Real Betis Balompié was founded in 1907 in Seville, Andalusia, through a merger of local clubs, and received royal patronage from King Alfonso XIII in 1914 — the origin of the prefix "Real" (Royal). Based in Spain's fourth-largest city, the club has long represented Seville's working-class communities and southern Spanish identity, standing as a counterweight to the city's other great club, Sevilla FC. The fixture between the two is known as the Seville derby, one of Spanish football's most passionate local rivalries.
Betis' greatest moment on the pitch came on 28 April 1935, when, guided by Irish coach Patrick O'Connell, they won La Liga — their only top-flight title to date — by a single point over Madrid FC. The achievement was remarkable given the club's limited resources, and the championship team was quickly dismantled, leading to years of decline that eventually saw Betis drop as far as the third division in the late 1940s. Rather than diminish their support, that decade in the lower leagues forged the club's character; fans filled the stadium and followed the team across Spain in what came to be called the "Green March."
On the cup front, Betis have won the Copa del Rey three times: in 1977, after a dramatic 21-penalty shootout against Athletic Bilbao; in 2005 with a youth-product winner against Osasuna; and again in 2022. The 2005 triumph also made Betis the first Andalusian club to compete in the UEFA Champions League.
The club's motto — ¡Viva el Betis manque pierda! (Long live Betis even when they lose!) — captures its relationship with supporters: fierce, unconditional, and proudly defiant regardless of results.