History

An article on the establishment of new teams in Palma was published in the newspaper “Última Hora” on April 3, 1920. Up until then, teams were founded by the middle and upper social class of the city. In the text, the following sentence was highlighted:

“At the Island workshops, there is news that they are preparing to form a team”

This meant that, for the first time, a group of stock workers formed a soccer team. The team was made up of workers from the shipping company Isleña Marítima, although shipping operators and students studying this profession also participated at practices. The group adopted the name Mecánico.

Their uniforms incorporated the Isleña Marítima colors: three white stripes with a blue background, inspired by the company’s initials painted on its smoke stacks. Their pants were blue and properly trimmed… the old coveralls of the company’s workers.

In the above-mentioned article, another sentence was also highlighted:

“Fundición Carbonell organizes another eleven, promised to be a terrible rival to the size of the working people enrolled”

The workers at Fundición Carbonell, a small metalworking company in the city located on Protectors Street, were in charge of its formation. The team adopted the company’s name and then changed it to the more generic name of Mallorca as more players from other companies joined the team.

The team’s uniform consisted of completely white shirts and shorts. They played their games on a plot of land called “Sa Síquia Reial,” located between the Avenues (Conde de Sallent Avenue) and Blanquerna Street in the city. Their first leader was Bartolomé Llabrés Albertí (1886-1951).

As soon as Mecánico and Mallorca agreed upon Can Rasca, the idea was formed to come together to create a more powerful group. As a result of a joint assembly, the teams merged and adopted the name Baleares Foot-Ball Club on November 14, 1920.

The Baleares FC had its debut on November 21, 1920, winning the Veloz Sport Balear (0-5) at the Velòdrom del Tirador against one of the most powerful teams at the time. Since then, the Club has been a regular participant at the competitions held on the islands. Due to the growth of the new club, a new field in Son Canales was built and then inaugurated on July 24, 1924.

The team quickly became one of the most powerful groups on the islands and the main sporting rival of RCD Mallorca. Since the start of the games between the two teams, flaming passions arose that extended beyond the world of sports.

The third precedent of the current club is the Balear Foot-Ball Club. The first news of its existence was in a letter published in the newspaper El Día (Palma) on May 17, 1922, in which the team captain challenged the Baleares FC to a friendly match.

Balear FC’s first recorded game was played on July 9th of that same year. The Club took its name from Teatro Balear, a coliseum that was right in front of its social space. Their uniforms consisted of a blue shirt and white pants. They did not initially have a playing field and it was not until early 1923 that they inaugurated their own field in the neighborhood of El Molinar in Palma.

The Athletic Foot-Ball Club was established on September 13, 1922 when some of the Balear FC partners founded a new club. The Athletic Club was a much smaller club than the Balear one, and its relationship with RCD Mallorca (previously Alfonso XIII FC) was unlike that of Balear FC; it was very cordial.

Its most brilliant period was during the 1939-40 season, when it won three official titles: the Mallorca Tournament, the Mallorca League and the League of the Balearic Islands. In 1942, the urban growth of the city forced the club to abandon its field. Months later, this led to its merger with the Baleares FC.

The urban growth of the city forced Athletic FC to leave its field in Punta. The club negotiated with the Baleares FC and reached an association agreement. Thus, on May 27, 1942, Club Deportivo Atlético Baleares was born, with Pere Serra Cladera (chairman of the Baleares FC) as first chairman and Francesc Riera Rigo (chairman of the Athletic FC) as vice-chairman.

The agreement was legally materialized as a merger process, although, in reality, the Baleares absorbed the identifying features of the Athletics and became an almost completely new entity. The Baleares kept their uniforms (white and blue), but apart from that, the infrastructure of the club and the Baleares’ fan base was much more powerful than that of the Athletic’s.

Meanwhile, the Athletic FC managed to have its name be put first in the name of the new club (Atlético-Baleares, instead of Baleares-Atlético).

This makes it possible to trace the age of the current club back to 1920, the year the Mecánico, Mallorca and Baleares Foot-Ball Clubs were established.

