Real Madrid
Encyclopedia
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (reˈal maˈðɾið ˈkluβ ðe ˈfutβol Royal Madrid Football Club), commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid
, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga
titles, the Primera División (First Division) of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional
(LFP), 18 Copas del Rey
, 8 Spanish Super Cups
, 1 Copa Eva Duarte
and 1 Copa de la Liga
, while in international competitions have won a record 9 European Cup/UEFA Champions League
titles, 2 UEFA Cup
s, 1 UEFA Super Cup and 3 Intercontinental Cup
s.
Founded in 1902 by two Catalan
brothers, Juan Padrós
and Carlos Padrós
, Real Madrid has never been relegated from La Liga, the top league of Spanish football. The word "Real" in the club's name is the Spanish term for "royal", and was given by the King Alfonso XIII
in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem. The club established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s.
The team's traditional home kit colour is white, although it originally adopted a blue oblique stripe on the shirt. Its crest has been changed several times to modernise or re-brand it. The current crest is a modified version of the one first adopted in the 1920s. Real Madrid's home ground is the 85,454-seater Santiago Bernabéu
football stadium in downtown Madrid, where it has played since 1947. The Bernabéu
was the final venue for the 1982 FIFA World Cup
and the venue for the European cup (or UEFA Champions League
) finals of 1957, 1969, 1980 and 2010.
Real Madrid holds long-standing rivalries with other football clubs, most notably FC Barcelona
, with matches between the two teams referred to as "el Clásico
". Unlike most European football clubs, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club since its inception. The club is the world's richest football club
(€438.6m
) in terms of revenue and the second most valuable worth over €1.4mld in 2011.
and Oxford
University graduates. They founded Football Club Sky in 1897, playing on Sunday mornings at Moncloa. It split into two clubs in 1900: New Foot-Ball de Madrid and Club Español de Madrid
. The latter club split again in 1902, resulting in the formation of Madrid Football Club on 6 March 1902. Three years after its foundation, in 1905, Madrid FC won its first title after defeating Athletic Bilbao
in the Spanish Cup
final. The club became one of the founding sides of the Royal Spanish Football Federation on 4 January 1909, when club president Adolfo Meléndez
signed the foundation agreement of the Spanish FA. After moving between grounds the team moved to the Campo de O'Donnell in 1912. In 1920, the club's name was changed to Real Madrid after King Alfonso XIII
granted the title of Real (Royal) to the club.
In 1929, the first Spanish football league
was founded. Real Madrid led the first league season until the last match, a loss to Athletic Bilbao, meant they finished runners-up to Barcelona. Real Madrid won its first League title in the 1931–32 season
. Real won the League again the following year, becoming the first side to have won the championship twice.
became president of Real Madrid in 1945. Under his presidency, the club, its stadium Santiago Bernabéu
and its training facilities Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War
damages. Beginning in 1953, he embarked upon a strategy of signing world-class players from abroad, the most prominent of them being Alfredo Di Stéfano
.
In 1955, acting upon the idea proposed by the French sports journalist and editor of L'Équipe
Gabriel Hanot
, Bernabéu, Bedrignan and Gusztáv Sebes
created an exhibition tournament of invited teams from around Europe that would eventually become what today is known as the UEFA Champions League
. It was under Bernabéu's guidance that Real Madrid established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football. The club won the European Cup five times in a row between 1956 and 1960, which included the 7–3 Hampden Park final
against Eintracht Frankfurt
in 1960. After these five consecutive successes, Real was permanently awarded the original cup and earning the right to wear the UEFA badge of honour. The club won the European Cup for a sixth time in 1966 defeating FK Partizan
2–1 in the final
with a team composed entirely of same nationality players, a first in the competition. This team became known as the "Ye-yé". The name "Ye-yé" came from the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in The Beatles
' song "She Loves You
" after four members of the team posed for Diario Marca dressed in Beatles wigs. The Ye-yé generation was also European Cup runner-up in 1962
and 1964
.
