If you were anywhere near Bilbao on the night of April 6, 2024, you didn’t need to check a scoreboard. The air just felt different. After four decades of "almosts," heartbreak, and six straight lost finals, the drought is finally over. Athletic Club de Bilbao are the ones who gano la Copa del Rey 2024.
They did it the hard way. Of course they did.
It wasn't a sleek, dominant 3-0 victory. Instead, it was a 120-minute nerve-shredding marathon against a Mallorca side that refused to blink. It ended in a penalty shootout that felt like it lasted a lifetime. Honestly, if you're an Athletic fan, you’ve probably aged five years just watching that game at La Cartuja.
The Night the Gabarra Finally Sailed
For 40 years, the Gabarra—the famous barge Athletic uses for victory parades—had been sitting in dry dock. It became a bit of a ghost, a legend that younger fans only heard about from their grandparents. But when Alex Berenguer stepped up to take that final penalty, he wasn't just kicking a ball. He was carrying the weight of 1984 on his shoulders.
He scored. The drought ended.
Why this win was different
Most teams treat the Copa del Rey as a secondary trophy. They rotate players. They focus on the league. Athletic Club is different. Because of their unique philosophy of only fielding players from the Basque Country, this tournament is their lifeblood. It's the one place where they can look at the giants like Real Madrid or Barcelona and say, "We belong here."
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The road to the 2024 title was anything but easy. To even get to Seville, they had to dismantle Barcelona in the quarter-finals and then crush Atletico Madrid in the semis. By the time they reached the final, everyone assumed they’d steamroll Mallorca.
Football is rarely that simple.
What happened during the match?
Mallorca, coached by the veteran Javier Aguirre, played the perfect "spoiler" role. They sat deep. They were physical. They didn't care about possession. In the 21st minute, Dani Rodríguez silenced the thousands of traveling Basque fans by curling a beautiful shot into the top corner.
For a long time, it looked like Athletic’s curse was going to strike again.
- The Equalizer: Early in the second half, Nico Williams—who was basically a human highlight reel all night—found Oihan Sancet with a perfect pass. Sancet didn't miss. 1-1.
- The Stalemate: The rest of the game was a tactical chess match. Athletic pushed, but Mallorca’s defense was a brick wall.
- Extra Time: Both teams were exhausted. Cramps were everywhere. The score stayed level.
The Penalty Shootout Drama
When the final whistle blew after 120 minutes, it came down to the "lottery" of penalties. But was it really a lottery? Julen Agirrezabala, the young Athletic keeper, looked like a giant in the net. He saved Manu Morlanes' shot, and then Nemanja Radonjić sent his effort over the bar.
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Athletic was perfect. Raúl García, Iker Muniain, Mikel Vesga, and finally Berenguer all converted.
Who gano la Copa del Rey 2024: Key Figures
You can't talk about this win without mentioning Ernesto Valverde. He’s the guy who finally figured out the puzzle. People forget he's won titles elsewhere, but bringing the Cup back to Bilbao is his crowning achievement.
Then there's the Williams brothers. Iñaki and Nico are the heart of this team. Nico was named Man of the Match, and rightfully so. He was the only player on the pitch who looked like he could create something out of nothing every time he touched the ball.
Then there is Iker Muniain. The captain. The man who had been through so many of those losing finals. Seeing him lift that trophy in front of 50,000 screaming fans was the "football logic" everyone wanted to see.
Why it matters for the future
This wasn't just a win; it was a release. The "40-year drought" is no longer a talking point. Athletic Club has solidified its spot as the second most successful club in the history of the competition with 24 titles (though they claim 25 if you count the 1902 coronation cup).
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For Mallorca, it was a heartbreaking end to a "Cinderella" run. They knocked out Real Sociedad to get there and proved they can compete with the best. But 2024 belonged to the lions of San Mamés.
Practical takeaways for fans
If you're planning to visit Bilbao or follow the team now that they've broken the curse, here's the deal. The city is essentially a shrine to this victory.
- Visit San Mamés: The stadium museum has already been updated with the 2024 trophy. It’s a must-see.
- Watch the "Williams Effect": Nico Williams is one of the most sought-after wingers in the world right now. Catch him while you can.
- Respect the Philosophy: This win proves that Athletic's "Basque-only" policy isn't just a relic of the past; it's a viable way to win at the highest level.
If you want to dive deeper into the stats, Ferran Torres actually finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 6 goals, even though Barcelona didn't make the final. But nobody in Bilbao cares about that. They have the trophy, they have the barge, and they finally have their glory back.
Next time someone asks you who gano la Copa del Rey 2024, you can tell them it wasn't just a team. it was a whole city that refused to give up on a 40-year-old dream.
To really understand the impact of this win, look up videos of the celebration on the Nervión River. Over a million people lined the banks. That’s more than the entire population of Bilbao. It shows that some things in football are worth the wait, no matter how long that wait is.