1941-1992: CLUB DEPORTIVO MÁLAGA
The presentation of Club Deportivo Málaga and the official inauguration of La Rosaleda stadium took place jointly on 14th September 1941. The first match was between CD Málaga and Sevilla FC, to debut La Rosaleda, with a victory for the Blue and Whites (3-2) in front of 8,000 fans.
During more than half a century, football in Málaga had the seal of CD Málaga, becoming the first denomination to reach the top flight, the First Division, for 20 seasons. The trajectory included 27 seasons in the Second Division and four in the Third Division.
The alternations between First and Second Division led to the team having the highest number of ascents and descents in national football, totalling 11. The record number of consecutive seasons in the highest category (five) was established in the 70s, when CD Málaga also achieved the highest classification in its league history twice; seventh place (1971/72 and 1973/74).
Pedro Bazán became the best striker in history in one match, after scoring nine goals against Hércules (4th January 1949), in a Second Division match. Bazán, one of the best strikers in the history of Málaga, completed an impeccable sporting career, with 301 matches played and 266 goals scored, a scoring record for CD Málaga.
In the dugout, Antonio Fernández Benítez reached a record number of matches coaching the team (311), which, together with those in the 90s under the Málaga CF name (69), is still preserved today as a benchmark of Málaga football, with 380 games in total.
Steeped in serious economic crisis, and following relegation to Second Division B in the 1991/92 season, on 27th July 1992, the CD Málaga name disappeared, handing over the baton to the reserve team, Club Atlético Malagueño, who competed in the Third Division.
Presidents of CD Málaga: Luis Ramírez Rodríguez, José Soriano Alba, Francisco Espejo Nevot, Manuel Navarro Nogueroles, José Luis Estrada Segalerva, Agustín Moreno García, Mario Canivell Freites, Julio Parres López, Juan Moreno de Luna, Antonio Rodríguez López, Rafael Serrano Carvajal, José Ibáñez Narváez, Federico Brinkmann Gil, Antonio Pérez-Gascón Cobos, Eduardo Padilla Díaz, Francisco García Anaya, José Pardo Requena and José Toboso Plaza.
CD Málaga coaches: Cristobal Martí, Manuel Olivares, Antonio Calderón, Paco Bru, Antonio Iznata ‘Chales’, Campanal, Luis Urquiri, Ricardo Zamora, Antonio Barrios, Gabriel Andonegui, Helenio Herrera, Pasarín, Ramón Colón, Manuel Echezarreta, Carlos Iturraspe, José Valera, Eduardo Rubio, Rogelio Santiago ‘Lelé’, Juan Ochoantesana, Sabino Barinaga, José Luis Riera, José María Zárraga, Domingo Balmanya, Luis Miró, Ernesto Pons, Otto Bumbel, Juan Ramón, Jenos Kalmar, Carmona Ros, Marcel Domingo, Milorad Pavic, José Luis Fuentes, Sebastián Viberti, Abdullah Ben Barek, Antonio Benítez, Antonio D’accorso, Ladislao Kubala, Pepe Sánchez, Luis Costa, Waldo Ramos, José Luis Monreal and Antonio Montero ‘Nene’.
Standout CD Málaga players: 1940-49 (Tomasín, Junco, Mendaro, Arza, Emilio, Olivares, Teo, Bazán, Arnau); 1950-59 (Becerril, Gutiérrez, Rodríguez, Galacho, Del Río, Bernardi, Borredá, Lorenzo, Pipi); 1960-69 (Américo, Ben Barek, Portalés, Arias, Otiñano, Velázquez, Chuzo, Montero, Aragón, Berruezo, Martínez, Monreal, Migueli, Fleitas); 1970-79 (Viberti, Deusto, Macías, Vilanova, Bustillo, Áraez, Guerini, Benítez, Búa, Santi Llorente); 1980-89 (‘Bokerón’ Esteban, Salguero, Muñoz Pérez, Martín, Paquito, Rivas, José, Canillas, Juan Carlos, Fernando Peralta, Husillos, Juan Gómez ‘Juanito’); 1990-92 (Jaro, Matosas, Makanaky, Antonio Mata, Antonio Álvarez, Quino, Lauridsen).