Weak Foundations: The Origins of Women’s Football in Spain, 1894–1931

Abstract

In 1914 in Spain, the first recorded football matches played by women took place, although the first media mention of Spanish women playing football dates from 1894. As in other countries, Spanish pioneer women footballers were helped by men who acted as coaches, referees and supportive journalists, and the first female footballers played for the benefit of charitable causes. The origin of women’s football in Spain is a multi-dimensional historical phenomenon that encompasses more than Spanish women playing football. Journalists working for Spanish media reported on foreign female teams practicing the sport abroad and/or touring Spain to play football, and Spanish vaudeville actresses parodied women footballers in real pitches or on theatre stages. The years 1894–1931 provided weak foundations to women’s football in Spain. Spanish women played football (if only sporadically) but only two teams are known with certainty to have existed, and no system of regular contests emerged. As time passed, women footballers faced increasingly ferocious criticism from the printed media. The Spanish case shows that after an early and promising start, the historical process of women’s inclusion into the world of football stalled. The process was not linear, as stagnation and steps backwards followed a hopeful beginning.

Keywords:

• Women
• football
• soccer
• Spain
• early twentieth century

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank editor Dr Heather Dichter, Rosemary Barberet, Mara Bustelo and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier drafts. This article is dedicated to Guzmán, the author’s youngest son.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In order to avoid repetition, the expressions ‘women’s football’ and ‘female football’ are used as synonymous. The same applies to ‘women footballer/s’ (or player/s) and ‘female footballer/s’ (or player/s).

2 Alethea Melling, ‘“Ray of the Rovers”: The Working-Class Heroine in Popular Football Fiction, 1915-25’, The International Journal of the History of Sport 15, no. 1 (1998): 97–122; Jean Williams, A Game for Rough Girls? A History of Women’s Football in Britain (Abingdon: Routledge, 2003); Jean Williams, A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women’s Football (Oxford: Berg, 2007); Jean Williams, The History of Women’s Football (Barnsley: Pen and Sword History, 2021).

3 Williams, A Game for Rough Girls?, 4.

4 Laurence Prudhomme-Poncet, Histoire du Football Féminin au XXe siècle [History of women’s football in the twentieth century] (Paris: l’Harmattan, 2003).

5 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 31.

6 Pamela Beth Radcliff, Modern Spain: 1808 to Present (Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell, 2017).

7 Xavier Torrebadella-Flix, ‘Fútbol Femenino: Notas para la Construcción de una Historia Social del Deporte Femenino en España, 1900-1936’ [Women’s football: Notes for the elaboration of a social history of sport in Spain, 1900-1936], Investigaciones Feministas 7, no. 1 (2016): 313–34.

8 Andrew McFarland, Regeneration through Sport: Football, Sport, and Cultural Modernization in Spain, 1890-1920 (Abingdon: Routledge, 2023), 125–31.

9 Rubén Ventureira and Juan L. Rodríguez, Irene y las Puertas del Fútbol: Historia de una Pionera [Irene and football’s doors: A history of a female pioneer] (A Coruña: Vía Láctea, 2020).

10 Fiona Crawford and Lee McGowan, Never Say Die: The Hundred-Year Overnight Success of Australian Women’s Football (Sydney: New South, 2019), 38.

11 Pedro Blanco Suárez, ‘Los Ejercicios y Juegos Corporales en España’ [Body exercises and games], Boletín de la Institución Libre de Enseñanza, no. 413 (1894): 227.

12 Ibid., 229. All translations from Spanish and Catalan into English here are by the author.

13 Ibid., 230.

14 McFarland, Regeneration through Sport, 74–5.

15 ‘Las Niñas Futbolísticas’ [Girl footballers], El Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona), June 11, 1914, 4; ‘Foot-Ball, El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 2; ‘Barcelona’, Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), June 10, 1914, 1; Look, ‘Vida Deportiva: Football’ [Sport life: Football], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 25–6.

16 ‘Las Niñas Futbolistas’ [Girl footballers], El Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona), June 18, 1914, 5; ‘Foot-ball’, La Vanguardia (Barcelona), June 12, 1914, 5; Look, ‘Crónicas al Aire Libre: Football’ [Outdoors chronicles: Football], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 12, 1914, 21.

17 Cortés, ‘Vida Deportiva: De Provincias–Sabadell’ [Sport life: From the provinces–Sabadell], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 17, 1914, 26.

18 ‘Vida Regional: Barcelona-Mataró’ [Regional life: Barcelona-Mataró], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 21, 1914, 23.

19 ‘Partit entre el Montserrat i el Giralda’ [Match between Montserrat and Giralda], El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 30, 1914, 2.

