The remarkable tale of when Sunderland AFC beat the Spanish national team - and changed the trajectory of football

The summer of 1934 saw Spanish football presented with a rare opportunity - they would be one of the 16 times invited to take part in the second World Cup, to be held in Italy.
The Sunderland squad of the 1930s, who headed to Spain for the post-season tourThe Sunderland squad of the 1930s, who headed to Spain for the post-season tour
The Sunderland squad of the 1930s, who headed to Spain for the post-season tour

Trials were hastily arranged to garner the best of the country’s footballing talent, while Spanish officials scoured Europe for the best opposition to prepare them for the upcoming tournament.

In something of a surprise, the plucky Spaniards were able to secure a glamour friendly with Europe’s most sought-after club side.

Sunderland player Jimmy Connor  illustrated on a Wills Tobacco Cigarette Football card circa 1935.Sunderland player Jimmy Connor  illustrated on a Wills Tobacco Cigarette Football card circa 1935.
Sunderland player Jimmy Connor illustrated on a Wills Tobacco Cigarette Football card circa 1935.

So why Sunderland?

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While the notion of a prominent club side playing a national team may seem absurd in the context of modern day football, it was very much the norm in the early parts of the twentieth century. Indeed, the same summer, Derby County headed east to face Germany - but it was Sunderland who were the team every nation wanted to face.

The Black Cats were, after all, a regular force in the top flight of English football and would go on to win a maiden FA Cup title just three years after their trip to Spain. As Spanish publication El Mundo Deportivo noted at the time, they represented ‘the essence of English football in its purest sense’ - and it was at this level which Spain wanted to test themselves.

Sunderland’s side at the time was led by Jimmy Cochrane and featured a host of club legends. Bobby Gurney led the line, while the attacking talents of Jimmy Connor and Patsy Gallacher drew plaudits from the Spanish press at the time.

Three games in seven days

In a schedule not dissimilar to that facing Premier League teams in the current climate, Sunderland faced a run of three games in seven days - all against various Spanish XI’s.

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For Spain manager Amadeo Garcia Salazar, it was a chance to cast his eye over a number of players who were on the periphery of his squad. Essentially, these three friendly fixtures acted as the final trial process for the 1934 World Cup.

What that did mean was that a number of key men - including the star of Spanish football at the time, Real Madrid goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora - did not feature.

The two sides first locked horns in Bilbao on May 13, 1934. Despite trailing 1-0 at the break, Sunderland rallied and secured a 3-3 draw courtesy of a Harry Shaw penalty and a brace from Connor.

For Spain, the star of the show was Deportivo la Coruna striker Chacho - whose brace formed two of the seven goals he netted in just three international appearances.

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And so it was on to Madrid and the Estadio Chamartin, where around 40,000 packed the terraces to get a glimpse of Sunderland.

Spain changed all but two of their starting line-up for the game, while Sunderland could only make two changes. With only thirteen players having travelled on the postseason tour, Cochrane couldn’t make the ringing changes that his Spanish counterpart did - meaning a number of players were asked to play 180 minutes in the space of two days.

Perhaps it was telling that it was one of the two players who didn’t feature in the first game - George Ainsley - who netted a brace for the Rokerites in front of the capacity crowd. Sevilla striker Campanal scored a double of his own for the hosts to ensure the game ended 2-2, sealing his own place in the World Cup squad.

A win - and some brutal reports from Spain

The next and final stop on Sunderland’s tour was Valencia and the historic Estadio Mestalla.

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Again, Spanish manager Salazar rung the changes - while Sunderland again were limited in their squad rotation.

But similarly to the meeting in Madrid, it had little effect on the Black Cats - who were comprehensive victors in front of another bumper crowd.

Jimmy Connor netted a brace, while Harry Shaw scored his second goal of the tour to seal a 3-1 victory.

It was a result that caused a great deal of self-reflection within the Spanish footballing authorities.

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For while the team went on to reach the Quarter Finals of that summer’s World Cup - even taking eventual winners Italy to a replay before being eliminated - there was a realisation that the national team were not ready to compete on the global stage.

National reports at the time echoed the sentiments of many who had watched the Spanish

labour their way through the trio of games against Sunderland.

“All the evidence shows that Sunderland is a team that can teach Spain a real footballing lesson,” said national newspaper AS.

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“Not a lesson in individual skill, but a lesson in playing as a team.”

“The English are masters of football,” wrote El Mundo Deportivo.

“Together, they play as one team – unlike Spain, who are just individuals thrown together.”

Sustained investment, and a focus on cultivating a positive atmosphere within the squad, followed over the following years. A combination of World War II and the Spanish Civil War meant it wasn’t until 1950 that Spain were able to showcase their new-found ability on an international stage.

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They finished fourth in that summer’s World Cup and, for many at the time, it was the chastenising defeat to Sunderland that set the wheels in motion for the remarkable turnaround.

Back on home soil with memories - and complaints

While Spain reflected on the most concerning of defeats, Sunderland were left to return to English shores - with full pockets.

Given the number of teams keen to face the Black Cats over the summer, it was no surprise that the club demanded a large fee to head to Spain - which helped Cochrane continue to develop this squad during a phenomenal period in the club’s history.

But while the club benefitted from the trip, players weren’t as pleased. Upon their return to Wearside, many complained to the local press of being ‘exhausted and malnourished’ - and were far from glowing in their reviews of their Spanish hosts.

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The next summer, though, Sunderland would return to the country - this time to play Catalonia’s national side.

At that point, there were already signs of positive change spreading through the nation in terms of football. And to that, Spain owe Sunderland a great deal of credit and thanks.

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