In the 1970s, Real Madrid won 5 league championships and 3 Spanish Cups. The club played its first UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1971 and lost to English side Chelsea 2–1. On 2 July 1978, club president Santiago Bernabéu died while the World Cup was being played in Argentina
. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) decreed three days of mourning to honour him during the tournament. The following year, the club organized the first edition of the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy
in the memory of its former president.
title until a new batch of home-grown stars brought domestic
success back to the club. Spanish sport journalist Julio César Iglesias gave to this generation the name La Quinta del Buitre
("Vulture's Cohort"), which was derived from the nickname given to one of its members, Emilio Butragueño
. The other four members were Manuel Sanchís, Martín Vázquez
, Míchel and Miguel Pardeza. With La Quinta del Buitre (reduced to four members when Pardeza left the club for Zaragoza
in 1986) and notable players like goalkeeper Francisco Buyo
, right-back Miguel Porlán Chendo and Mexican
striker Hugo Sánchez
, Real Madrid had one of the best teams in Spain and Europe during the second half of the 1980s, winning two UEFA Cups, five Spanish championships
in a row, one Spanish cup and three Spanish Super Cups
. In the early 1990s, La Quinta del Buitre split up after Martín Vázquez, Emilio Butragueño and Míchel left the club.
In 1996, President Lorenzo Sanz
appointed Fabio Capello
as coach. Although his tenure lasted only one season, Real Madrid was proclaimed league champion and players like Roberto Carlos, Predrag Mijatović
, Davor Šuker
and Clarence Seedorf
arrived at the club to strengthen a squad that already boasted the likes of Raúl
, Fernando Hierro
, Iván Zamorano
, and Fernando Redondo
. As a result, Real Madrid (with the addition of Fernando Morientes
in 1997) finally ended its 32-year wait for its seventh European Cup. In 1998, under manager Jupp Heynckes
, The Whites defeated Juventus 1–0 in the final thanks to a goal from Predrag Mijatović
.
In July 2000, Florentino Pérez
was elected club president. He vowed in his campaign to erase the club's 270 million euro debt and modernize the club's facilities. However, the primary electoral promise that propelled Pérez to victory was the signing of Luís Figo
. The following year, the club got its training ground rezoned and used the money to begin assembling the famous Galáctico
side including players such as Zinédine Zidane
, Ronaldo
, Luís Figo
, Roberto Carlos, Raúl
and David Beckham
. It is debatable whether the gamble paid off, as despite a UEFA Champions League and an Intercontinental Cup (football)
win in 2002, followed by the League in 2003, the club failed to win a major trophy for the next three seasons.
Ramón Calderón
was elected as club president on 2 July 2006 and subsequently appointed Fabio Capello as the new coach and Predrag Mijatović
as the new sporting director. Real Madrid won the La Liga
title in 2007 for the first time in four years but Capello was sacked. In the 2007–08 season, The Whites won the domestic league for the 31st time, achieving their first consecutive league title in eighteen years. On 1 June 2009, Florentino Pérez regained Real Madrid's presidency. Pérez continued with the Galácticos policy pursued in his first term, buying Kaká
from A.C. Milan
then purchasing Cristiano Ronaldo
from Manchester United
for a record breaking £80 million.
The first change in the crest occurred in 1908 when the letters adopted a more streamlined form and appeared inside a circle. The next change in the configuration of the crest did not occur until the presidency of Pedro Parages
in 1920. At that time, King Alfonso XIII
granted the club his royal patronage which came in the form of the title "Real madrid", roughly translated as "Royal". Thus, Alfonso's crown was added to the crest and the club styled itself Real Madrid Club de Fútbol.
With the dissolution of the monarchy in 1931, all the royal symbols (the crown on the crest and the title of Real) were eliminated. The crown was replaced by the dark mulberry band of the Region of Castile.
In 1941, two years after the end of the Civil War
, the crest's "Real Corona", or "Royal Crown", was restored while the mulberry stripe of Castile
was retained as well. In addition, the whole crest was made full color, with gold being the most prominent, and the club was again called Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. The most recent modification to the crest occurred in 2001 when the club wanted to better situate itself for the 21st century and further standardize its crest. One of the modifications made was changing the mulberry stripe to a more bluish shade.
Real Madrid's traditional home colours are all white, although it initially adopted a blue oblique stripe on the shirt (the design was kept in the club crest); but unlike today, dark blue socks were worn. The striped shirt was replaced by an all-white version, modeled after the shirt worn by Corinthian F.C., in 1902. In the same year, the blue socks were replaced by black ones. By the early 1940s the manager changed the kit again by adding buttons to the shirt and the club's crest on the left breast (which have remained ever since). On 23 November 1947, in a game against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, Real Madrid became the first Spanish team to wear numbered shirts.
