{{Short description|Colombian football club}} {{distinguish|Racing de Santander}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Real Santander | image = Real_Santander_logo.png | upright = 0.75 | alt = Logo | fullname = Club Deportivo Real Santander | nickname = ''Albicelestes'' (White and Sky Blues) | founded = {{Start date and age|2006|1|17|df=yes}} | ground = Estadio Villa Concha<br />Piedecuesta, Colombia | capacity = 5,500 | chairman = Gustavo Núñez | manager = Óscar Álvarez | league = {{Colombian football updater|Santander}} | season = {{Colombian football updater|Santander2}} | position = {{Colombian football updater|Santander3}} | website = | pattern_la1 = _racing2005h | pattern_b1 = _racing2005h | pattern_ra1 = _racing2005h | pattern_sh1 = _racing2005h | pattern_so1 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = E82300 | body2 = E82300 | rightarm2 = E82300 | shorts2 = E82300 | socks1 = FFFFFF | pattern_la2 = _blackborder | pattern_b2 = _blackcollar | pattern_ra2 = _blackborder | pattern_sh2 = | socks2 = E82300 | pattern_la3 = _whiteborder | pattern_b3 = _whitecollar | pattern_ra3 = _whiteborder | pattern_sh3 = | pattern_so3 = | leftarm3 = 000080 | body3 = 000080 | rightarm3 = 000080 | shorts3 = 000080 | socks3 = 000080 }} '''Real Santander''' is a professional Colombian football team based in Bucaramanga, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera B. They play their home games at the Estadio Villa Concha in Piedecuesta, a municipality in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga.
==History== ===Early years=== The club was founded on 17 January 2006 in Floridablanca, Santander Department after the demise of Real Floridablanca eight years earlier. On 18 December 2006 they acquired the license (''ficha'') of Pumas de Casanare and became affiliated to DIMAYOR, entering Categoría Primera B, Colombia's second tier in 2007. After two seasons of unremarkable results, the ''albicelestes'' advanced to the Primera B's four-team semifinals (''cuadrangulares semifinales'') for the first time in their history in the 2009 Finalización tournament.
For the 2011 season, and due to the withdrawal of its main sponsors which in turn caused difficulties in making signings to strengthen the squad, Real Santander signed a cooperation agreement with Categoría Primera A club Atlético Nacional, which loaned seven players from its youth ranks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-local/2011/01/04/real-santander-formalizoacute-un-convenio-con-atleacutetico-nacional/ |title=Real Santander formalizó un convenio con Atlético Nacional |trans-title=Real Santander formalized an agreement with Atlético Nacional |publisher=Vanguardia |language=es |date=4 January 2011 |access-date=22 August 2025}}</ref> In that same year, the club narrowly missed out on the Finalización semi-finals after placing ninth in the first stage, but reached the quarter-finals of the Copa Colombia, where they were defeated by Atlético Nacional. The alliance with Atlético Nacional ended at the end of the year, and in 2015 Real Santander entered into another cooperation agreement with Deportivo Cali.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-local/2015/02/12/llegaron-los-niches-al-real-santander/ |title=Llegaron los 'Niches' al Real Santander |trans-title=The ''Niches'' arrived at Real Santander |publisher=Vanguardia |language=es |date=12 February 2015 |access-date=22 August 2025}}</ref>
The club's best achievement in Primera B was a runner-up finish in the first tournament of the 2017 Categoría Primera B season, losing the double-legged final to Boyacá Chicó.<ref>{{cite web |title=Boyacá Chicó empató 1–1 con Real Santander y ganó el Torneo I de la Primera B |url=https://gol.caracoltv.com/futbol-colombiano/torneo/boyaca-chico-empato-1-1-con-real-santander-y-gano-el-torneo-i-de-la-primera-b |website=Gol Caracol |access-date=18 March 2021 |language=Spanish |date=12 June 2017 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030064003/https://gol.caracoltv.com/futbol-colombiano/torneo/boyaca-chico-empato-1-1-con-real-santander-y-gano-el-torneo-i-de-la-primera-b |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Relocation to San Andrés Island=== Financial difficulties at their hometown forced the club to relocate the men's team to the Caribbean island of San Andrés in late 2018, being renamed as ''Real San Andrés'' and playing their home matches at Erwin O'Neil Stadium, becoming the first professional team from the islands, while their youth and women's teams remained behind in Floridablanca.<ref>{{cite web |title=Real San Andrés: the Colombian club that relocated 1,000km from home |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/04/real-san-andres-the-colombian-club-who-relocated-1000km-from-home |website=The Guardian |date=4 April 2019 |access-date=18 February 2024 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030064004/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/04/real-san-andres-the-colombian-club-who-relocated-1000km-from-home |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ESTE ES EL ESTADIO QUE ALBERGARÁ FÚTBOL PROFESIONAL EN SAN ANDRÉS |url=https://www.antena2.com.co/futbol/torneo-aguila/este-es-el-estadio-que-albergara-futbol-profesional-en-san-andres |website=Antena 2 |language=Spanish |date=2 November 2018 |access-date=18 February 2024 |archive-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714235505/https://www.antena2.com.co/futbol/torneo-aguila/este-es-el-estadio-que-albergara-futbol-profesional-en-san-andres |url-status=live }}</ref> In their first tournament after the relocation, the 2019 Apertura, they ended in 14th place, but in the Copa Colombia the team reached the round of 16 in the two seasons it played in San Andrés.