The new Atlético Baleares made its debut in the 1942/43 season with the following lineup: Pericàs, Amengual, Gil, Sureda, Pont, Matas, Mulet, Homar, Brondo, Albella, and Riera. The team finished second in the Mallorca championship and was runner-up in the Balearic Islands tournament, which led directly to the national third division. In the 1945/46 season, the team finished third and competed in the intermediate phase for promotion to the second division but was eliminated by Levante, the team that eventually secured promotion.

Five years later, in the 1950/51 season, Atlético Baleares was promoted to the second tier of Spanish football. This was achieved with the following starting eleven: Calpe, Soler, Germán, Duel, Simonet, Pueyo, Brondo, Alorda, Álvarez, Miguelín, and Tomàs. After two seasons, the club returned to the third division.

In 1960, the club left Son Canals stadium, which had a capacity of 4,000, and moved to Estadio Balear, which could hold five times more spectators. The new stadium, designed by architect José Obrador, was inaugurated with a match between the home team and Birmingham, which Atlético Baleares won 2–0. The following season, 1960–61, Atlético Baleares won the third division championship, earning the right to a promotion playoff. They faced Olímpic de Xàtiva first and then Amistad de Zaragoza. After winning both ties, the team achieved promotion. The decisive match was played with the following players: García, Felipe, Pastor, Navarro, Dot, Villar, García II, Ricardito, Morro, Villarrubia, and Villamide.

They stayed in the second division for two seasons (1961–62 and 1962–63). In the first, they finished tenth, and in the second, fourteenth, which meant they had to play a relegation playoff against a third division team. The opponent was Algeciras, who defeated Atlético Baleares in a tiebreaker match played at Vallejo Stadium in Valencia. Since then, Atlético Baleares has not returned to the second division.

During the 1960s, in 1965 and 1968, the club had two chances to gain promotion to the second division but was unsuccessful in both playoff attempts.

In the 1972–73 season, the team was relegated to the Preferente regional league, where they stayed for two seasons. Promoted again to the third division in the 1976–77 season, they finished sixth in the standings, which qualified them to participate in the newly created Segunda División B the following season. At the end of the 1977–78 season, they were relegated back to the third division and again, in the 1980–81 season, to the Preferente regional league, where they remained for two seasons.

In 1987, under president Damián Estelrich and coach Ignacio Martín Esperanza, Atlético Baleares earned promotion to Segunda División B. This second stint in the division lasted three years, slightly longer than the previous one. The highlight was a sixth-place finish in the 1988–89 season, which brought the club close to promotion to the second division. However, in the following season, the team was relegated once again to the third division.

From that point on, the club experienced one of its most turbulent periods, marked by both bright and dark moments. They participated in promotion playoffs to Segunda División B on eleven occasions but also faced dire circumstances, particularly in the 2002–03, 2003–04, and 2004–05 seasons, when the club was on the brink of disappearing. These seasons ultimately led to a third relegation to the Preferente regional league.

In the 2007–08 season, a new board led by Mr. Fernando Crespí Luque, along with financially supportive and hardworking collaborators, made a long-awaited dream come true. Eighteen years later, on June 15, 2008, at Estadio Balear, after defeating Gernika in the playoffs, Atlético Baleares returned to Segunda División B. The joy was short-lived, as the team was relegated back to the third division at the end of the 2008–09 season. However, this time things were different. Fernando Crespí remained as club president, and one year later, on May 23, 2010, in Tudela, in a heart-stopping match, Atlético Baleares—coached by the late Ángel Pedraza—regained promotion.

The club’s leadership believed that if Atlético Baleares wanted to aim higher, it needed to become a sports corporation (Sociedad Anónima Deportiva – S.A.D.). To that end, a general assembly of club members was called, as only they could decide the club’s future. The vote took place on May 5, 2011, at the old Cine Metropol. Amidst excitement and hope, the result was overwhelming: of 292 voters, 285 voted in favor. Mr. Fernando Crespí was appointed provisional president of the future corporation.

