“It’s a moment to enjoy, to dream and to believe… the kid who dreamed of this… has done it,”
The match, held at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville on April 18, 2026, ended with a dramatic 4-3 scoreline on penalties following a tense 2-2 draw. This victory marked Real Sociedad’s fourth Copa del Rey title in their history—a significant achievement for a club that had been fighting relegation just months prior.
Ander Barrenetxea set the tone early by scoring the fastest goal in Copa del Rey final history just 14 seconds into the match. Atletico Madrid responded quickly, with Ademola Lookman finding the net in the 19th minute. The first half saw Mikel Oyarzabal equalize for Real Sociedad with a penalty during stoppage time, further intensifying the contest.
As the match progressed into the second half, both teams exchanged chances until Julian Alvarez equalized for Atletico Madrid in the 83rd minute. However, despite their late resurgence, Atletico could not secure victory—leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
During the shootout, Unai Marrero emerged as the hero for Real Sociedad by saving two penalties. Atletico Madrid managed to convert three of their attempts but ultimately fell short as they failed to claim their first domestic trophy in five years.
This loss extends Atletico Madrid’s trophy drought and reflects ongoing challenges within the club. The last time they reached a Copa del Rey final was thirteen years ago, highlighting their struggles in domestic competitions lately.
Meanwhile, Pellegrino Matarazzo made history by becoming the first American manager to lift a major trophy in Europe’s top five football leagues—a remarkable feat that adds another layer of significance to this match.
The final attracted an impressive crowd of 72,000 fans who witnessed an emotional clash between two determined teams. As Atletico Madrid reflects on this defeat, they must now regroup and find ways to break their domestic drought moving forward.
