The emblematic red and white kit is a symbol linked to a long-standing connection with Athletic Club de Bilbao, a bond that influenced the color choice of the Madrid club in its early days.
In Spain, the term ‘colchoneros’ is simply another way to refer to Atlético de Madrid. This nickname has roots stretching back to the club’s birth, and it has endured through more than a century. Yet the question remains: where did this distinctive nickname originate?
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A bit of history
Atlético de Madrid traces its origins to 1903. By 1911 the club adopted the red and white strip as its official colors, a choice born from a close association with Athletic Club de Bilbao. The Basque club had briefly shifted from its traditional blue and white to a red and white palette after acquiring a kit in Southampton, creating a shared visual identity with the Madrid club in those formative years.
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And then…
From 1911 onward, these colors became synonymous with Atlético and solidified the club’s public image. In the early decades of the 20th century, the fabrics used for mattresses and upholstery often featured bold red-and-white stripes, a detail that echoed the team’s own colors. This visual connection gave rise to the nickname ‘colchonero,’ a term that has remained meaningful and widely used well over 100 years later, symbolizing both the team’s heritage and its resilient spirit.
Source: Goal