20 Deu, ‘Reus’, La Vanguardia (Barcelona), July 7, 1914, 5.

21 J.L., ‘Vida Regional: Tarragona–Reus’ [Regional life: Tarragona–Reus], El Diluvio (Barcelona), July 9, 1914, 21.

22 McFarland, Regeneration through Sport, 262.

23 ‘Foot-Ball’, El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 2.

24 ‘Barcelona’, Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), June 10, 1914, 1.

25 Jorge Molero, Historia Social de la Tuberculosis en España (1899-1936) [Social history of tuberculosis in Spain (1899-1936)] (Granada: Universidad de Granada, 1989), 244–8, 388.

26 ‘Las Niñas Futbolísticas’ [Girl footballers], El Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona), June 11, 1914, 4.

27 Cortés, ‘Vida Deportiva: De Provincias–Sabadell’ [Sport life: From the provinces–Sabadell], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 17, 1914, 26.

28 Deu, ‘Reus’, La Vanguardia (Barcelona), July 7, 1914, 5.

29 ‘Las Niñas Futbolistas’ [Girl footballers], El Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona), June 18, 1914, 5.

30 Cortés, ‘Vida Deportiva: De Provincias–Sabadell’ [Sport life: From the provinces–Sabadell], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 17, 1914, 26.

31 Ibid., 26.

32 Ibid.

33 Antonio Vidal, ‘El Foot-Ball Femenino en España’ [Women’s football in Spain], Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), December 13, 1920, 5.

34 Ibid., 5.

35 A.M., ‘Futbol Femenino’ [Women’s football], La Jornada Deportiva (Barcelona), March 7, 1923, 2.

36 ‘Equipo Femenino’ [Women’s team], La Voz de Asturias (Oviedo), September 3, 1925, 3.

37 ‘Por Primera Vez entre los Deportistas Aragoneses se Admite un Equipo de Fútbol Femenino’ [First time, a women’s football team is among sportpeople from Aragon], La Voz de Aragón (Zaragoza), August 30, 1930, 8.

38 Williams, The History of Women’s Football.

39 Xavier Breuil, Histoire du Football Féminin en Europe [History of women’s football in Europe] (Paris: Nouveau Monde, 2011); Crawford and McGowan, Never Say Die; Jonny Hjelm and Eva Olofsson, ‘A Breakthrough: Women’s Football in Sweden’, Soccer & Society 4, nos 2-3 (2003): 182–204; Prudhomme-Poncet, Histoire du Football Féminin au Xxe siècle, 25; Bente Ovèdie Skogvang, ‘The Historical Development of Women’s Football in Norway: From “Show Games” to International Successes’, in Women, Football and Europe: Histories, Equity and Experiences, ed. Jonathan Magee, Jayne Caudwell, Katie Liston, and Sheila Scraton (Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2007), 41–54.

40 Helge Faller, ‘Part of the Game: The First Fifty Years of Women’s Football in Ireland and the International Context’, Studies in Arts and Humanities 7, no. 1 (2021): 58–84.

41 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 93.

42 Prudhomme-Poncet, Histoire du Football Féminin au Xxe siècle, 64.

43 Crawford and McGowan, Never Say Die, 22–31; Faller, ‘Part of the Game’, 71.

44 Breuil, Histoire du Football Féminin en Europe, 39; Crawford and McGowan, Never Say Die, 36; Faller, ‘Part of the Game’, 59; Hjelm and Olafsson, ‘A Breakthrough’, 182; Williams, The History of Women’s Football.

45 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 31–5.

46 Williams, A Game for Rough Girls?, 48–9.

47 ‘Las Niñas Futbolísticas’ [Girl footballers], El Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona), June 11, 1914, 4; ‘Foot-Ball’, El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 2; ‘Barcelona’, Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), June 10, 1914, 1; Look, ‘Vida Deportiva: Football’ [Sport life: Football], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 25–6.

48 ‘Barcelona’, La Vanguardia (Barcelona), June 11, 1914, 11.

49 ‘El Foot-Ball y el Sexo Femenino’ [Football and the female sex], La Unión Ilustrada (Málaga), June 21, 1914, 24.

50 ‘Foot-Ball’, El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 2; Look, ‘Vida Deportiva: Football’ [Sport life: Football], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 25–6.

51 ‘Foot-Ball’, El Poble Català (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 2.

52 Look, ‘Vida Deportiva: Football’ [Sport life: Football], El Diluvio (Barcelona), June 10, 1914, 26.

53 J. Barrio y Bravo, ‘El Feminismo Deportivo’ [Sports feminism], El Cantábrico (Santander), November 22, 1916, 1.

54 ‘Barcelona’, Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), June 10, 1914, 1.

