Deportivo Alavés was founded on 23 January 1921 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Álava province in Spain's Basque Country. Originally formed as Sport Friends Club in 1920, the club adopted its current name on that date, which is recognised as its official founding day.
Alavés has spent the bulk of its existence navigating Spain's lower divisions, but its peaks have been remarkable. The club won the Segunda División in 1929–30 to become one of the first sides promoted to La Liga upon the league's creation, and repeated that feat in 1953–54 and 1997–98. That last promotion ended a 42-year absence from the top flight and set the stage for the club's most celebrated era. Finishing sixth in 1999–2000, they qualified for the UEFA Cup and proceeded to reach the 2001 final — their debut in European competition — where they faced Liverpool in a breathless 4–5 defeat settled by an own golden goal. The match is widely regarded as one of the finest finals in the competition's history. Alavés also reached the 2017 Copa del Rey Final, losing 3–1 to Barcelona.
The club's story is one of resilience: periods of financial crisis and relegation to the fourth tier have repeatedly been followed by recovery. After a four-year stint in the third division, Alavés returned to La Liga in 2016 as second-tier champions and remained there for six consecutive seasons — the longest top-flight run in their history — before winning promotion again via the 2023 play-off final.
As the third-most successful club in the Basque Country behind Athletic Club and Real Sociedad, Alavés carries a strong regional identity, playing home matches at the 19,840-capacity Mendizorrotza Stadium.