Villarreal's Copa del Rey Curse: 55 Years of Heartbreak That Needs Ending
Despite European glory and La Liga success, Villarreal's shocking Copa del Rey record shows just one semifinal appearance in their entire history. Can they break the curse in 2026?
The Yellow Submarine might rule the waves in Europe, but they’re absolutely boat-raced when it comes to Spain’s domestic cup competition.
The Copa Curse
For a club that’s reached the Champions League semifinals and lifted the Europa League trophy, Villarreal’s Copa del Rey record is nothing short of diabolical. In their 55-year history, they’ve managed just one semifinal appearance. One! That came back in 2014-15, with every other campaign ending in disappointment or downright embarrassment.
Fernando Roig’s project has ticked nearly every box in Spanish football:
- Promotion to La Liga ✓
- Establishing themselves as a top-flight mainstay ✓
- Qualifying for European competitions ✓
- Reaching the Champions League ✓
- Winning a major trophy (2020-21 Europa League) ✓
But the Copa del Rey remains their Achilles’ heel, their bogey competition, their proper nightmare.
The Hall of Shame
The list of teams who’ve knocked Villarreal out of the Copa reads like a who’s who of Spanish football’s lower leagues:
- Ponferradina
- Unionistas
- Mirandés (twice!)
- Palamós
- Hércules
- Racing Santander (most recently)
These aren’t just defeats – they’re proper humiliations. Most of these clubs were playing multiple divisions below Villarreal when they delivered the knockout blow.
The latest embarrassment came against Segunda División’s Racing Santander in the Round of 32. On paper, the Yellow Submarine should’ve sailed through, but instead they sank without trace. Classic Villarreal in the Copa.
A Puzzling Pattern
What makes this cup curse so baffling is how it contrasts with Villarreal’s otherwise impressive trajectory. This is a club that’s been a model of stability and smart management, consistently punching above their weight in a town of just 50,000 people.
Their European pedigree is the envy of many bigger clubs. They’ve reached the Champions League semifinals and conquered the Europa League. Yet somehow, when the Copa del Rey comes around, they turn into a proper Sunday League outfit.
The last time they showed any cup mettle was reaching the quarter-finals in 2020-21 (the same season they won the Europa League, ironically). Since then, it’s been one early exit after another.
As 2026 approaches, breaking this bizarre cup curse must surely be at the top of Villarreal’s New Year’s resolutions. After 55 years of Copa calamities, the Yellow Submarine is desperate to finally make a splash in Spain’s premier knockout competition.