Real Betis even when they lose!"). The name "Betis" is derived from "Baetis", the Roman name for the Guadalquivir river which passes through Seville and which the Roman province there was named after. "Real" was added in 1914 after the club received patronage from King Alfonso XIII. Betis' city rivals Sevilla FC were the first club in Sevilla, founded in October 1905, while a second club, "Sevilla Balompié" were established in September 1907. ""Balompié"" translates literally as "football", as opposed to the most commonly adopted anglicised version, ""fútbol"". Balompié was founded by students from the local Polytechnic Academy, and were in operation
Real Betis after lifting the league title only two players who won in 1935 were left: Peral and Saro. No official league was held during the Civil War between 1936 and 1939, until its resumption for the 1939–40 season and the first year back highlighted Betis' decline as exactly five years after winning the title the club was relegated. Despite a brief return to the top division which lasted only one season, the club continued to decline and in 1947 the worst fears were reached when they were relegated to Tercera División. Many fans see the ten years they spent in the