# Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa

Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa (Spanish pronunciation:), better known as Cultural Leonesa or La Cultural, is a Spanish football team based in León, in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon. Founded on 5 August 1923, it currently plays in Primera División RFEF – Group 1, holding home games at Estadio Reino de León, with a capacity of 13,346 seats.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, the club released a kit designed to look like a tuxedo. The kit, which attracted huge attention in the media and social networking sites, was worn in a pre-season charity match in support of local charities for mining families.

## History

Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa was founded on 5 August 1923.
In 1926, Cultural Leonesa won the Regional championship and in 1929 Cultural played the Segunda División Grupo B and promoted to the second division.
In 1931, the club ceased activity and several teams were created in the city with the aim to replace them, but after the Spanish Civil War, Cultural Leonesa came back to the competition.
In 1955, Cultural was promoted for the first time to La Liga, but they could only play one season in the Spanish top tier.
In 2011, the club was relegated to Tercera División due to unpaid debts to the players and took two years to recover the place in the third tier. In 2015, the Qatari Aspire Academy bought a controlling 99% of the shares of the club, thus avoiding its dissolution.
On 28 May 2017, Cultural was promoted to Segunda División after 42 years by defeating Barcelona B in the promotion play-offs. On 3 January 2018, Leeds United announced an official partnership with Cultural Leonesa's owners Aspire Academy in Qatar. The link up saw Leeds players Yosuke Ideguchi and Ouasim Bouy both join Cultural Leonesa on loan as part of the unique partnership.
On 2 June 2018, Cultural was relegated to the third level, after being defeated by Numancia on the last matchday. In the 2018–19 season the club played in Segunda División B, Group 1 and fought to be promoted back to the second tier. But it finished only in the 5th position. The club had a good start on the 2019–20 season, being in the 2nd position after first 16 games. In the 2019–2020 season, they upset Atletico de Madrid in the Copa del Rey Round of 32.
On 2 December 2020, Cultural hired Iñigo Idiakez as Head Coach who came from Luton Town in EFL Championship and previously Leicester City and Derby County.

## Club structure

| Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Name | Name | Name | Name | Name |
| President | President | President | President | President | Mohd Khalifa Al Suwadi | Mohd Khalifa Al Suwadi | Mohd Khalifa Al Suwadi | Mohd Khalifa Al Suwadi | Mohd Khalifa Al Suwadi |
| Vice-President | Vice-President | Vice-President | Vice-President | Vice-President | | | | | |
| Managing Director | Managing Director | Managing Director | Managing Director | Managing Director | Felipe Llamazares Díez | Felipe Llamazares Díez | Felipe Llamazares Díez | Felipe Llamazares Díez | Felipe Llamazares Díez |
| Sports management | Sports management | Sports management | Sports management | Sports management | Ricardo Pozo Álvarez | Ricardo Pozo Álvarez | Ricardo Pozo Álvarez | Ricardo Pozo Álvarez | Ricardo Pozo Álvarez |
| Director Delegate | Director Delegate | Director Delegate | Director Delegate | Director Delegate | Ignacio Álvarez Martínez | Ignacio Álvarez Martínez | Ignacio Álvarez Martínez | Ignacio Álvarez Martínez | Ignacio Álvarez Martínez |
| Advisory Board | Advisory Board | Advisory Board | Advisory Board | Advisory Board | Antonio Martín Espina José Lasa Jassim Mohammed AA Al-Ansari | Antonio Martín Espina José Lasa Jassim Mohammed AA Al-Ansari | Antonio Martín Espina José Lasa Jassim Mohammed AA Al-Ansari | Antonio Martín Espina José Lasa Jassim Mohammed AA Al-Ansari | Antonio Martín Espina José Lasa Jassim Mohammed AA Al-Ansari |
| Fundation culturalista | Fundation culturalista | Fundation culturalista | Fundation culturalista | Fundation culturalista | Manuel Carnero Diego Calzado | Manuel Carnero Diego Calzado | Manuel Carnero Diego Calzado | Manuel Carnero Diego Calzado | Manuel Carnero Diego Calzado |
| Technical secretary | Technical secretary | Technical secretary | Technical secretary | Technical secretary | Santi Santos Juan Carlos Valiño (adjunto) César Villafañe (adjunto) | Santi Santos Juan Carlos Valiño (adjunto) César Villafañe (adjunto) | Santi Santos Juan Carlos Valiño (adjunto) César Villafañe (adjunto) | Santi Santos Juan Carlos Valiño (adjunto) César Villafañe (adjunto) | Santi Santos Juan Carlos Valiño (adjunto) César Villafañe (adjunto) |
| Social area | Social area | Social area | Social area | Social area | Juan Luis Diez Mata | Juan Luis Diez Mata | Juan Luis Diez Mata | Juan Luis Diez Mata | Juan Luis Diez Mata |