===Return to Santander=== Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the multiple logistical drawbacks stemming from it ranging from lack of transportation to the islands to games behind closed doors and potentially scarce financial support from the local government, the agreement with the San Andrés and Providencia authorities was not renewed at the end of the 2020 season, and the men's team returned to the Santander Department for the 2021 Primera B season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Real San Andrés aún no sabe dónde jugará el Torneo de la B |url=https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-local/real-san-andres-aun-no-sabe-donde-jugara-el-torneo-de-la-b-HC2657898 |website=Vanguardia |access-date=18 March 2021 |language=Spanish |date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629175616/https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-local/real-san-andres-aun-no-sabe-donde-jugara-el-torneo-de-la-b-HC2657898 |url-status=live }}</ref> Having been refused the use of Estadio Alfonso López in Bucaramanga by its main tenant Atlético Bucaramanga, they played their first games of the season at Estadio Daniel Villa Zapata in Barrancabermeja until the completion of the adaptation works of Estadio Villa Concha in Piedecuesta.<ref>{{cite web |title=Real Santander, con dificultades, pero con la convicción de apoyar al jugador local |url=https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-colombiano/real-santander-con-dificultades-pero-con-la-conviccion-de-apoyar-al-jugador-local-HI3309966 |website=Vanguardia |access-date=18 March 2021 |language=Spanish |date=21 January 2021 |archive-date=15 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315154949/https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-colombiano/real-santander-con-dificultades-pero-con-la-conviccion-de-apoyar-al-jugador-local-HI3309966 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Current squad== {{updated|29 January 2026}}
{{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=1|nat=COL|pos=GK|name=Kevin Chacón}} {{Fs player|no=2|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=Juan Fernando Solís}} {{Fs player|no=3|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=Camilo Durán}} {{Fs player|no=5|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=Andrés Ariza}} {{Fs player|no=6|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Duván Felipe Ruiz}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Juan David Rueda|other=captain}} {{Fs player|no=9|nat=MEX|pos=FW|name=Santiago Rey}} {{Fs player|no=10|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Fáiber Mendoza}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Jorlan Liñán}} {{Fs player|no=12|nat=COL|pos=GK|name=Juan Lázaro}} {{Fs player|no=13|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Johao Camacho}} {{Fs player|no=14|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Juan García}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Jordi Hernández}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=Santaigo Jiménez}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=18|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=Samuel Orejuela}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=José Torres}} {{Fs player|no=20|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=José Ascanio}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=COL|pos=GK|name=Jaime David Mora}} {{Fs player|no=25|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Alex Santiago Segura}} {{Fs player|no=26|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Jorge Pérez}} {{Fs player|no=27|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Yojhan Neira}} {{Fs player|no=28|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Oscar Padilla}} {{Fs player|no=31|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Junior García}} {{Fs player|no=32|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Juan Ararat}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Luis Rangel}} {{Fs player|no=70|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Santiago Ahumada}} {{Fs player|no=77|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Yeison Castillo}} {{Fs player|no=80|nat=COL|pos=MF|name=Harlem Salas}} {{Fs player|no=99|nat=COL|pos=FW|name=Juan Guillén}} {{Fs end}}
==Managers== * {{flagicon|Colombia}} Martín Peluffo (2008)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.futbolred.com/archivo/documento/CMS-5958069 |title=Martín Peluffo ya no es más el técnico de Real Santander |accessdate=2025-01-23 |website=Futbolred }}</ref> * {{flagicon|Colombia}} Johan Meza (January 2009 – December 2011)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/coaches/johan-alonso-meza-martinez/214436/ |title=Colombia - J. Meza |accessdate=2025-01-23 |website=Soccerway }}</ref> * {{flagicon|Argentina}} Miguel González (January 2012 – January 2013)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tribuna.com/es/persons/miguel-osvaldo-gonzalez/career/ |title=Miguel Oswaldo González |accessdate=2025-01-23 |website=Tribuna.com }}</ref> * {{flagicon|Colombia}} Víctor González (January 2013 – January 2018)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vanguardia.com/deportes/futbol-local/2013/05/06/nuestra-mision-es-la-de-formar-jugadores-victor-hugo-gonzalez/ |title=Nuestra misión es la de formar jugadores |accessdate=2025-04-01 |website=Vanguardia }}</ref> * {{flagicon|Colombia}} Nicolás Herazo (February 2018 – December 2018)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/coaches/jesus-nicolas-herazo-sanchez/567749/ |title=Colombia - J. Herazo |accessdate=2025-01-23 |website=Soccerway }}</ref> * {{flagicon|Colombia}} José García (January 2019 – December 2023) * {{flagicon|Colombia}} Óscar Álvarez (January 2024 – present)
Source: <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/te40647/real-santander/all-managers/ |title=Real Santander » Manager history |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Worldfootball.net }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Colombian Primera B}} {{Football in Colombia}}
Category:Football clubs in Colombia Category:Association football clubs established in 2006 Category:2006 establishments in Colombia Category:Categoría Primera B clubs