History of Athletic Bilbao
Meanwhile, sons of the Basque educated classes had made the opposite journey and went to Britain to complete their studies in civil engineering and commerce. While in the United Kingdom, these students developed an interest in football and on their return to Bilbao they began to arrange games with British workers. In 1898, students belonging to the Gymnasium Zamacois founded the "Athletic Club", using the English spelling. In 1901, a meeting was held in the Café García, which established more formal rules and regulations. In 1902, the two Bilbao clubs formed a combined team, known as "Bizcaya", in the first Copa del Rey. They returned with the trophy after defeating Barcelona in the final. This would lead to the eventual merger of the two clubs as "Athletic Club" in 1903. In the same year, Basque students also formed "Athletic Club Madrid"; this club later evolved into Atlético Madrid. The club's foundation date is a subject of debate among football historians. The club itself declares 1898, but others claim 1901 or 1903 as the true founding year.
BM Neptuno
Balonmano Atlético Madrid was created in the early 1950s, it won 11 Spanish Leagues and 10 Spanish Cups between 1952 and 1987, and reached the final of the 1984–85 European Cup and the 1986–87 EHF Cup; they lost both to, respectively, Metaloplastika Sabac and Granitas Kaunas. Jesús Gil disbanded the team in 1992, but it still competed as Atlético Madrid Alcobendas for two more seasons under the management of some stockholders before finally disappearing in 1994.