Gimnástica de Torrelavega have ever reached the second tier. However, Racing fans generally consider their biggest rival to be the major team from the Basque Country, Athletic Bilbao, due to geographic proximity and the long history between these clubs.^{[24][25][26][27]} Bilbao is the closest city to Santander (approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi)), and the relationship between Racing and Athletic has been described in the past as 'the duel of the North',^[28][29] although the rivalry is dormant as Racing have not played in the top division since 2012.

There is also a minor rivalry between Racing and a club from neighboring Asturias: Real Oviedo and an hostility with Getafe.

Racing Santander supporters maintain friendly relations with fans of Sporting de Gijón.

Recent seasons

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Copa del Rey	Notes
1996–97	1D	13	42	11	17	14	52	54	50	Quarter-finals
1997–98	1D	14	38	12	9	17	46	55	45	3rd round
1998–99	1D	15	38	10	12	16	41	53	42	Quarter-finals
1999–2000	1D	15	38	10	16	12	52	50	46	2nd round
2000–01	1D	19	38	10	9	19	48	62	39	Quarterfinals	Relegated
2001–02	2D	2	42	19	14	9	58	37	71	Round of 64	Promoted
2002–03	1D	16	38	13	5	20	54	64	44	1st round
2003–04	1D	17	38	11	10	17	48	63	43	3rd round
2004–05	1D	16	38	12	8	18	41	58	44	3rd round
2005–06	1D	17	38	9	13	16	36	49	40	3rd round
2006–07	1D	10	38	12	14	12	42	48	50	2nd round
2007–08	1D	6	38	17	9	12	42	41	60	Semi-finals
2008–09	1D	12	38	12	10	16	49	48	46	Round of 16
2009–10	1D	16	38	9	12	17	42	59	39	Semi-finals
2010–11	1D	12	38	12	10	16	41	56	46	Round of 32
2011–12	1D	20	38	4	15	19	28	63	27	Round of 16	Relegated
2012–13	2D	20	42	12	10	20	38	51	46	3rd round	Relegated
2013–14	3D	1	36	17	15	4	55	27	66	Quarterfinals	Promoted
2014–15	2D	19	42	12	8	22	42	53	44	DNP	Relegated
2015–16	3D	1	38	21	11	6	58	28	74	1st round
2016–17	3D	2	38	26	8	4	86	28	86	Round of 32
2017–18	3D	5	38	20	8	10	44	33	68	1st round
2018–19	3D	1	38	22	12	4	66	25	78	Round of 32	Promoted
2019–20	2D	22	42	5	18	19	39	56	33	1st round	Relegated
2020–21	3D	4 2	26	12	6	8	40	28	42	1st round	[a]
2021–22	3D	1	38	25	7	6	61	31	82	DNQ	Promoted[b]

Season to season

• 44 seasons in La Liga
• 37 seasons in Segunda División
• 1 season in Primera División RFEF
• 7 seasons in Segunda División B
• 4 seasons in Tercera División

• La Liga
  • Runners-up: 1930–31
• Segunda División
  • Winners (2): 1949–50, 1959–60
  • Promoted (6): 1972–73, 1974–75, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 2001–02
• Tercera División/Segunda División B/Primera División RFEF
  • Winners (3): 1943–44, 1947–48, 1969–70, 2021–22
  • Group Winners (4): 1990–91, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19
  • Promoted (6): 1943–44, 1947–48, 1969–70, 1990–91, 2013–14, 2018–19
• Cantabrian Championship^[30]
  • Winners (13): 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1939–40

UEFA Europa League:

Season	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2008–09	First round	Honka	1–0	0–1	2–0
	Group stage	Twente		0–1
		Schalke 04	1–1
		Paris Saint-Germain		2–2
		Manchester City	3–1

As of 1 February 2024.^[31]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
13	GK	ESP	Jokin Ezkieta
14	FW	ESP	Ekain Zenitagoia
15	DF	ESP	Rubén Alves
16	MF	ESP	Iván Morante (on loan from Ibiza)
17	FW	ESP	Peque Fernández
18	DF	ESP	Manu Hernando
19	MF	FRA	Clément Grenier
20	MF	CIV	Lago Júnior
21	MF	ESP	Aritz Aldasoro
22	DF	ESP	Juan Gutiérrez
23	DF	ESP	Dani Fernández
40	DF	ESP	Mario García

Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
32	MF	ESP	Diego Campo
33	MF	ESP	Marcos Bustillo
34	DF	ESP	Adrián Corral (on loan from Atlético Madrid B)
38	MF	ESP	Neco Celorio

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	NGA	Cedric Omoigui (at Ibiza until 30 June 2024)

Current technical staff

Position	Staff
Head coach	José Alberto López
Assistant coach	Pablo Álvarez
Fitness coach	Dani Salvador
Goalkeeping coach	Pedro Dorronsoro
Analyst	Enric Soriano
Delegate	Delfín Calzada
Kit man	Manolo San Juan José Ruiz
Doctor	José Antonio Fernández-Divar
Rehab fitness coach	Albert Tataret
Physiotherapist	Diego Ortiz Fran Ruiz Antonio Malanda
Nutritionist	Juan Carlos Llamas
Podiatrist	José Andreu

Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

World Cup players

The following players have been selected by their country in the World Cup Finals, while playing for Racing Santander.

• Rayo Cantabria – Racing's reserve team
• CDE Racing Féminas – affiliated women's team

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Racing de Santander.

• Official website (in Spanish)
• Team profile at Futbolme (in Spanish)
• Team profile at BDFutbol