In this atmosphere of optimism and ambition, the 2011–12 season began. A strong team had been built to aim for the top of the league standings, and they succeeded. Atlético Baleares became champions of Group III in Segunda División B.

The promotion system allowed group champions to gain direct promotion to the second division if they won the first playoff round. Their opponent was Mirandés, and the first leg was played in Miranda de Ebro. A narrow 1–0 defeat left room for hope. The return match in Palma, held in front of a crowd not seen in years, ended in a 1–2 defeat. A second playoff tie against Lugo also ended in elimination.

On September 27, 2012, the S.A.D. incorporation process was finalized. Mr. Fernando Crespí Luque remained as president, and the club’s shares were distributed as follows: Mr. Bartolomé Cursach Mas became the majority shareholder with 66.43% of the capital, Mr. Fernando Crespí Luque held 12.14%, the Horrach family 5.14%, and others 16.29%.

Despite the disappointment, the 2012–13 season was also planned with promotion in mind, albeit with a significantly reduced budget. Those hopes were not fulfilled, and the team lingered around mid-table, occasionally flirting with relegation. Only in the final two rounds was safety secured. The most positive note of the season was the promotion of the youth team to the División de Honor.

At the end of the season, the main shareholders, Mr. Bartolomé Cursach Mas and Mr. Fernando Crespí Luque, announced that they would no longer provide financial support to Atlético Baleares. However, they stated they would not obstruct any person or group interested in purchasing their shares.

The bad news did not end there. At the same time, a creditor filed a lawsuit over an old debt, which led to judicial intervention in the club’s operations. To make matters worse, on June 3, 2013, a wall at Estadio Balear collapsed, and just days later (on the 15th), Palma City Council ordered the stadium closed.

Members and supporters asked themselves: “Where will we play now?” It seemed history was repeating itself, with the ghosts of Sa Punta and Son Canals looming. However, the new club board, led by lawyer Daniel Fiol Lustenberger, mobilized and, after several negotiations, managed to secure the Municipal Sports Center of Magaluf from Calvià Town Hall.

The financial situation left no room for luxuries, and the club opted to sign local players, along with a few loanees—such as Florin Anone from Villarreal.

A coach who shared this philosophy was Nicolás López Vidal, known as Nico López, who had already coached the club in the 2002–03 season. He was entrusted with leading the team. Throughout most of the season, Atlético Baleares remained in playoff positions. Only at the end did the team lose momentum and finish fifth.

Shortly before the season’s end, the club entered bankruptcy proceedings, and Mr. Demetrio Madrid Alonso was appointed as the insolvency administrator.

With the club in receivership, on June 2, 2014, Mr. Ingo Volckmann, a German-born businessman linked to the island through the hospitality sector, acquired 51% of the club’s shares.

In record time — just seven months later, on October 30, 2014 — Atlético Baleares S.A.E. officially exited bankruptcy proceedings.

The resolution of the club’s financial situation allowed Mr. Volckmann to focus on planning for the sporting future. An agreement reached between the club and the Balearic Islands Football Federation enabled Atlético Baleares to use the Son Malferit stadium.

In the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, the club had a squad that inspired optimism about returning to the promotion playoffs. Unfortunately, that goal wasn’t achieved. However, the latter season brought a great joy to the fans: Atlético Baleares reached the final of the Spanish Football Federation Cup. The opponent was Rayo Majadahonda. The first leg was played in Madrid and ended in a 2-2 draw. The second leg took place a week later, on April 13, 2016, at Son Malferit, and the final result (1-0) gave the cup to our team.

In the 2016-17 season, the club had a solid squad. The coach was Christian Ziege, a former international player for Germany. As the competition progressed, the team’s performance was disappointing, and in March 2017, the coach was dismissed and replaced by José Joaquín Moreno, known as “Josico.” The decision proved to be spot on, as the team made a spectacular comeback and qualified for the promotion playoffs. The first tie, against Toledo, was won, and only bad luck prevented a positive outcome in the next round against Albacete.

