In 1902, José María Abalo, a youngster who had returned to his hometown after studying in England, introduced football to A Coruña. The game gained rapid popularity and several teams were formed on an informal basis.
In December 1906, members of Sala Calvet gymnasium formed Deportivo de La Coruña, naming Luis Cornide as the first president. In May 1907, Alfonso XIII of Spaingranted the club the “Real” (“royal”) denomination. Dépor started playing at Corral de la Gaiteira (“Piper’s Yard”), but soon moved to Old Riazor, a new ground near the Riazor beach.
The team played friendly matches regularly and competed in local leagues, but failed to achieve success in the Copa del Rey in its early years.
In 1920, the Olympics in Antwerp saw the debut of the Spanish national team. A good run for the Spanish side increased football’s popularity, and as a result many teams gained professional status, and a league competition was formed and planned for the 1928–29 season.
Source: Wikipedia