At the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville, Real Sociedad defeated Atlético Madrid on penalties in the Copa del Rey final after the match ended 2-2 following 90 minutes and extra time. Sociedad prevailed 4-3 in the shootout to claim their fourth title in Spain’s oldest national football competition.
The final produced a record-breaking start, with Sociedad forward Ander Barrenetxea scoring after just 14 seconds. This strike set a new record for the fastest goal in a Copa del Rey final, surpassing the previous mark held for 74 years. The earlier record was set in 1952, when Valencia’s Manuel Badenes scored after 17 seconds.
Sociedad doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time through Mikel Oyarzabal. Atlético Madrid responded in the second half, with Ademola Lookman scoring in the 18th minute and Julián Álvarez equalising in the 83rd minute. With no further goals in extra time, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout.
In the decisive shootout, Atlético’s Alexander Sørloth and Julián Álvarez saw their opening two penalties saved by Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marreno. Although Atlético converted their remaining attempts, Sociedad maintained their advantage to secure victory.
Following the defeat, Atlético coach Diego Simeone, when asked whether he had a message for supporters disappointed by the loss, stated: “Supporters do not want messages, they want trophies.”
Match Summary
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Competition | Copa del Rey Final |
| Venue | Estadio de la Cartuja, Seville |
| Final Score (AET) | 2-2 |
| Penalty Result | Real Sociedad 4-3 Atlético Madrid |
| Fastest Goal | 14 seconds – Ander Barrenetxea |
| Previous Record | 17 seconds – Manuel Badenes (1952) |
| Sociedad Goals | Barrenetxea, Oyarzabal |
| Atlético Goals | Ademola Lookman, Julián Álvarez |
| Penalty Saves | Unai Marreno (2 saves) |
The victory marked Real Sociedad’s fourth Copa del Rey triumph, following previous successes in 1909, 1987 and 2020. The 1987 final also featured a closely mirrored scenario, with Sociedad defeating Atlético Madrid on penalties after a 2-2 draw. On that occasion, the Basque club secured a 4-2 win in the shootout in Zaragoza.
With this result, Sociedad became only the second club to win the Copa del Rey twice via penalty shootouts. Real Betis have achieved the same feat, winning in 1977 and 2022 through penalties.
First held in 1903, the Copa del Rey remains Spain’s longest-running domestic football competition, and this final added another notable chapter with its record-breaking goal and decisive shootout outcome.