Real's traditional away colours are all black or all purple. The club's kit is currently manufactured by Adidas
whose contract extends from 1998. Real Madrid's first shirt sponsor, Zanussi
, agreed for the 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons. Following that, the club was sponsored by Parmalat
and Otaysa before a long-term deal was signed with Teka in 1992. In 2001, Real Madrid ended their contract with Teka and for one season used the Realmadrid.com logo to promote the club's website. Then, in 2002, a deal was signed with Siemens Mobile
and in 2006, the BenQ Siemens
logo appeared on the club's shirt. Real Madrid's current shirt sponsor is bwin.com following the economic problems of BenQ Siemens.
*Realmadrid.com appeared in place of shirt sponsor to promote the club's new website.
. In this stadium, which hosted 22,500 spectators, Real Madrid celebrated its first Spanish league title. After some successes, the 1943 elected president Santiago Bernabéu
decided that the Estadio Chamartín
was not big enough for the ambitions of the club. A new stadium was built and was inaugurated on 14 December 1947. This was the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
as it is known today, although it did not acquire this name until 1955. The first match held on Bernabéu was played between Real Madrid and the Portuguese club Belenenses and won by The Whites with 3–1, the first goal being scored by Sabino Barinaga.
The capacity has changed frequently, peaking at 120,000 after a 1953 expansion. Since then, there have been a number of reductions due to modernizations (the last standing places went away in 1998–99 in response to UEFA
regulations which forbids standing at matches in the UEFA competition), countered to some extent by expansions. The last change was an increase of about five thousand to a capacity of 85,454, effected in 2011. A plan to add a retractable roof has been announced. Real Madrid has the fourth highest of the average attendances of European football clubs
only behind FC Barcelona
, Borussia Dortmund
, and Manchester United
.
The Bernabéu has hosted the 1964 European Championship
final, the 1982 FIFA World Cup
final, the 1957
, 1969
and 1980
European Cup finals and the 2010 Champions League Final
. The stadium has its own Madrid Metro
station along the 10 line called Santiago Bernabéu. On 14 November 2007, the Bernabéu has been upgraded to Elite Football Stadium status by UEFA.
On 9 May 2006, the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium
was inaugurated at the City of Madrid where Real Madrid usually trains. The inaugural match was played between Real Madrid and Stade Reims
, a rematch of the 1956 European Cup final. Real Madrid won the match 6–1 with goals from Sergio Ramos
, Cassano
(2), Soldado
(2), and Jurado. The venue is now part of the Ciudad Real Madrid
, the club's new training facilities located outside Madrid
in Valdebebas. The stadium holds 5,000 people and is Real Madrid Castilla
's home ground. It is named after former Real footballer Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Raúl
holds the record for most Real Madrid appearances, having played 741 first-team matches from 1994 to 2010. Manuel Sanchis, Jr. comes second, having played 711 times. The record for a goalkeeper is held by Iker Casillas
, with 575 appearances. With 127 caps (47 while at the club), Luís Figo
of Portugal is Real's most capped international player.
Raúl is Real's all-time top goalscorer, with 323 goals in 741 games (1994–2010). Four other players have also scored over 200 goals for Real: Alfredo Di Stefano
(1953–64), Santillana (1971–88), Ferenc Puskás
(1958–66) and Hugo Sánchez
(1985–92). Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo
holds the record for the most league goals scored in one season (40 in 2010–11). Di Stéfano's 49 goals in 58 matches was for decades the all-time highest tally in the European Cup, until it was surpassed by Raúl in 2005. The fastest goal in the history of the club (15 seconds) was scored by Brazilian Ronaldo on 3 December 2003 during a league match against Atlético Madrid.
Officially, the highest home attendance figure for a Real Madrid match is 83,329, which was for a football cup competition, Copa del Rey
, in 2006. The current legal capacity of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is 80,354. The club's average attendance
in 2007–08 season was 76,234, the highest in European Leagues. Real has also set records in Spanish football, most notably the most domestic titles (31 as of 2007–08) and the most seasons won in a row (5, during 1960–65 and 1985–90). With 121 matches (from 17 February 1957 to 7 March 1965), the club holds the record for longest unbeaten run at home in La Liga.
The Whites also hold the record for winning the European Cup/UEFA Champions League
nine times and for the most semi-final appearances (21). Raúl González is the all-time UEFA Champions League
top scorer, with 71 goals in total, 66 whilst playing for Real Madrid. The team has the record number of consecutive participation in the European Cup with 15, from 1955–56 to 1969–70.
