Unión Española
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| Full name | Unión Española S.A.D.P. | ||
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| Nickname(s) | La Furia (The Fury) El Rojo (The Red) Hispanos (Hispanics) | ||
| Founded | May 18, 1897 as Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación | ||
| Ground | Estadio Santa Laura | ||
| Capacity | 19,000[1] | ||
| Owner | Jorge Segovia | ||
| Chairman | Arturo Juarros | ||
| Manager | Miguel Ponce | ||
| League | Chilean Primera División | ||
| 2024 | Primera División, 6th of 16 | ||
| Website | www | ||
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Club Unión Española S.A.D.P. is a professional
History
Foundation, Amateur Era and First seasons
The team was founded as Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación on 18 May 1897 by a group of Spanish immigrants resident in Chile. In 1918 two other teams were founded: Club Ciclista Ibérico and the Club Ibérico Balompié. Both clubs merged in 1922, becoming the club, Unión Deportiva Española. The club operated as titular team in the
In the first seasons of the club, Unión Deportiva Española participated in the championship of the Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago. In this tournament the club won his first two consecutive titles in the Copa Chile, in the seasons of 1924 and 1925. The team was led by his captain, the Spanish defender Juan Legarreta.
In 1927, following the merger of the National Football Federation occurred the year before, the championship was called Liga Central de Football. Because of the participation of too many clubs, league was divided into two categories in 1927 and 1928: the Serie A and Serie B. The club also was in the Serie A. In 1928, Unión Deportiva Española was awarded its second title, after winning the Liga Central de Fútbol.
In May 1933, Unión Deportiva Española with Colo-Colo, Santiago Badminton, Audax Italiano, Green Cross, Magallanes and Santiago National, were the clubs that founded the Professional League of Chile, part of the Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago. In the Apertura Championship of the same year, Unión achieved the runner-up, after lossing the final against Colo-Colo, in a 2–1 loss. In the Official Championship, the club finished in the fourth place of eight teams.
In the next year, with the final fusion of Centro Español de Instrucción y Recreación and Unión Deportiva Española, in 1934, the club take definitely the name of Unión Española (being re–founded symbolically on 9 December 1935).
In 1939, Unión only played one match in the Primera División 1939 (against Colo-Colo), under the name of Central, in the first week of the tournament. Because the Spanish Civil War of this year, the club's leadership entered in recess for one year. In the next season, Unión had a youth squad during the Primera División tournament of 1940, but the team finished in the tenth place. In 1943, Unión won his first professional title in the Primera División.
After the runner-up achieved in 1945, 1948, in 1950, the team once was runner-up, after lossing the Championship play-offs against Everton for 1–0, with a goal of René Meléndez. Unión once win the Primera División title in 1951 under the Spanish coach Isidro Lángara. This title was the second in Unión Española's history.
Golden Age
Under the Argentine
In the season of 1973, with the arrival of the coach
On the next season, the coach Luis Santibáñez went to Deportes Ovalle, but he returned to the club in June 1974. In the tournaments Unión had a regular season, finished in the fourth place of the Primera División of 1974 and finishing in the last position of the group stage of Copa Libertadores. However, Unión won the Copa Libertadores play-offs and qualified to the Copa Libertadores of the next year.
One of the most successful seasons of Union Española's history was the 1975 season, winning the national tournament and the runner-up achieved in the Copa Libertadores against Independiente of Avellaneda. In the season of 1976, the squad of Unión Española was totally dismantled, because of offers for their players by other clubs. On the Primera División tournament, Unión finished in the first place with Everton, and both clubs had to play a Championship play-off, that Unión lost. In the Libertadores play-offs, Unión did not qualify to the tournament, after a finish in the third position. However, in 1977, Unión was champion of the tournament.
