The 1994–95 Copa del Rey brought Deportivo de La Coruña their first major trophy. Under manager Arsenio Iglesias, in the same season they finished runners-up in La Liga, Deportivo beat Valencia in the final to claim the Cup — and announce themselves as a genuine force in Spanish football.
The 1995 Copa del Rey Final
The final was played at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville. Deportivo faced Valencia — a club with vastly greater tradition and resources. Yet the Galicians prevailed, winning 2–1 in a match that showcased the qualities Arsenio had built into his team: organisation, intensity, and the technical quality of players like Fran, Bebeto, and the Brazilian midfielder Mauro Silva.
The victory was celebrated across A Coruña with scenes of joy rarely seen in the city. Deportivo had been a yo-yo club for decades — and now they were Copa del Rey winners.
The Squad That Won the Cup
Arsenio’s 1994–95 squad combined Galician grit with international flair:
- Bebeto — Brazilian World Cup winner, the attacking spearhead
- Fran — the Galician midfield maestro and club captain
- Mauro Silva — Brazilian holding midfielder of exceptional composure
- Peter Rufai — Nigerian goalkeeper with the reflexes of a cat
- Julio Salinas — experienced Spanish international striker
Historical Significance
The 1995 Copa del Rey win was the foundation stone of what became the Super Dépor era. It proved to the squad, the city, and Spanish football that Deportivo could compete at the highest level. The same season, they finished second in La Liga — just six points behind Real Madrid.
Deportivo would win the Copa del Rey again in 2002, under Javier Irureta — cementing their claim to be one of Spain’s great cup sides of the era.
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