Founded in 1906, Deportivo has won the league title once, in the 1999–00 season, and finished as runner-up on five occasions. The club has also won the Spanish Cup twice (1994–95 and 2001–02) and has also won three Spanish Super Cups. The Blue-and-Whites have been a regular in top positions in La Liga in the last 20 years, finishing in the top half of the table in 16 out of 19 seasons. As a result, the club has been a regular participant in European competitions, playing in the UEFA Champions League five seasons in a row, reaching the quarterfinals twice and reaching the semi-finals in 2003–04.

Deportivo have played their home games at the 34,600-capacity Riazor since 1944, when the stadium was built. Their traditional home kit consists of blue and white striped shirts with blue shorts and socks. The club has a long-standing rivalry with national opponents Celta de Vigo, and matches between the two sides are known as the Galician derby.