Origins
Iberia Football Club was founded in the first months of 1903, during a time when football was beginning to become popular in the city and give rise to numerous football societies, such as Madrid FC (1901), Español de Madrid (1901), Club Retiro (1902), Moncloa FC (July 1902), and Moderno FC (October 1902).[2]
The club had to wait for a few weeks after its foundation to play its first match against another society, which took place in March, when it was not yet a month old, against Castilla Foot-Ball Club, which was also making its debut.[3] Iberia's first-ever line-up was: Rojas, goalkeeper; Jorquera and Valls, defenders; S. Paz, Ramo and Cálvez, midfielders; and Ortega, Martínez, Jiménez, R. Paz, and Alcubilla, forwards; and they rose to the occasion by helping their side to a 5–0 victory, with the cronichles of the time highlighting the performances of Valls, Jorquera and Jiménez, especially the latter, who was "the one who managed to score the majority of the goals".[3] Iberia then played its second match in a friendly against Moderno FC, this time losing 0–2.[3]
Tournaments
Later that same year, Iberia made its competitive debut at the 1903 Campeonato de Madrid, the very first edition of the Regional Championship of Madrid, where they faced Madrid FC, Moncloa FC, and Moderno FC. The team obtained discreet results, finishing last in the classification after suffering several defeats, only three of Iberia's results are known, two of which to Madrid by 0–8 and 0–9, and the other to Moderno by 0–6.[4][5]
The Madrid representative for the inaugural Copa del Rey in 1903 was chosen through a Qualifying Contest after the end of the Madrid Championship, and the honor finally fell to Madrid FC as it was the only club entitled to play in the tournament, although it remains unclear why only Madrid FC entered the Qualifying Contest for the Copa del Rey.
In the following year, the club once again participated in the Madrid Championship, and again without having much luck either, as they suffered yet another resounding loss, this time to Moncloa FC by 0–4, in the semifinals of the tournament.[6][7]