## Season to season

| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
| 1929 | 3 | 3ª | 1st | Round of 32 |
| 1929–30 | 2 | 2ª | 10th | Round of 32 |
| 1930–31 | 3 | 3ª | 6th | Round of 32 |
| 1931–32 | 3 | 3ª | (W) | |
| 1932–1939 | DNP | DNP | DNP | |
| 1939–40 | 3 | 1ª Reg. | 2nd | |
| 1940–41 | 4 | 1ª Reg. | 2nd | |
| 1941–42 | 3 | 1ª Reg. | 1st | |
| 1942–43 | 2 | 2ª | 3rd | |
| 1943–44 | 2 | 2ª | 9th | Round of 32 |
| 1944–45 | 2 | 2ª | 13th | First round |
| 1945–46 | 3 | 3ª | 3rd | |
| 1946–47 | 3 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 1947–48 | 3 | 3ª | 8th | Fifth round |
| 1948–49 | 3 | 3ª | 7th | Second round |
| 1949–50 | 3 | 3ª | 5th | |
| 1950–51 | 3 | 3ª | 5th | |
| 1951–52 | 3 | 3ª | 3rd | |
| 1952–53 | 3 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 1953–54 | 2 | 2ª | 4th | |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
| 1954–55 | 2 | 2ª | 1st | Round of 16 |
| 1955–56 | 1 | 1ª | 15th | Round of 16 |
| 1956–57 | 2 | 2ª | 6th | |
| 1957–58 | 2 | 2ª | 16th | |
| 1958–59 | 2 | 2ª | 16th | |
| 1959–60 | 3 | 3ª | 1st | Round of 16 |
| 1960–61 | 2 | 2ª | 12th | First round |
| 1961–62 | 2 | 2ª | 16th | First round |
| 1962–63 | 3 | 3ª | 4th | |
| 1963–64 | 3 | 3ª | 3rd | |
| 1964–65 | 3 | 3ª | 7th | |
| 1965–66 | 3 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 1966–67 | 3 | 3ª | 3rd | |
| 1967–68 | 3 | 3ª | 1st | |
| 1968–69 | 3 | 3ª | 4th | |
| 1969–70 | 3 | 3ª | 2nd | Second round |
| 1970–71 | 3 | 3ª | 1st | Fourth round |
| 1971–72 | 2 | 2ª | 5th | Fifth round |
| 1972–73 | 2 | 2ª | 19th | Fourth round |
| 1973–74 | 3 | 3ª | 1st | Third round |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
| 1974–75 | 2 | 2ª | 20th | Fifth round |
| 1975–76 | 3 | 3ª | 6th | Second round |
| 1976–77 | 3 | 3ª | 2nd | First round |
| 1977–78 | 3 | 2ª B | 6th | Second round |
| 1978–79 | 3 | 2ª B | 5th | Second round |
| 1979–80 | 3 | 2ª B | 4th | Second round |
| 1980–81 | 3 | 2ª B | 4th | First round |
| 1981–82 | 3 | 2ª B | 19th | Second round |
| 1982–83 | 3 | 2ª B | 19th | |
| 1983–84 | 4 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 1984–85 | 4 | 3ª | 2nd | First round |
| 1985–86 | 4 | 3ª | 1st | First round |
| 1986–87 | 4 | 3ª | 2nd | Third round |
| 1987–88 | 3 | 2ª B | 14th | First round |
| 1988–89 | 3 | 2ª B | 8th | First round |
| 1989–90 | 3 | 2ª B | 7th | |
| 1990–91 | 3 | 2ª B | 9th | Second round |
| 1991–92 | 3 | 2ª B | 6th | Second round |
| 1992–93 | 3 | 2ª B | 10th | Second round |
| 1993–94 | 3 | 2ª B | 17th | Third round |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
| 1994–95 | 4 | 3ª | 1st | Third round |
| 1995–96 | 3 | 2ª B | 4th | Second round |
| 1996–97 | 3 | 2ª B | 8th | First round |
| 1997–98 | 3 | 2ª B | 4th | |
| 1998–99 | 3 | 2ª B | 1st | First round |
| 1999–2000 | 3 | 2ª B | 9th | Preliminary |
| 2000–01 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd | |
| 2001–02 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd | Round of 32 |
| 2002–03 | 3 | 2ª B | 5th | Round of 32 |
| 2003–04 | 3 | 2ª B | 4th | Round of 32 |
| 2004–05 | 3 | 2ª B | 10th | Round of 32 |
| 2005–06 | 3 | 2ª B | 14th | |
| 2006–07 | 3 | 2ª B | 11th | |
| 2007–08 | 3 | 2ª B | 11th | |
| 2008–09 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd | |
| 2009–10 | 3 | 2ª B | 12th | Round of 32 |
| 2010–11 | 3 | 2ª B | 14th | |
| 2011–12 | 4 | 3ª | 3rd | |
| 2012–13 | 4 | 3ª | 2nd | |
| 2013–14 | 3 | 2ª B | 14th | |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
| 2014–15 | 3 | 2ª B | 7th | |
| 2015–16 | 3 | 2ª B | 7th | Second round |
| 2016–17 | 3 | 2ª B | 1st | Round of 32 |
| 2017–18 | 2 | 2ª | 19th | Third round |
| 2018–19 | 3 | 2ª B | 5th | Round of 32 |
| 2019–20 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd | Round of 16 |
| 2020–21 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd / 6th | Second round |
| 2021–22 | 3 | 1ª RFEF | 12th | Second round |
| 2022–23 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | 10th | |
| 2023–24 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | 6th | |
| 2024–25 | 3 | 1ª Fed. | | Second round |
* 1 season in La Liga
* 15 seasons in Segunda División
* 4 seasons in Primera Federación/Primera División RFEF
* 36 seasons in Segunda División B
* 31 seasons in Tercera División/ Segunda División Grupo B (24 on 3rd tier)

