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Long before social media became part of our daily lives, there were the peñas — places where supporters who shared a passion for the same club would gather. These groups of people united by a common feeling organised away trips, met to enjoy (or endure) their team's matches, debated the manager's decisions, and much more besides.
The bonds formed within a peña are almost like family ties, and they rarely fade with a bad run of results. Born in the poorest neighbourhoods and the most modest bars, they serve an essential function and help ensure that passion endures through the generations. Most of us have a family member, friend or acquaintance who belongs to one — but what is their true origin? Who formed the first one?
The first peña founded in Spain was the "Peña Madridista Mariano", established in Madrid in 1920. Founded in September of that year by Mariano Herrero with just 15 members, it is the first supporters' club in the history of Spanish football. It started life in the "Bar El Nido" on Calle del Mesón de Paredes 2 in Lavapiés, right in the heart of Madrid. In the 1940s the venue changed its name to "Casa Mariano", and in the 1960s it relocated to the Plaza de Tirso de Molina. Mariano himself, it seems, wasn't a particularly passionate football fan and had never watched a match — yet over time he became the very person who drove others to follow Real Madrid week in, week out.
First-team players and journalists would gather at the bar, as some of them had built friendships with Mariano over the years. Figures such as Santiago Bernabéu and Alfredo Di Stéfano visited the peña on numerous occasions. As well as travelling to follow the team, the peña organised celebrations, published a magazine and even fielded a registered team. Their role was pivotal in the construction of Real Madrid's current stadium, as a large number of members made financial contributions towards the project. Eleven years after its founding, the peña's team faced a side made up of Real Madrid first-team players in a charity match — losing 1–3 to the Peña Mariano.
This story reminds us that football extends well beyond the pitch — it isn't only lived inside stadiums. The peñas are the living memory of football, and they give us a space to share passion and unconditional love for the colours.
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