The 2017-18 season was disappointing. “Josico” did not renew, and the new coach, Armando de la Morena, failed to gain control of the dressing room. Around the first third of the season, the team was sitting 14th in the standings. He was dismissed and replaced by Horacio Melgarejo, who was also soon removed and replaced by Javier Mandiola. The change in attitude was noticeable early on, though the position in the table didn’t immediately reflect it. By Matchday 32, the team was second from bottom, but a clear improvement in play, key victories, and a combination of favorable results made it possible to avoid relegation.

In the 2018-19 season, Manix Mandiola led the team, which came close to promotion after winning their group and reaching the Playoff against Racing, Melilla, and Mirandés.

In the 2019-20 season, also under Mandiola, the team once again won their group, although the regular season could not be completed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That year marked the return to Estadio Balear, fully renovated, thanks to the generosity of the Pro-Campo Committee and the financial commitment of Mr. Ingo Volckmann. In the Playoff, Cartagena and Cornellà ended the dream. Nonetheless, the Blanquiazules once again came close to promotion.

The 2020-21 season was an unusual one. Caught between Segunda B and the restructured Spanish football league system, the team secured a spot in the newly formed Primera RFEF, with Jordi Roger and Xavi Calm as coaches and a completely revamped squad.

The 2021-22 season marked the debut of the Primera RFEF. The team remained in the top five positions — the ones that gave access to promotion playoffs — for 33 matchdays. However, two unexpected draws in the final rounds, against UCAM Murcia and Atlético Sanluqueño, knocked the team out of the playoffs, prompting a coaching change. Eloy Jiménez was replaced by Jordi Roger, who made his debut in the final matchday with a convincing 4-0 win, though it wasn’t enough to qualify for the playoffs.

In the 2022-23 season, the team went through four different coaches (Roger, David Sierra, Onésimo, and Tato García). For much of the campaign, ATB occupied relegation spots to Segunda RFEF, but ultimately secured safety by beating Logroñés away from home on the final day.

In the 2023-24 season, the team remained in the relegation zone from the second to the last matchday. Neither Tato García nor Juanma Barrero were able to change the team’s direction. Mallorcan coach Jaume Mut arrived for the final 10 matchdays with the goal of preparing for the following season in Segunda RFEF, as avoiding relegation seemed almost impossible. The bright spot of the season came from the men’s youth team and the women’s Balears FC, both of which achieved promotion.

With the team in Segunda RFEF for the 2024-25 season, a squad was assembled to try and regain the lost category. Jaume Mut kept the team in the upper part of the table, though with some inconsistency. On Matchday 22, after four consecutive draws, a coaching change was made. Luis Blanco took charge, turned things around, and quickly led the team back into Playoff positions, steadily improving performance until the team finished second in the regular season. In the promotion Playoff, ATB had home-field advantage, but Teruel dashed hopes in a chaotic final match at Estadio Balear, where the visitors took the lead twice, ATB came back to 2-2, but in stoppage time, Teruel sealed the game on a counterattack (2-5).

Currently (2025-26 season), the club’s ownership remains firmly committed to the project, building a competitive squad for Segunda RFEF. Owner Ingo Volckmann and sporting director Patrick Messow once again place their trust in Luis Blanco to lead the team as head coach.

There is no doubt that the arrival of Ingo Volckmann in June 2014 marked a turning point in the history of Atlético Baleares. His firm commitment to the club brought a key financial injection that solved major economic problems and set a clear path toward professionalisation. Since then, all areas of the club have been significantly improved, both structurally and in terms of sporting performance. On the pitch, the team has consistently competed in the third tier of Spanish football, achieving notable milestones such as winning the Copa Federación in 2016 and securing two Segunda B championships. Moreover, the youth academy has been strongly promoted, with special attention given to the women’s team. One of the most visible achievements has been the complete reconstruction of the Estadio Balear, now a modern and functional venue that still preserves the club’s identity and essence.

Source: Antonio Salas Fuster and CD Atlético Baleares.