Irregular years
The years 1980s were irregular season for the Hispanic club. In 1983, Unión made a poor season finishing in the 20th place of 22 teams, meaning the relegation to the
After an irregular season in 1987, one of maximum idols of the club Honorino Landa died. Because his dead, was performed a cup in his honor, called "Copa Honorino Landa". The cup was played against Universidad Católica, and the club was defeated by Católica for 3–0. In the same year, the club finished in the twelfth place of 16 teams. In 1988, Unión achieved the runner-up of the Copa Chile, after lossing against Colo-Colo.
In 1989, the club disputed the
In 1992, arrived
In 1997, Unión Española completed a century of history. In this season, Unión was relegated for first time in its history to the Second Division, now called
2000s
Unión Española returned to the Primera División in 2000 with a then-record 70 points. In the Primera División, Unión finished in the fourth place. Because the departure of Juvenal Olmos to Universidad Católica, the former player Leonardo Véliz arrived as coach in 2001.
The team was under the coach,
Because the departure of the coach Fernando Carvallo to
Because the title obtained in the Apertura 2005, Unión played the
In the next season, Unión Española made a regular season on
In 2008, under the Argentine
In the next season, the club made a notable season in the
2010s
In the
Unión won the Apertura Tournament of 2013, after defeating Colo-Colo 1–0 on the final match. Although they tied with Universidad Católica, they won the tournament by goal difference.
Stadium
Home games have been played at the
After Segovia's arrival in May 2008, the stadium was remodeled at a cost of 4 billion pesos. In 2009, the stadium was renamed as Estadio Santa Laura–Universidad SEK.
Rivals
The club's traditional rivals are
With Palestino and Audax, the team plays the so-called Clásico de Colonias ("Diaspora Derby").
Club facts
- 85 Seasons in Primera División: (1933–1938, 1940–1997, 2000–)
- 2 Seasons in Primera B: (1998–1999)
- 13 Participations in Copa Libertadores (1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1994, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2021)
- 4 Participations in Copa Sudamericana (2009, 2018, 2019, 2022)
- 1 Participation in Copa Ganadores de Copa (1970)
- Record Primera División victory — 14–1 v. Morning Star (1934)
- Record Primera División defeat — 0–6 v. Santiago Morning (1954)
- Record Copa Chile victory — 7–0 v. Municipal La Pintana (2011)
- Most goals scored (Primera División matches) — 132, Honorino Landa (1960–1965, 1969, 1973)
- Highest home attendance — 76,118 v. Estadio Nacional)
- 2013-T)
- Copa Chile Best Season — Champions (1992, 1993)
Players
Current squad
Current squad of Unión Española as of 8 August 2024
()
Sources: ANFP Official Web Site
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Manager: Ronald Fuentes
- The teams of the Palestinian, and one Uruguayanplayer.
2025 Summer Transfers
In
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Managers
Current staff
| Position | Name |
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| Coach |  Jorge Pellicer
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| Assistant coach | Francisco Quiroz
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| Fitness coach | Felipe Prieto
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| Goalkeepers' coach | Matías Fernández
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| Physician | Cristián Carmona
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| Physiotherapists | Felipe Suárez - Pablo Celis
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Historical Managers
- Alfredo Plá (1918-1919)
- Juan Legarreta (1920-1929)
- Gerardo Mediavilla (1930)
- Raimundo Caballero (1931-1932)