In June 2009, the club broke its own record for the highest transfer fee ever paid in the history of football by agreeing to pay Manchester United
€96 million ($131
.5 million, £80
million) for the services of Cristiano Ronaldo
. The fee of €76 million (over $100 million, £45.8 million) for Zinedine Zidane
's transfer from Juventus
to Real Madrid in 2001 was the previous highest transfer fee ever paid. That Zidane
's record had been broken previously in June 2009, when Real Madrid had agreed to buy Kaká
from AC Milan
for a fee that was, for a few days, the first one to exceed the Zizou
's transfer in pounds sterling.
The club's record sale came on 1 September 2008, when they sold Robinho
to Manchester City
for €42 million (£32.5 million).
; it was the second best-supported La Liga team in the 2004–05 season, with an average gate of 71,900. Real Madrid's hardcore supporters are the so-called Ultras Sur supporters. They are known for their extreme right-wing politics
. The Ultras Sur have developed an alliance with other right wing groups, most notably S.S. Lazio
Irriducibili
fans. On several occasions they have racially abused opposing players, and have been investigated by UEFA for doing so.
and Castile
, as well as of the two cities. The rivalry reflects what many regard as the political and cultural tensions felt between Catalans
and the Castilians, seen by one author as a re-enactment of the Spanish Civil War
.
During the dictatorships of Primo de Rivera and especially of Francisco Franco
(1939–1975), all regional cultures were suppressed. All of the languages spoken in Spanish territory, except Spanish (Castilian
) itself, were officially banned. Symbolising the Catalan people's desire for freedom, Barcelona
became 'More than a club' (Més que un club) for the Catalans. According to Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
, the best way for the Catalans to demonstrate their identity was by joining Barcelona. It was less risky than joining a clandestine anti-Franco movement, and allowed them to express their dissidence.
On the other hand, Real Madrid was widely seen as the embodiment of the sovereign oppressive centralism and the fascist regime at management level and beyond (Santiago Bernabeu
, the former club president for whom the Merengues
stadium is named, fought with los nacionales
). However, during the Spanish Civil War, members of both clubs such as Josep Sunyol
and Rafael Sánchez Guerra
suffered at the hands of Franco supporters.
During the 1950s the rivalry was exacerbated further when there was a controversy surrounding the transfer of Alfredo di Stéfano
, who finally played for Real Madrid and was key to their subsequent success. The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met twice at the knock-out rounds of the European Cup. In 2002, the European encounter between the clubs was dubbed the "Match of The Century" by Spanish media, and was watched by more than 500 million people.
The club's nearest neighbour is Atlético Madrid, a rivalry being shared between fans of both football teams. Although Atlético was originally founded by three Basque
students in 1903, it was joined in 1904 by dissident members of Madrid FC. Further tensions came because initially Real supporters came from the middle class
while the Atlético supporters were drawn from the working class
. Today these distinctions are largely blurred. They met for the first time on 21 February 1929 in matchday three of the first League Championship
at the former Chamartín
. It was the first official derby of the new tournament, and Real won 2–1. The rivalry first gained international attention in 1959 during the European Cup when the two clubs met in the semi-final. Real won the first leg 2–1 at the Bernabéu while Atlético won 1–0 at the Metropolitano. The tie went to a replay and The Whites won 2–1. Atlético, however, gained some revenge when, led by former Real Madrid coach José Villalonga
, it defeated The Whites in two successive Copa del Generalísimo
finals in 1960 and 1961.
Between 1961 and 1989, when Real dominated La Liga
, only Atlético offered it any serious challenge, winning Liga titles in 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1977. In 1965, Atlético became the first team to beat Real at the Bernabéu in eight years. Real Madrid's record against Atlético in more recent times is very favorable. A high point coming in the 2002–03 season, when The Whites clinched the La Liga title after an impressive victory at Atlético 0–4 at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
.
, Luís Figo
, Ronaldo
and David Beckham
. The city had previously rezoned the training grounds for development, a move which in turn increased their value, and then bought the site. The EU-commission started an investigation into whether the city overpaid for the property, to be considered a form of state subsidy.
The sale of the training ground for office buildings cleared Real Madrid's debts of €270m and enabled the club to embark upon an unprecedented spending spree which brought big-name players to the club. In addition, profit from the sale was spent on a state-of-the-art training complex on the city's outskirts. Although Pérez's policy resulted in increased financial success from the exploitation of the club's high marketing potential around the world, especially in Asia
, it came under increasing criticism for being too focused on marketing the Real Madrid brand, and not enough on the performances of the team.
