Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D. (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈraʝo βaʎeˈkano ðe maˈðɾið]), often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas. Rayo was founded on 29 May 1924, and currently compete in La Liga following promotion from the 2020–21 Segunda Division. Home games are held at the 14,708-seater Campo de Futbol de Vallecas stadium.
Rayo has competed in one European competition, the UEFA Cup in the 2000–01 season. The club made it to the quarter-finals before losing to fellow Spanish club Alaves 4–2 on aggregate.
By historical standard, Rayo is the third best club in Community of Madrid, after Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
History
Rayo Vallecano was founded on 29 May 1924 in the hometown of Prudencia Priego, wife of the club's first president Julian Huerta. Greatly inspired by River Plate (a Football club from Argentina), in 1949, after an agreement with Atletico Madrid, a red diagonal stripe was added to the team's kit, and the club reached Tercera Division for the first time in its history.
This page also has a version in other languages : Райо Вальекано (russian)