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 14 January 2025.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Miguel Bañuz |
| 2 | DF | VEN | Víctor García |
| 3 | DF | ESP | Eneko Satrústegui |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Rodri Suárez |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Quique Fornos |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Kevin Presa |
| 7 | FW | ESP | Carlos Calderón |
| 8 | MF | ESP | Diego Barri |
| 9 | FW | ESP | Manu Justo |
| 10 | FW | ESP | Luis Chacón (on loan from RC Deportivo de La Coruña) |
| 11 | FW | ESP | Santi Samanes |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 12 | DF | ESP | Guzmán Ortega |
| 13 | GK | ESP | Alejandro Amigo |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Bicho |
| 15 | DF | ESP | Víctor Ruiz |
| 16 | MF | ESP | Sergi Maestre |
| 17 | DF | ESP | Álvaro Martínez |
| 18 | DF | ESP | Lanchi |
| 19 | FW | ESP | Antón Escobar |
| 20 | MF | ESP | Txus Alba |
| 21 | FW | ESP | Juan Artola |
| 22 | FW | ARG | Pibe |

### Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | GK | ESP | Joel Ruiz |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Kirian Ramírez |
| 28 | MF | ESP | Adrián Ruiz |
| 29 | DF | ESP | Santi Prado |
| 30 | FW | ESP | Adri Álvarez |
| 31 | FW | ESP | Ian Martínez |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ESP | Nico Toca (at RS Gimnástica de Torrelavega until 30 June 2025) |
| — | FW | ESP | David López (at CD Illescas until 30 June 2025) |

## Coaching staff

| Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Name | Name | Name | Name | Name |
| Head coach | Head coach | Head coach | Head coach | Head coach | Raúl Llona | Raúl Llona | Raúl Llona | Raúl Llona | Raúl Llona |
| Assistant Coach | Assistant Coach | Assistant Coach | Assistant Coach | Assistant Coach | Odei Calzón | Odei Calzón | Odei Calzón | Odei Calzón | Odei Calzón |
| Fitness coach | Fitness coach | Fitness coach | Fitness coach | Fitness coach | David Madurga | David Madurga | David Madurga | David Madurga | David Madurga |
| Goalkeeper coach | Goalkeeper coach | Goalkeeper coach | Goalkeeper coach | Goalkeeper coach | Javier Pérez | Javier Pérez | Javier Pérez | Javier Pérez | Javier Pérez |
| Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Carlos Gómez Carballo | Carlos Gómez Carballo | Carlos Gómez Carballo | Carlos Gómez Carballo | Carlos Gómez Carballo |
| Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Manuel Martínez Sela | Manuel Martínez Sela | Manuel Martínez Sela | Manuel Martínez Sela | Manuel Martínez Sela |
| Doctor | Doctor | Doctor | Doctor | Doctor | Salustiano López-Contreras | Salustiano López-Contreras | Salustiano López-Contreras | Salustiano López-Contreras | Salustiano López-Contreras |
| Analyst | Analyst | Analyst | Analyst | Analyst | Pedro Gómez | Pedro Gómez | Pedro Gómez | Pedro Gómez | Pedro Gómez |
| Re-trainer | Re-trainer | Re-trainer | Re-trainer | Re-trainer | Álex Bienzobas | Álex Bienzobas | Álex Bienzobas | Álex Bienzobas | Álex Bienzobas |
| Physiotherapist | Physiotherapist | Physiotherapist | Physiotherapist | Physiotherapist | Pedro Vicente | Pedro Vicente | Pedro Vicente | Pedro Vicente | Pedro Vicente |
| Team Delegate | Team Delegate | Team Delegate | Team Delegate | Team Delegate | Eduardo Álvarez | Eduardo Álvarez | Eduardo Álvarez | Eduardo Álvarez | Eduardo Álvarez |
| Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Material Manager | Rubén Álvarez | Rubén Álvarez | Rubén Álvarez | Rubén Álvarez | Rubén Álvarez |

## Notable former players

Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.
* César
* Chema
* Iván Casquero
* Sergio Fernández
* Santi Santos
* Yosuke Ideguchi
* Almoez Ali

## Famous coaches

* Miguel Ángel Rubio

## Reserve team

Júpiter Leonés is the reserve team of the club.
Founded in 1929, later known as Cultural de León and finally changed to its current name Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa "B" Jupiter Leonés. After the 2009–10, the team was dissolved after Cultural was relegated to Tercera División due to its debts. In 2014, it was re-founded as the reserve team and after three promotions it currently plays in Tercera División, the fourth tier, after gaining promotion in the Primera División Regional de Aficionados 2017–18 season.