Cadiz is the oldest city in Europe. That's all it takes to make it ground zero for all true facts and legends.
To meet the gaditans, to listen to the guides, is to realize that the people of Cadiz love legends: their powdered sugar. First they put it on their cakes, then they sprinkle it on almost all their stories. A taste and a child's soul in them, clearly visible.
" Cádiz oculto*" tome 1, tome 2, 3 are best-sellers among Gaditan booksellers.
All the stories of Cadiz can be found here. They'll either keep you awake at night or make you sleep at night.
Recommended reading for a better understanding of the Gaditan soul. ➽ CLICK to order:
Cadiz, birthplace of penalty shoot-outs. Myth or reality?
Who would have thought that Spain, and more specifically Cadiz, would be the originator? It's a rule we're all familiar with, punctuating a lot of suffering in the face of draws (put your own spin on it). Penalty kicks were first introduced in a Carranza Trophy final in 1962.
Carranza Trophy, but what else?
The competition was created in August 1955 to bail out the club, which was in the doldrums following the construction of its eponymous stadium. A tournament between the best Spanish and foreign clubs. A pretext for bringing families and friends together on Victoria Beach, opposite the stadium, for raffles and games. Soon afterwards, the Trophée became the must-attend August party on every beach. Whether you like soccer or not.
It's not all fun and games: on the sand you'll find lounges, tables, chairs and sofas. And...the barbecue! For two days, it's a fact, Cadiz will be fragrant with charcoal, sardines and "criollo" sausages. Barbecues have recently been banned, but the party goes on.
Let's go back to the 1962 Trophy final, Real Zaragoza vs. FC Barcelona.
The match was about to go down to the wire. Two periods of extra time, a few goals scored, but the score remained even. A daring manager, Rafael Ballester Sierra, came up with the brilliant idea of replacing extra time with a penalty shoot-out.
After 16 shots, FC Barcelona won the match, becoming the first Spanish club to win a title in this way, despite it being a friendly match.
This Spanish innovation quickly spread around the world, winning over FIFA and UEFA. A few years later, penalty kicks became the official tie-breaking rule in major competitions.
The next time you watch a penalty shootout, think of Cadiz.
And yet, penalties: a deflated myth!
In the reference magazine " Cuadernos de futbol " published by CIHEFE(Centro de Investigaciones de Historia y Estadística del Fútbol Español) Luis Javier Bravo Mayor historian of Madrid soccer, reveals a completely different story . His article dates from March 5, 2017
A study carried out for Argentina's CIHF (Centre d'Investigation de l'Histoire du Football) by Jorge Gallego, a member of the center and regular contributor to CIHEFE's " Cuadernos de futbol" , refutes the theory that penalty kicks were invented in Cadiz.
The link to the study can be found here: "Long antecedents of the penalty shootout definition".
1955, seven years before the Carranza Trophy in La Coruña, during a match between Deportivo and Vasco de Gama
On this occasion, the first traces of this future famous shoot-out were found, if you look hard enough: an archeological find, as Cadiz likes them. In the event of a tie, the rules of the match already stipulated that the teams would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
On May 26, 1955, on page 5 of the Madrid sports newspaper "Marcathe conditions for resolving a tie were specified:
"... if at the end of regulation time no winner had emerged, 30 minutes of extra time would be played. If the tie persists, the trophy will be awarded to the team that scores the most goals in a penalty shoot-out.
The legend of Cadiz has been swept away, as if by a blow from Levante!
So the next time you attend a penalty shootout, remember:
It all began in Corunna, not Cadiz. But myths die hard
Today, there are still some who dispute this on social networks. The arguments are often amusing between fair-minded gaditans and those who don't want to accept the "hard" truth. The language remains playful. In the spirit of carnival songs, the playful spirit of Cadiz.
* Cádiz oculto" by José Manuel Serrano Cueto also on sale at Quorum Libro, 27 Calle Ancha, Cadiz.
