Alavés: About
All about the club «Alaves»
This is a professional football club, founded in 1921. The team is based in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, which is in the north of Spain, in the heart of the Basque Country. Despite the modest status and periodic appearances in the Segunda, the club forever wrote its name in the history of European football thanks to reaching the 2001 UEFA Cup final.
"That's when the whole world learned that Alaves is not just a team from the province, but a team with character that can create sensations."
The history of Alaves: the path from an unknown club to the final of the UEFA Cup
"Alavés" appeared on the football map of Spain January 23, 1921. The first decades were difficult - the club mainly played in regional leagues and did not have a stable place in the Primera. The team made its way to the elite for the first time in 1930, but did not stay there for long.
The real breakthrough happened at the end of the 90s, when the club experienced its first "golden decade". In the 1999/2000 season, Alavés finished in sixth place in La Liga, which made it possible to enter the European Cups for the first time in history.
And the very next season the Basques created a real fairy tale, reaching the UEFA Cup final. Along the way, they knocked out the likes of Inter and Kaiserslautern, and in the decisive match against Liverpool they made the opponent nervous, only losing in extra time with the score 4:5.
"Then there were years of decline, financial problems and even relegation to the third division. But the club gradually revived."
In 2016 returned to La Liga. And already in 2017 he reminded himself again, reaching the final of the Spanish Cup, where he lost to Barcelona.
Alavesa Stadium
The club's home arena is "Mendisorrosa", one of the oldest stadiums in Spain, opened in 1924. It is located in Vitoria-Gasteiz and holds a little more than 19 thousand spectators.
The main feature of the stadium is incredible atmosphere. Basque fans do not just support the team, but literally live every match. There are no "plastic" fans - only real fans who believe in their team even in the worst of times.
"Mendisorrosa has gone through several renovations, and the last one in 2019 made the stadium even more modern."
But the main thing remained unchanged – when the stands explode after the goal of Alavés, it cannot be confused with anything.
Achievements of Alaves
Alavés doesn't have a cupboard full of trophies, but there are moments that are more important than any cups:
- UEFA Cup Final (2000/01) is an incredible story that made the club famous throughout the world.
- Final of the Spanish Cup (2016/17) is another proof that Alavés can fight even with the strongest.
- Sixth place in La Liga (1999/2000) – the best season in the Spanish championship, which opened the door to European cups.
"This club doesn't have the La Liga or Champions League titles, but it has the respect it has earned for its struggles on the pitch."
Legendary players: who made Alaves' name
Many interesting football players played for this club, but some left the brightest trace in history:
Herman Burgos is a charismatic Argentine goalkeeper who became a wall for opponents in the best years of the club.
Javi Moreno is the team's top scorer in the 2001 UEFA Cup final, the author of two goals against Liverpool.
Cosmin Kontra – Romanian defender, who not only played reliably in defense, but was also an important part of attacking actions.
Ibay Gomez is one of the most favorite players among the fans, who returned to the club even after leaving.
Interesting facts about Alaves: what makes it special
Hero of the Europa League that no one expected – before the start of the 2000/01 season, no one believed that Alavés could reach the UEFA Cup final. But the club proved that anything is possible in football.
One of the most emotional finals in the history of European Cups - 4:5 against Liverpool in 2001 became one of the most heated finals in the entire history of the tournament.
Never Give Up – In 2017, Alavés eliminated Celta in the 2017 semifinals of the Cup of Spain, scoring a winning goal in the final minutes.
The only club to use the white and blue vertical striped kit in La Liga - a stylish distinction that is hard to miss.
From relegation to European Cups – in 1995 Alavés was in the third division, and five years later was already playing in the UEFA Cup.
"Alavés is proof that true greatness is measured not by the number of trophies, but by the strength of the spirit and the ability to create history."
It is worth noting that Alavés remains a symbol of football romance, proving that even modest clubs can write great stories. Will the team be able to repeat the fairy tale of 2001? One thing is certain — the Mendisorrosa spirit and Basque character make Alavés a special place where dreams come true and small clubs can challenge the giants. This is a team that reminds that in football the most important thing is not money, but heart and faith.