By September 2007, Real Madrid was considered the most valuable football brand in Europe by BBDO
. In 2008, it was ranked the second most valuable club in football, with a value of €951 mil (£640 million / $1.285 billion), only beaten by Manchester United, which was valued at €1.333 billion (£900 million). In 2010, Real Madrid had the highest turnover in football worldwide. In September 2009, Real Madrid's management announced plans to open its own dedicated theme park by 2013.
A study at Harvard University
concluded that Real Madrid "is one of the 20 most important brand names and the only one in which its executives, the players, are well-known. We have some spectacular figures in regard to worldwide support of the club. There are an estimated 287 million people worldwide who follow Real Madrid." In 2010, Forbes
evaluated Real Madrid's worth to be around €992 million (USD $1,323 million), ranking them second after Manchester United, based on figures from the 2008–09 season. According to Deloitte, Real Madrid had a recorded revenue of €401 million in the same period, ranking first.
Along with FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna
, Real Madrid is organised as a registered association. Unlike a limited company
, it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only membership. The members of Real Madrid, called socios, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club. As of 2010 the club has 60,000 socios. At the end of the 2009–10 season, the club board of directors of the clud stated that Real Madrid had a net debt of €244.6 million, 82.1 million lower than the previous fiscal year.
(2007). The film follows former Newcastle United
star Santiago Muñez as he is first scouted, and then signed by Real Madrid for the 2005–06 season. The film's creators wanted to put emphasis on the changes in Muñez's life after his move to Madrid. Production was done with the full support of UEFA, allowing the film crew to use many real life players in cameo roles. Real Madrid squad members featured in the film included Iker Casillas
, Zinedine Zidane
, David Beckham
, Ronaldo
, Roberto Carlos, Raúl
, Sergio Ramos
, Robinho
, Thomas Gravesen
, Michael Owen
, Míchel Salgado
, Júlio Baptista
, Steve McManaman
, Jonathan Woodgate
, and Iván Helguera. Non-Real Madrid players to make cameo appearances included Ronaldinho
, Thierry Henry
, Lionel Messi
, Samuel Eto'o
, Andrés Iniesta
, Pablo Aimar
, Fredrik Ljungberg
, Cesc Fàbregas
, Santiago Cañizares
and others. In the film, both Florentino Pérez
and Alfredo Di Stéfano
presented the fictional player Muñez to the club after his signing.
Real, The Movie
is a 2005 part feature, part documentary film that showcases the world-wide passion for Real Madrid C.F. Produced by the club and directed by Borja Manso, it follows five sub-stories of fans from around the world and their love for Real Madrid. Along with the fictional portion of the film, it also contains real footage of the squad, during training at Ciudad Real Madrid
, matches, and interviews. Although the film mentions all of the squad, it mainly focuses on galácticos
such as David Beckham
, Zinedine Zidane
, Raúl
, Luís Figo
, Ronaldo
, Iker Casillas
, and Roberto Carlos, among others. The film was originally produced in Spanish, but has been dubbed for their world-wide fanbase.
The book White Storm: 100 years of Real Madrid by Phil Ball
was the first English-language history of Real Madrid. Published in 2002, it talks about the most successful moments of the club during its first centenary, having been translated into various languages.
citizenship. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player; several non-European players on the squad have dual citizenship with an EU country. Also, players from the ACP countries
—countries in Africa, the Caribbean
, and the Pacific
that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement
—are not counted against non-EU quotas due to the Kolpak ruling.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
titles, the Primera División (First Division) of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional
Liga de Fútbol Profesional
The Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , more commonly known as the Liga de Fútbol Profesional is a national sports association responsible for administering the two professional football leagues in Spain - the Primera and Segunda División...
(LFP), 18 Copas del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
, 8 Spanish Super Cups
Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
, 1 Copa Eva Duarte
Copa Eva Duarte
The Copa Eva Duarte was a Spanish football tournament organized by the RFEF and contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo. In 1940, it had the name of Copa de Campeones, and was not played again until 1945, when the ambassador of Argentina, due to the good relations with the...
and 1 Copa de la Liga
Copa de la Liga
The Copa de la Liga was a Spanish football tournament created in 1982.Due to time constraints, saturation and club pressure, the competition only lasted four years, being cancelled in 1986...
, while in international competitions have won a record 9 European Cup/UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
titles, 2 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
s, 1 UEFA Super Cup and 3 Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
s.
