Rayo Vallecano: how do you explain a club that is “not a tame animal”?

Not for victories, nor for defeats. If a Martian comes down to Earth tomorrow and we have to explain to him what is Ray Vallecano, You should start doing this for your people. Via Vallecas. A working-class, supportive neighborhood on the verge of its football team, founded on May 29, 1924, turning 100 years old.

A whole century has passed since he was at home Prudencia Priego, located at today’s number 28 Puerto del Monasterio Street, a group of young people decided to form a team. So, what is over Vallecano Ray It started with an advertisement published in Freedoma newspaper of the time: “The new El Rayo Sports Group Society welcomes all societies (federated and non-federated) and wants to play with those who wish to do so on the field and at a time they deem appropriate, starting next Sunday.” They are definitely different times.

All this, and what followed, is fully contained in the book “This is not an animal to be tamed. A century-old history of Rayo and Vallecas” (Altamarea, 2024)written by journalist Ignacio Pato, who kindly helped Mundo Deportivo to ‘slice’ a club as unique as Vallecano Ray now it will be a centenary.

“The epic of football victories is something passionate but also ‘falls in love’ with the epic of defeats because the most normal thing in football is to lose. And the people of Vallecas know that. In in fact, this year, Behind the stadium, there is a banner that explains: ‘We came here to cheer Rayo,’ and it says a lot about the fans and the club,” said Ignacio.

And this is the Vallecas This is a different club than what a football fan is used to seeing. In Spain and the rest of the world. Therefore, many times, the Ray This is the team of choice for tourists who come to Madrid and want to see a real, traditional football atmosphere. Away from the capitalist maelstrom that this sport often becomes, on Avenida de la Albuera there is a kind of ‘oasis’ where some of the same old football remains.

“The football experience in Vallecas is different. Every 15 days you see people from other countries who are amazed by the previous one, in the stadium. That’s why it’s almost like a social movement.” What if He Ray It’s welcoming, if every person who comes here is curious, it’s because of the people, because of the fans, because it’s still a neighborhood in the so-called ‘periphery of Madrid’ but at the time it was more. .

All this is explained in the book where, in addition, the epilogue is written by Oscar Trejocurrent player in the squad, who was on his way to becoming a team legend but stepped down as captain in October over “disapproval of the treatment of fans and workers”.

Romanticize ‘Rayito’

Because the other dark side is also there in the club Vallecas. It’s not all about “how much we like Rayito.” And if the history of team is written between the grass and the standing, the truth is that the latter is constantly fighting to be heard in the offices. And that’s not happening. You have to get a little closer to the fringe team to know that all the love people have for their club is directly proportional to their dissatisfaction with those who run it.

Without further ado, with less than a month before the centenary, the club has not announced any initiative beyond a logo launched by surprise by a tweet. The women’s section, once one of the best in Spain and a three-time champion in the League, has been completely neglected and, above all, it is characterized by a short-term policy saved only by the results of team, which until now Need to save itself from relegation in this last stage of course.

“There is no kind of care or love for the fans. They lack a lot of love. It doesn’t fit many heads but this is what happens,” commented Ignacio, who had to soak it all up to write the book. what Vallecas and its neighbors mean to the team.

The stadium, the worst

But undoubtedly, the issue of the stadium, which has been completely neglected in terms of infrastructure and about which the idea of ​​changing its location is flying, has a special sensitivity for people.

“When the idea of ​​changing the stadium was said in the air, in a preview of the match, Vallecas responded and 15 days later he made a human chain. This is a fan characterized by its community and by its heritage is defense and its stadium is their place of expression,” Ignacio said.

So, in this way comes the Vallecano Ray at 100 years old. With no one to tame him and thank goodness. Because it is a club, like the neighborhood, that is used to ‘fighting’ and sacrifice is in its DNA but it also needs to enjoy. And if right now it can’t be any other way, at least being a First Division team for another year. And that’s practically in your pocket.