55 Marcial de Laiglesia, ‘Los “Onces” Femeninos’ [Women’s teams], Muchas Gracias (Madrid), January 9, 1926, 16.

56 Mariano de Cavia, ‘El Balompié’ [Football], El Imparcial (Madrid), August 1, 1908, 1.

57 Mariano de Cavia, ‘Balompié Femenino’ [Women’s football], Heraldo Deportivo (Madrid), May 25, 1920, 201–4.

58 A.M., ‘Futbol Femenino’ [Women’s football], La Jornada Deportiva (Barcelona), March 7, 1923, 2.

59 Ondino, ‘La Mujer Futbolista’ [The woman footballer], El Progreso (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), August 22, 1923, 1–2.

60 Enrique Guardiola, ‘Girls contra Mademoiselles: Fiesta Deportiva en favor de los Periodistas’ [Girls against mademoiselles: Sport festival in favour of journalists], Stadium (Barcelona), September 15, 1923, 12–13.

61 Soledad Cuevas, ‘La Mujer Deportista’ [The sport woman], La Correspondencia de Valencia (Valencia), January 18, 1929, 5; Juan Deportista, ‘Fémina en el “Sport”’ [The female in sport], La Esfera (Madrid), May 7, 1927, 42–4; Enrique Guardiola, ‘Girls contra Mademoiselles: Fiesta Deportiva en favor de los Periodistas’ [Girls against ­mademoiselles: Sport festival in favour of journalists], Stadium (Barcelona), September 15, 1923, 12–13; ‘La Mujer en el Deporte’ [Women in sport], Heraldo de Zamora (Zamora), May 21, 1930, 1; Tom Ray, ‘El Ejercicio de la Mujer Moderna’ [Modern women’s physical exercise], Blanco y Negro (Madrid), December 11, 1927, 68–71.

62 Pelayo Martorell, ‘La Sportwoman’ [The sport woman], El País (Lleida), August 25, 1923, 1.

63 Soledad Cuevas, ‘La Mujer Deportista’ [The sport woman], La Correspondencia de Valencia (Valencia), January 18, 1929, 5; Juan Deportista, ‘Fémina en el “Sport”‘[The female in sport], La Esfera (Madrid), May 7, 1927, 42–4; Enrique Guardiola, ‘Girls contra Mademoiselles: Fiesta Deportiva en favor de los Periodistas’ [Girls against ­mademoiselles: Sport festival in favour of journalists], Stadium (Barcelona), September 15, 1923, 12–13; ‘La Mujer en el Deporte’ [Women in sport], Heraldo de Zamora (Zamora), May 21, 1930, 1; ‘Crónica del Deporte Universal’ [Chronicle of international sport], La Esfera (Madrid), February 13, 1926, 40–1; Pelayo Martorell, ‘La Sportwoman’ [The sport woman], El País (Lleida), August 25, 1923, 1; Ondino, ‘La Mujer Futbolista’ [The woman footballer], El Progreso (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), August 22, 1923, 1–2; Tom Ray, ‘El Ejercicio de la Mujer Moderna’ [Modern women’s physical exercise], Blanco y Negro (Madrid), December 11, 1927, 68–71.

64 Prudhomme-Poncet, Histoire du Football Féminin au Xxe siècle, 29–30.

65 Franco, ‘Extrangero’ [Abroad], La Vanguardia (Barcelona), March 12, 1895, 3.

66 Franco, ‘Extranjero’ [Abroad], La Vanguardia (Barcelona), April 4, 1895, 3.

67 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 13.

68 ‘Noticias y Recortes: Señoras Pelotaris’ [News and clippings: Female ball players], El Pelotari (Madrid), April 18, 1895, 643.

69 ‘Fútbol’ [Football], ABC (Madrid), April 11, 1917, 3.

70 Georgina, ‘Les “Sterling Ladies” Vencedores en un Concurs de “Foot-Ball”‘[The sterling ladies won in a football contest], D’Ací D’Allà (Barcelona), April 16, 1919, 366.

71 Ibid.

72 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 27.

73 A.M., ‘Futbol Femenino’ [Women’s football], La Jornada Deportiva (Barcelona), March 7, 1923, 2.

74 Pelayo Martorell, ‘La Sportwoman’ [The sport woman], El País (Lleida), August 25, 1923, 1.

75 ‘El Campeonato Femenino Francés’ [The French women’s championship], ABC (Madrid), April 24, 1928, 18.

76 ‘Vida Sportiva en el Extranjero’ [Sport life abroad], La Voz de Asturias (Oviedo), May 8, 1923, 8.

77 ‘La Selección Femenina Francesa Venció a la Belga por Seis Tantos a Cero’ [The French women’s national team defeated the Belgian women’s national team 6-0], ABC (Madrid), April 16, 1929, 47.

