Extremadura that played in First Division

Last update 1 June, 2022 por Alberto Llopis

At present Estremadura and by extension the football extremeño, They lack a representative in the elite football. Gone are those times where Badajoz one he Merida They were a classic silver division of Spanish football, Gone are those days where the Merida or that mythical CF Extremadura de Almendralejo They came to play Primera División. In this article we want to remind seconds.

Extremadura that played in First Division

With scarcely 35.000 habitantes, Almendralejo He lived the dream of football in the late First 90 when he CF Extremadura He ascended in 1996 First Division for the first time in its history and say first because there was another. Barca box and getting well go down in history for being the first team in a very small population rising to First (Villarreal y Eibar arrive later), participate in the first and possibly single Liga de las estrellas, to from 1996/97, one of the best championships in recent memory.

En aquella temporada, el Estremadura for obvious reasons was the Cinderella of the First Division more so after making a loose first round la Liga. But in the second he was going to change things. Despite falling to second to end of season, those of Almendralejo surprised with a second master and full of excitement back that caused him to do 44 points, a score that today would have been worth to save surplus in First. In fact they descended League because that was 22 and was the season we had to reduce it again 20.

The CF was in position Extremadura 19 de 22 and finally descended leaving that if, a huge impression to all Spanish football fans. Said the signing of Navarro Montoya Monkey who arrived in the winter market 1997 and soon he earned a place in the hearts of fans. Other prominent players from that group were Ito, Pedro Jose, Felix, Tough, Silvani y Pineda. Emphasize precisely that season this dribbling from Pineda to De la Peña in a Francisco de la Hera filled to the brim, was left to remember.

The second stage of CF Extremadura in the First Division

But not everything was said by this Estremadura. With only one year in Second, the team returned to the 1997/98 to First, the journey had lasted a year only guess who was the coach of that Extremadura returning to First?, si, era Rafa Benítez. With a stellar Glucevic over the countryside and the old guard led by Felix and Pedro José mythical, Benitez getting the box back to First.

But the adventure again last one year again and the 1998/99 el CF Extremadura would go down to Second again and never return again. And after descending the second time they were about to ascend again, at least they fought for it hand Joshua Ortuondo which he had already led to glory in the first ascent, but this time could not be.

And from here came the debacle that led the team from the Second Division to regional and forcing in a decade the disappearance of the CF Extremadura 2010 having existed since 1924. Definitely a sad moment for football extremeño. However this did not mean the death of the club. From the ashes, came the Extremadura UD that came up to Second but disappeared in 2022 in the middle of the 1RFEF competition.