Let us organise a visit to the impressive Son Moix Iberostar stadium in Palma de Mallorca, home of Real Mallorca FC. Whether or not you have tickets to a match, we recommend a visit to the stadium to see the trophy room and dressing rroms and absorb the history of the number one club in the Balearic Islands, a one-time Copa del Rey (Spanish FA Cup) holder.
Mallorca FC, the vermillions, to give them their local nickname (although some might prefer shouting a plain “come on the reds”) , are currently in the doldrums, having been relegated to the Spanish Second Division in season 2012 – 2013. The club has faced financial difficulties and changed hands several times in recent years (even feeling the wicked backhand of Majorcan tennis ace Rafa Nadal, who briefly flirted with owning the club ).
However, the history of the club remains fascinating. The illustrious list of managers the club has enjoyed (or maybe, wasted ???) since the 1990’s reads like a Who’s Who of Managers Between Jobs…with names like Hector Cuper (twice the incumbent since 1998), former Spain manager and Spanish national hero Luis Aragones (also twice), Gregorio Manzano (another brace), Benito Floro, Michael Laudrup, and former Barcelona player Miguel Angel Nadal.
Many vastly talented players have also earned their spurs at Mallorca FC, before (it must be said) moving to higher ground: Samuel Eto’o, Dani Güiza, Ivan Campo, Alan Hutton, Giovani Dos Santos, Leo Franco…