Founded in 1902 by two Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
brothers, Juan Padrós
Juan Padrós
Juan Padrós Rubió is recognised as the first official President of Real Madrid.He first took office on 6 March 1902, the same day that Real Madrid was officially formed....
and Carlos Padrós
Carlos Padrós
Carlos Padrós Rubió, also known as Carles Padrós Rubió was a Spanish football pioneer and club President of Real Madrid....
, Real Madrid has never been relegated from La Liga, the top league of Spanish football. The word "Real" in the club's name is the Spanish term for "royal", and was given by the King Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem. The club established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s.
The team's traditional home kit colour is white, although it originally adopted a blue oblique stripe on the shirt. Its crest has been changed several times to modernise or re-brand it. The current crest is a modified version of the one first adopted in the 1920s. Real Madrid's home ground is the 85,454-seater Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
football stadium in downtown Madrid, where it has played since 1947. The Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
was the final venue for the 1982 FIFA World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
and the venue for the European cup (or UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
) finals of 1957, 1969, 1980 and 2010.
Real Madrid holds long-standing rivalries with other football clubs, most notably FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, with matches between the two teams referred to as "el Clásico
El Clásico
El Clásico , also known as El derbi Español, is the name given in football to a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is contested twice a year in the Spanish La Liga competition, and more often if the clubs meet in other competitions...
". Unlike most European football clubs, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club since its inception. The club is the world's richest football club
Deloitte Football Money League
The Deloitte Football Money League is a ranking of football clubs by revenue generated from football operations. It is produced annually by the accountancy firm Deloitte and released in early February of each year, describing the season most recently finished....
(€438.6m
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
) in terms of revenue and the second most valuable worth over €1.4mld in 2011.
Early years (1902–1945)
Real Madrid's origins go back to when football was introduced to Madrid by the academics and students of the Institución libre de enseñanza, which included several CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
University graduates. They founded Football Club Sky in 1897, playing on Sunday mornings at Moncloa. It split into two clubs in 1900: New Foot-Ball de Madrid and Club Español de Madrid
Club Español de Madrid
Club Español de Madrid was a Spanish football club based in Madrid. The club was originally formed in 1900. In 1902 a split within the club resulted in the formation of Real Madrid. Club Español were subsequently Campeonato Regional Centro champions in both 1904 and 1909.Club Español were one of...
. The latter club split again in 1902, resulting in the formation of Madrid Football Club on 6 March 1902. Three years after its foundation, in 1905, Madrid FC won its first title after defeating Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
in the Spanish Cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
final. The club became one of the founding sides of the Royal Spanish Football Federation on 4 January 1909, when club president Adolfo Meléndez
Adolfo Meléndez
Adolfo Meléndez was a Spanish footballer who founded, and then became President of, Real Madrid.He served two terms as the President of Los Merengues. His first spell was between 1908 and 1916, and his second spell was between 1936 and 1940.-References:...
signed the foundation agreement of the Spanish FA. After moving between grounds the team moved to the Campo de O'Donnell in 1912. In 1920, the club's name was changed to Real Madrid after King Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
granted the title of Real (Royal) to the club.
In 1929, the first Spanish football league
La Liga 1929
The 1929 Primera División season started February 10, 1929 and finished June 23, 1929. A total of 10 teams participated in the league.- Team Information :-Standings:-Relegation play-off:...
was founded. Real Madrid led the first league season until the last match, a loss to Athletic Bilbao, meant they finished runners-up to Barcelona. Real Madrid won its first League title in the 1931–32 season
La Liga 1931-32
La Liga 1931-32 season started November 22, 1931 and finished April 3, 1932.La Liga 1931–32 season was composed of the following clubs:1 During the Spanish Second Republic all the clubs dropped the Real from their name.-Final table:...
. Real won the League again the following year, becoming the first side to have won the championship twice.
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste and European success (1945–1978)
Santiago Bernabéu YesteSantiago Bernabéu Yeste
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste was a Spanish sportsman, one of the single most important men in Real Madrid's history. He is generally considered the one to whom much of the credit can be given for transforming Real Madrid C.F. from the second most successful club in Madrid into the most successful in...
became president of Real Madrid in 1945. Under his presidency, the club, its stadium Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
and its training facilities Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
damages. Beginning in 1953, he embarked upon a strategy of signing world-class players from abroad, the most prominent of them being Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
.
In 1955, acting upon the idea proposed by the French sports journalist and editor of L'Équipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
Gabriel Hanot
Gabriel Hanot
Gabriel Hanot was a French association football player and journalist .He made 12 appearances for the France national football team, with his debut coming on 8 March 1908 against Switzerland. He made another 10 appearances for them up to World War I...
