The green and white colors of Real Betis’s football kit can be traced back to a historical connection with Celtic Football Club in Scotland, dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This link was established through one of Real Betis’s earliest founders, Manuel Ramos Asensio, who studied in Scotland during that period.

Manuel Ramos Asensio attended a college in Dumfries, southern Scotland, run by Andrew Kerins, better known as Brother Walfrid, the founder of Celtic Football Club in Glasgow. Brother Walfrid’s influence extended beyond Scotland, as Celtic originally wore vertical green and white stripes until changes were made in 1903. When Asensio returned to Seville, Spain, he applied this design concept to Sevilla Balompié, a club formed in 1908 that is widely regarded as a precursor to Real Betis.

According to historian and Real Betis supporter Alfonso Del Castillo, the choice of green and white vertical stripes for Sevilla Balompié—and later Real Betis—originated with Asensio’s experiences in Scotland and his connection to Brother Walfrid’s school. Del Castillo highlights the historical migration of these colors and styles from Glasgow to Seville, emphasizing how Celtic’s early kit design directly influenced the identity of Betis, differentiating it from other Spanish teams.

Further deepening this Celtic-Sevillian connection is the figure of Patrick O’Connell, an Irish footballer who played for Belfast Celtic, a club with ties to Glasgow Celtic. O’Connell later became the most successful coach in Real Betis history, suggesting a triangular relationship: the initial Celtic influence through green and white stripes, the Belfast club where O’Connell played, and his own significant role in shaping Betis on the pitch.

This interplay between the clubs, their colors, and shared personnel underscores the broader cultural and sporting ties that existed between Scotland, Ireland, and Spain during the early development of football in the 20th century. It highlights how international influences contributed to the unique identities of clubs like Real Betis, whose kit remains symbolic of this legacy more than a century later.