Kings of Europe: How a Small Mallorcan Club Rewrote Futsal History
I’m standing in the press box at Antarés Arena in Le Mans, France, watching absolute futsal royalty cement their legacy before my very eyes. The pistachio-green jerseys of Palma Futsal blur across the court in a symphony of touches, feints, and thunderous finishes. The scoreboard reads 9-2, but even that doesn’t capture the absolute dismantling we’ve just witnessed.
Let me be clear: what I’m seeing isn’t supposed to happen in elite sports.
Three consecutive UEFA Futsal Champions League titles. Let that sink in. No club in the competition’s 23-year history had ever pulled off this hat trick of European dominance. Palma Futsal hasn’t just won. They’ve revolutionized the sport while nobody was looking.
The Improbable Dynasty
When you think of Spanish sporting powerhouses, the mind jumps to Barcelona, Real Madrid, perhaps Atlético. Palma Futsal? A club from the holiday island of Mallorca with zero domestic titles to their name? Not exactly the profile of a continental juggernaut.
Yet here we are, May 2025, and the trophy is heading back to the Balearic Islands for the third straight year. Their record in Champions League play defies belief: 24 matches, 18 wins, 6 draws, ZERO losses. That’s not dominance. That’s sorcery.
“We become different beasts when the Champions League anthem plays,” a champagne-soaked squad member tells me as celebrations erupt around us. “It’s like we tap into something primal.”
The arithmetic of their success is staggering: five international trophies in just 922 days. Three Champions Leagues and two Intercontinental Cups. The transformation feels almost mythological. Clark Kent at home in domestic competition, Superman when European glory beckons.
The Mastermind: Antonio Vadillo
Every great story needs its architect, and Palma’s European romance was designed by Antonio Vadillo, a humble tactician from Jerez who now stands alone as the only coach to win three consecutive Champions Leagues with the same club.
I corner Vadillo amid the chaos of the celebration. His eyes still analyze the court even in victory, his mind already processing what adjustments they’ll need next season.
“We respect every opponent, prepare for every detail,” he tells the press, deflecting personal praise to his players. “This team has heart, intelligence, and hunger. Most importantly, they believe.”
The tactical “suitcase” Vadillo carries, a metaphor borrowed from his mentor Eduardo García Belda, contains multitudes. His game plans shift and adapt with chameleon-like efficiency, yet maintain consistent principles. It’s chess at 100 mph, played with feet instead of hands.
The Ghost Founder and Sustainable Success
The emotional core of this story stretches beyond the court. Miquel Jaume, who founded the club but passed away in 2021, never witnessed these European triumphs with his own eyes. Yet everyone here speaks his name with reverence.
“He dreamed this reality before anyone else could see it,” José Tirado, the club’s general director, tells everyone as players parade the trophy. Tirado has built something rare in modern sports. A sustainable business model that produces championship results without bankruptcy-inducing spending.
This sensible approach makes their dominance even more remarkable. While Spanish rivals with deeper pockets stumble on the European stage, Palma continues their inexorable rise. They’ve now overtaken historical giants like Sporting Portugal and Kairat Almaty (today’s victims) on the all-time Champions League winners list, trailing only their compatriots Movistar Inter (5 titles) and Barcelona (4).
The Match: Demolition in Le Mans
Today’s final was supposed to be tense, competitive a clash between established powers. Instead, it was a coronation, a statement, an exclamation point on Palma’s European trilogy.
Jesús Gordillo opened the scoring, a fitting contributor considering he’ll depart the club this summer. Though Kairat briefly equalized through Caio Ruiz, the response was swift and merciless. Once Mario Rivillos, now a four-time champion himself, pushed the lead to 3-1, the outcome felt inevitable.
The second half transformed from competition to exhibition. Fabinho, delivering a masterclass with four goals, became the first player to score that many in a Champions League final. Neguinho, bound for Barcelona next season, earned MVP honors while orchestrating the attack alongside Maia.
When the final buzzer sounded, that 9-2 scoreline represented the most lopsided final in tournament history. The Kazakh side, historically strong contenders, looked shellshocked throughout, reduced to spectators at Palma’s championship party.
Spanish Futsal’s Golden Age
One can’t discuss Palma’s achievement without acknowledging the broader Spanish dominance in futsal. Le Mans marked the sixth consecutive tournament with Spanish representation in the final. A record that surpassed Russia’s previous mark of five.
It’s telling that in the VIP boxes, alongside UEFA officials and local dignitaries, sat Spanish national team coach Jesús Velasco. His presence underscored futsal’s importance in Spain’s sporting identity, though oddly, the president of Spain’s National Futsal Committee was nowhere to be found for the third straight Palma triumph.
The Paradox: European Kings Without a Domestic Crown
The most fascinating aspect of Palma’s story remains this striking contradiction: European royalty without a Spanish throne. Despite their continental supremacy, they’ve yet to claim La Liga or Copa del Rey glory.
Just weeks before this Champions League triumph, they fell to Peñíscola in the Spanish Cup semifinals. This Jekyll and Hyde existence defies conventional sports logic, where domestic success typically precedes European breakthroughs.
“Perhaps we need that hunger,” one staff member suggests when I bring up this paradox. “Being the underdog still, despite everything we’ve won—it keeps us sharp.”
What Comes Next?
As confetti rains down and “We Are The Champions” blares through the arena speakers, I can’t help but wonder if we’re witnessing just the middle chapters of an even greater saga. Next season’s Champions League arrives with a new format, but Palma has already secured their place as current holders.
The most immediate question: can they finally translate European excellence into domestic silverware? They currently lead Spain’s First Division, and capturing that elusive league title would complete their transformation from plucky outsiders to undisputed futsal superpower.
Watching these players embrace, coaches weep with joy, and staff members who’ve been there since humble beginnings trying to comprehend what they’ve built, one thing becomes abundantly clear: Palma Futsal isn’t just making history. They’re redefining what’s possible for clubs outside the traditional power centers.
Three consecutive European championships. Twenty-four unbeaten Champions League matches. Five international trophies in 922 days.
Sometimes sports writing demands objectivity and emotional distance. Not today. Not with this team. I’m witnessing greatness in real-time, and I’m not afraid to call it what it is: the greatest run in futsal history, authored by the small club from Mallorca that refused to know its place.
Long live the kings. The pistachio-green kings of Europe.