, Bernabéu, Bedrignan and Gusztáv Sebes
Gusztáv Sebes
Gusztáv Sebes was a Hungarian footballer and coach. With the title of Deputy Minister of Sport, he coached the Hungarian team known as the Mighty Magyars in the 1950s. Among the players in the team were Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, and Nándor Hidegkuti...
created an exhibition tournament of invited teams from around Europe that would eventually become what today is known as the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. It was under Bernabéu's guidance that Real Madrid established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football. The club won the European Cup five times in a row between 1956 and 1960, which included the 7–3 Hampden Park final
1960 European Cup Final
The 1960 European Cup Final was the fifth final in the history of the European Cup, and was contested between Real Madrid of Spain and Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest football matches ever played. Madrid won 7–3 in front of a crowd of 135,000 people at...
against Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
in 1960. After these five consecutive successes, Real was permanently awarded the original cup and earning the right to wear the UEFA badge of honour. The club won the European Cup for a sixth time in 1966 defeating FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
2–1 in the final
1966 European Cup Final
The 1966 European Cup Final was a football match held at Heysel Stadium, Brussels, on 11 May 1966 that saw Real Madrid of Spain defeat Partizan of Yugoslavia 2–1.-Match summary:...
with a team composed entirely of same nationality players, a first in the competition. This team became known as the "Ye-yé". The name "Ye-yé" came from the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' song "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
" after four members of the team posed for Diario Marca dressed in Beatles wigs. The Ye-yé generation was also European Cup runner-up in 1962
1962 European Cup Final
The 1962 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, on 2 May 1962, that saw S.L. Benfica play against Real Madrid. Benfica defeated their opponents 5–3, to win the European Cup for the second successive season. That was the first final played by...
and 1964
1964 European Cup Final
The 1964 European Cup Final was a football match between Internazionale and at that time, the five time winners Real Madrid, held at the Prater Stadium, Vienna. Inter went on to lift the trophy for the first time, by beating Real Madrid 3-1.-Match details:...
.
In the 1970s, Real Madrid won 5 league championships and 3 Spanish Cups. The club played its first UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1971 and lost to English side Chelsea 2–1. On 2 July 1978, club president Santiago Bernabéu died while the World Cup was being played in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) decreed three days of mourning to honour him during the tournament. The following year, the club organized the first edition of the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy
Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu
The Santiago Bernabéu Trophy or Santiago Bernabéu Cup is dedicated to the memory of long-time Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu. It is a friendly tournament organised each year by Real Madrid at the beginning of the season, somewhere around the end of August or the beginning of...
in the memory of its former president.
Quinta del Buitre and seventh European Cup (1980s–2000)
By the early 1980s, Real Madrid had lost its grasp on the La LigaLa Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
title until a new batch of home-grown stars brought domestic
Football in Spain
Football is the most popular sport in Spain. The Royal Spanish Football Federation is the national governing body and it organizes La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spain national football team, current champion of the FIFA World Cup...
success back to the club. Spanish sport journalist Julio César Iglesias gave to this generation the name La Quinta del Buitre
Quinta del Buitre
La Quinta del Buitre is the moniker given by Spanish sport journalist Julio César Iglesias to the five homegrown Real Madrid players who were at the core of the team that dominated Spanish football in the 1980s. The name was derived from Emilio Butragueño's nickname El Buitre, the most charismatic...
("Vulture's Cohort"), which was derived from the nickname given to one of its members, Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño Santos is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid...
. The other four members were Manuel Sanchís, Martín Vázquez
Rafael Martín Vázquez
Rafael Martín Vázquez is a retired Spanish footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder, with above-average skills....
, Míchel and Miguel Pardeza. With La Quinta del Buitre (reduced to four members when Pardeza left the club for Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
in 1986) and notable players like goalkeeper Francisco Buyo
Francisco Buyo
Francisco 'Paco' Buyo Sánchez is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.Best known for his Sevilla and Real Madrid spells, he appeared in 542 La Liga matches, third all-time highest, winning 12 major titles with the latter club.A Spanish international during roughly one decade,...
, right-back Miguel Porlán Chendo and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
striker Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
, Real Madrid had one of the best teams in Spain and Europe during the second half of the 1980s, winning two UEFA Cups, five Spanish championships
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
in a row, one Spanish cup and three Spanish Super Cups
Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
. In the early 1990s, La Quinta del Buitre split up after Martín Vázquez, Emilio Butragueño and Míchel left the club.
