| 1st Copa del Rey | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country | Spain |
| Teams | 3 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Athletic Bilbao (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Madrid FC |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 3 |
| Goals scored | 14 (4.67 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Juan AstorquiaArmando GiraltAlejandro de la Sota (2 goals each) |
TheCopa del Rey 1903 was the first official staging of theCopa del Rey, theSpanishfootball cup competition. It followed the1902 Copa de la Coronación, held to celebrate the coronation ofKing Alfonso XIII of Spain, which was won byClub Vizcaya de Bilbao (a temporary combination ofBilbao Football Club andAthletic Bilbao) and given to them permanently.[1]
The competition was played between 6 and 8 April 1903. Three teams took part: Athletic Bilbao,Espanyol of Barcelona andMadrid FC. It took the form of around-robin, but the results of the first two games meant that the third game became the final.[2] That match, held at theHipódromo inMadrid, saw Athletic Bilbao take the trophy for the first time as a distinct club, beating Madrid 3–2 after trailing 2–0 at half time.[2]
As a result, the tally of Copa wins by Athletic Bilbao is disputed. The 1902 cup, won by Club Vizcaya, is on display in the Athletic museum, and the club includes the victory in its honours list. However, neither theLiga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP) nor theReal Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) official statistics include this as an Athletic win: they count the 1903 cup as its first.
| Athletic Bilbao | 3–2 | Madrid FC |
|---|---|---|
Raymond Cazeaux 55'Eduardo Montejo 70'Alejandro de la Sota 80' | Report | de Valdeterrazo 15' Antonio Neyra 40' |
| Copa del Rey 1903 Winners |
|---|
| Athletic Bilbao 1st Title |