78 J.V.N., ‘Los Partidos Femeninos de Fútbol’ [Women’s football matches], Aire Libre (Madrid), September 1, 1923, 5; ‘El Deporte Ridiculizado: “Sportives” contra “Stoke”, Match Femeninos de Fútbol a beneficio de la Cooperativa de Periodistas’ [Ridiculed sport: “Sportives” against “Stoke”, women’s football matches for the benefit of affordable housing for journalists], La Jornada Deportiva (Barcelona), August 15, 1923, 7; Williams, A Game for Rough Girls?, 46–9.

79 ‘Feminismo Deportivo’ [Sport feminism], ABC (Madrid), October 20, 1925, 33.

80 ‘Informaciones Gráficas de Aire Libre’ [Illustrated news in Aire Libre], Aire Libre (Madrid), October 20, 1925, 11.

81 ‘Presentación de Dos Equipos Femeninos de Fútbol’ [Presentation of two women’s ­football teams], El Telegrama del Rif (Melilla), 22 October 1925, 2.

82 ‘Las Mujeres Futbolistas’ [Women footballers], Diario de Alicante (Alicante), June 25, 1930, 4; ‘De Madrid: Fútbol Femenino’ [From Madrid: Women’s football], Diario de Almería (Almería), June 24, 1930, 2; ‘Las Mujeres Futbolistas’ [Women footballers], El Pueblo (Valencia), June 25, 1930, 5; ‘Por el Montepío de Actores’ [In aid of artists’ fund], Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), May 22, 1930, 5.

83 L. Méndez Domínguez, ‘Mañana Jugarán en Chamartín un Equipo Femenino de Romea y Otro del Metropolitano’ [Two women’s teams will play tomorrow in Chamartín: Romea and Metropolitan], Heraldo de Madrid (Madrid), July 5, 1930, 8–9.

84 Alfonso Barca, ‘El Fútbol Femenino’ [Women’s football]’, Diario de Alicante (Alicante), July 7, 1930, 1; ‘La Prensa Madrileña’ [The Madrid Press], El Día Gráfico (Barcelona), July 9, 1930, 15; ‘Fútbol Femenino’ [Women’s football], La Voz de Asturias (Oviedo), July 8, 1930, 3; Lope Mateo, ‘Acotaciones al Partido’ [Comments on the match], Diario de Alicante (Alicante), July 7, 1930, 1.

85 Alfonso Barca, ‘El Fútbol Femenino’ [Women’s football]’, Diario de Alicante (Alicante), July 7, 1930, 1.

86 Ibid.

87 Ibid.

88 Ibid.

89 Lope Mateo, ‘Acotaciones al Partido’ [Comments on the match], Diario de Alicante (Alicante), July 7, 1930, 1.

90 Ibid.

91 Ibid.

92 Ibid.

93 Vicente Vidal Corella, ‘El Deporte en Broma: Un Partido de Fútbol Femenino en Valencia’ [Sport as a joke: A fixture of women’s football in Valencia], Mundo Gráfico (Madrid), January 7, 1931, 50–1.

94 ‘Fiesta de Caridad en Gottenhan [sic]’ [Charity festival in Gottenhan] [sic], ABC (Madrid), March 10, 1914, 2.

95 ‘Festival de Artistas de Varietés’ [Vaudeville artists’ festival], Mundo Gráfico (Madrid), March 18, 1914, 19.

96 César García, ‘Los Teatros’ [Theatres], La Libertad (Madrid), May 31, 1925, 5.

97 ‘Teatro Talia’ [Talia theatre], El Día Gráfico (Barcelona), April 28, 1928, 8.

98 Williams, A Beautiful Game, 118.

99 Melling, ‘Ray of the Rovers’.

100 Williams, The History of Women’s Football, 35.

101 Gregorio Marañón, Tres Ensayos sobre la Vida Sexual [Three essays on sexual life], 2nd ed. (Madrid: Biblioteca Nueva, 1927).

102 Pius XI, ‘Encyclical Divini Illus Magistri on Christian Education’, December 31, 1929, https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_31121929_divini-illius-magistri.html (accessed August 2, 2023); Pius XI, ‘Lettera al Cardinale Vicario’ [Letter to the Vicarious Cardinal], Civiltà Cattolica no. 2 (1928): 367–72; Ramón Ruiz Amado, La Mujer Fuerte [The strong woman] (Barcelona: Librería Religiosa, 1922).

103 Ventureira and Rodríguez, Irene y las Puertas del Fútbol, 32–45, 58, 66, 127–9.

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Celia Valiente

Celia Valiente is Professor of Sociology at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Her main research interests are the women’s movement, sports, and gender policies in Spain from a historical and comparative perspective. Her research on sports has been published by International Journal of the History of Sport; International Review for the Sociology of Sport; Managing Sport and Leisure; and Sport in Society.