‘Gold slaves’: unionism and football in Spain during the democratic transition

Abstract

This paper examines the origins and development of trade unions in Spanish football. The origin of the Spanish Football Players’ Union (Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles, AFE) and the process that led to the first footballers’ strike held in March 1979 are specifically studied. Particular emphasis is placed upon the specific industrial and organizational contexts in which the AFE emerged, as well as on the structure, membership and leadership of this trade union. The paper argues that the AFE managed to wield considerable influence by directly challenging the authority of the controlling bodies represented by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (Real Federación Española de Fútbol, RFEF). The findings of this study shed light on the behaviour shown by RFEF, the media and football fans themselves in the face of the emergence of the football union.