Celta Vigo are celebrating 100 years of their existence. They join 14 other sides in La Liga as centenary clubs in the division.
Originally formed as a merger between Real Fortuna Club and Vigo FC, Manuel de Castro or ‘Handicap’ was a journalist who promoted Celta Vigo as the club known today and formalised their activity.
They are one of 10 clubs to have played for 57 seasons or more in La Liga, and in the all-time table sit 11th in Spain. Their singular honour is an Intertoto Cup secured in the year 2000. It was shortly after that they ushered in one of the best teams in their history, featuring Alexander Mostovoi and Valery Karpin, who fired them into the Champions League.
𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟯 🩵🤍 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
Hoxe non é un día máis,
hoxe non estamos nos albores dun día calquera.
Hoxe é o noso día, celtismo.💯 anos do nacemento dunha paixón, dun sentimento, dunha bendita condena.
Xustamente hoxe, fai un século que naceu o #RCCelta.#100anosdeAfoutezaeCorazón pic.twitter.com/JKWXVrlC2P
— RC Celta (@RCCelta) August 22, 2023
Celta have come close to major honours on three occasions, reaching the Copa del Rey final but failing at the final hurdle. The most recent attempt being in 2001, they have won the Segunda on three occasions, in 1936, 1982 and 1992. They also won Segunda B in 1981 and Tercera in 1941.
Os Celestes did come close to making a Europa League final in 2017 too, being narrowly pipped by Manchester United, as they spurned a late chance at Old Trafford. That team, and the current side, are led by Iago Aspas, who will likely go down as their greatest ever player. Top goalscorer with 195 goals, and just 17 games away from 2nd place on their all-time appearance list, Aspas has become a symbol of Celta and Galicia. Only Manolo Rodriguez (533 games) seems potentially out of reach.
Asi de BRUTAL sono en Balaidos el himno del centenario del Celta de Vigo de @c_tangana @RCCelta @Osasuna pic.twitter.com/18taKPvGOm
— FORO MDM (@elforomdm) August 13, 2023
Currently Celta are reforming their Balaidos stadium and will be setting up a new museum to mark the occasion, while musical star C. Tangana has composed a centenary ‘himno’ played before the matches.