- Gerardo Mediavilla y Juan Bautista Lapiedra (1933)
- Enrique Teuche (1934-1935)
- Luis Tirado (1936-1938)
- Atanasio Pardo (1938−1939)
- Manuel Casals (1940-1943)
- Atanasio Pardo (1943−1944)
- Carlos Schneeberger (1945)
- Isidro Lángara (1950−1951)
- Hernán Fernández (1954)
- Martín García (1955−1958)
- Francisco Hormazábal (1959−1960)
- Francisco Villegas (1961)
- Voltaire Carvajal (1961)
- Luis Tirado (1962)
- Domingo González (1962-1963)
- Isaac Fernández (1964)
- Dante Pesce (1965)
- Domingo González (1965-1966)
- Francisco Molina (1966-1967)
- Andrés Prieto (1968)
- Sergio Navarro (1969)
- Pedro Areso (1969)
- Miguel Mocciola y Pedro Areso (1969-1970)
- Federico Vairo (1970)
- Pedro Areso (1970)
- Néstor Isella (1971-1972)
- Luis Santibáñez (1973-1974)
- Jaime Ramírez (1974)
- Manuel Rodríguez (1974)
- Luis Santibáñez (1974-1977)
- Pedro García (1978)
- Luis Álamos (1978)
- Germán Cornejo (1978-1979)
- José María Silvero (1979)
- Orlando Aravena (1980)
- Nicolás Novello (1981)
- Honorino Landa (1982-1983)
- Humberto Cruz (1983)
- Caupolicán Peña (1983)
- Orlando Aravena (1984-1985)
- Mario Moreno (1986)
- Héctor Pinto (1986-1988)
- Juan Machuca (1988)
- Luis Santibáñez (1988)
- Manuel Rodríguez (1989-1991)
- Juan Rodríguez (1991)
- Pedro García (1991)
- Nelson Acosta (1992)
- Ricardo Contreras (1992)
- Guillermo Yávar (1992)
- Miguel Ángel Neira (1992)
- Nelson Acosta (1992-1996)
- Julio Comesaña (1996)
- Jorge Américo Spedaletti (1996)
- Guillermo Páez (1996-1997)
- Luis Ahumada (1997)
- Rogelio Delgado (1997)
- Guillermo Yávar (1998)
- Juvenal Olmos (1999-2000)
- Leonardo Véliz (2001-2002)
- Roberto Hernández (2002-2003)
- Fernando Carvallo (2003-2004)
- Fernando Díaz (2005)
- Fernando Carvallo (2006)
- Manuel Rodríguez (2006)
- Héctor Pinto (2007)
- Marcelo Espina (2007-2008)
- Jorge Garcés (2008)
- Luis Hernán Carvallo (2008-2009)
- José Luis Sierra (2009)
- Rubén Israel (2009-2010)
- José Luis Sierra (2010-2015)
- Fernando Vergara (2015-2016)
- Vladimir Bigorra (2016)
- Martín Palermo (2016-2018)
- Sebastian Zúñiga (2018)
- Fernando Díaz (2018-2019)
- Ronald Fuentes (2019-2020)
- César Bravo (2021)
- Jorge Pellicer (2021)
- César Bravo (2021-2022)
- Gustavo Canales (2022)
- Ronald Fuentes (2023)
- Miguel Ponce (2024-Act.)
Honours
Unión Española has won
On the South American stage Unión has participated nine times in
National
- Primera División de Chile
- Winners (7): 2013–T
- Winners (7):
- Copa Chile
- Copa Invierno
- Winners (1): 1989
- Winners (1):
- Campeonato de Apertura
- Winners (1): 1947
- Supercopa de Chile
- Winners (1): 2013
- Primera B de Chile
- Winners (1): 1999
International
- Copa Libertadores
- Runners-up (1): 1975
- Runners-up (1):
Regional
- Copa Chile de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (3): 1920, 1924, 1925
- Copa Unión de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1920
- Campeonato de Apertura de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1925
- Primera División de la Liga Central de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): Serie A 1928
- Torneo Metropolitano de Chile
- Winners (1): 1970
- Copa Arauco de la Segunda División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (3): 1919, 1922, 1923
Legacy
Acclaimed as one of the four great of Chilean football, it is one of the longest-lived teams in the country.
Unión Española is also the second oldest club of the
Women's football
It has a branch of women's football, and competes in national tournaments with its lower categories.
References
- ^ "Estadio Santa Laura-Universidad SEK". estadio seguro. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
External links
- Official website
- Official website (in Spanish)
- News sites
- Unión Española news at Goal
- Unión Española news at Anfp.cl
- ESPN profile