RCD Mallorca The island geography of the Balearic archipelago has uniquely shaped the identity of RCD Mallorca. The club was founded on March 5, 1916, under the initial name Alfonso XIII Foot-Ball Club, honoring the reigning Spanish monarch. King Alfonso XIII soon bestowed the title "Real" upon the organization, but following the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, references to royalty were removed and the entity was renamed Club Deportivo Mallorca. The royal prefix was permanently restored in later decades, establishing the official moniker Real Club Deportivo Mallorca. Featuring its traditional red and black kit, the club stands as the flagship sports institution of the Balearic Islands.
The most glorious era in the history of the Balearic side unfolded during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Guided by Argentine manager Héctor Cúper, the team reached the final of the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1999, narrowly losing 2–1 to Italian side SS Lazio at Villa Park in Birmingham. During this period, the club achieved two 3rd-place finishes in La Liga (in the 1998/1999 and 2000/2001 seasons), securing historic qualification for the UEFA Champions League. The pinnacle of this era arrived in 2003, when the club lifted its first and only Copa del Rey trophy following a convincing 3–0 victory over Recreativo Huelva at the Martínez Valero Stadium in Elche. Previously, the club had also secured the Supercopa de España in 1998.
A central figure of this golden period was Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o, who remains the club's all-time top scorer in La Liga with 54 goals (and 70 goals across all competitions). Other iconic figures in the club's history include midfielder Paco Soler, who spent almost his entire professional career with the side and made over 400 official appearances, alongside veteran defender Miguel Ángel Nadal. Today, the team plays its home matches at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, a venue opened in 1999 in the island capital of Palma. Supported by a rich legacy of domestic and European achievements, the club maintains an enduring presence in Spanish football.