In 1996, President Lorenzo Sanz
Lorenzo Sanz
Lorenzo Sanz Mancebo is a Spanish businessman, former president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and former owner of Málaga Club de Fútbol, where his son Fernando served as club's president.- Early life :In his youth, Sanz played as a goalkeeper for several minor league Madrilenian teams, including...
appointed Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
as coach. Although his tenure lasted only one season, Real Madrid was proclaimed league champion and players like Roberto Carlos, Predrag Mijatović
Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997...
, Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker , is a retired Croatian footballer. He played as a striker for a number of European clubs as well as the Croatian national team, where he is the all-time top goal scorer with 45 goals....
and Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Clyde Seedorf OON is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie A club Milan. Seedorf is the first player to have won the Champions League with three different clubs - Ajax in 1995, Real Madrid in 1998 and Milan in 2003 and 2007...
arrived at the club to strengthen a squad that already boasted the likes of Raúl
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
, Fernando Hierro
Fernando Hierro
Fernando Ruiz Hierro is a retired Spanish footballer. He is mostly known for his spells with Real Madrid and Spain, appearing in more than 500 official games with the former and representing the latter on nearly 100 occasions, whilst appearing in four World Cups and two European...
, Iván Zamorano
Iván Zamorano
Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with former world-class forward Marcelo Salas and former world player of the year Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers.He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998...
, and Fernando Redondo
Fernando Redondo
Fernando Carlos Redondo Neri is a retired Argentine footballer.A defensive midfielder with the ability to contribute both defensively and offensively, he played one full decade in La Liga, mainly for Real Madrid, then finished his career in Italy with Milan.Redondo was a member of the Argentine...
. As a result, Real Madrid (with the addition of Fernando Morientes
Fernando Morientes
Fernando Morientes Sánchez is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.His main asset was his aerial and strong goalscoring abilities. He played for a number of clubs throughout his career, including Real Madrid, Monaco, Liverpool, and Valencia...
in 1997) finally ended its 32-year wait for its seventh European Cup. In 1998, under manager Jupp Heynckes
Jupp Heynckes
Josef "Jupp" Heynckes is a German football coach and former player. As player he belonged to the core of the team of Borussia Mönchengladbach in its golden era of the 1960s and 1970s where he won many national championships and the Cup as well as the UEFA Cup...
, The Whites defeated Juventus 1–0 in the final thanks to a goal from Predrag Mijatović
Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997...
.
Los Galácticos, Calderón and second Pérez era (2000–present)
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
was elected club president. He vowed in his campaign to erase the club's 270 million euro debt and modernize the club's facilities. However, the primary electoral promise that propelled Pérez to victory was the signing of Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
. The following year, the club got its training ground rezoned and used the money to begin assembling the famous Galáctico
Galáctico
Galácticos is a Spanish term used to describe expensive, world-famous Real Madrid football players. This term came into use to describe the policy pursued in the first tenure of Florentino Pérez's presidency at Real Madrid, where he purchased at least one galáctico in the summer of every year...
side including players such as Zinédine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
, Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
, Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Roberto Carlos, Raúl
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
and David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
. It is debatable whether the gamble paid off, as despite a UEFA Champions League and an Intercontinental Cup (football)
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
win in 2002, followed by the League in 2003, the club failed to win a major trophy for the next three seasons.
Ramón Calderón
Ramón Calderón
José Ramón Calderón Ramos is a lawyer and an ex-President of Spanish sports club Real Madrid.-Life and career:...
was elected as club president on 2 July 2006 and subsequently appointed Fabio Capello as the new coach and Predrag Mijatović
Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997...
as the new sporting director. Real Madrid won the La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
title in 2007 for the first time in four years but Capello was sacked. In the 2007–08 season, The Whites won the domestic league for the 31st time, achieving their first consecutive league title in eighteen years. On 1 June 2009, Florentino Pérez regained Real Madrid's presidency. Pérez continued with the Galácticos policy pursued in his first term, buying Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
from A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
then purchasing Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
from Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
for a record breaking £80 million.
Crest and shirt
The first crest had a simple design consisting of a decorative interlacing of the three initials of the club, "MCF" for Madrid Club de Fútbol, in dark blue on a white shirt.The first change in the crest occurred in 1908 when the letters adopted a more streamlined form and appeared inside a circle. The next change in the configuration of the crest did not occur until the presidency of Pedro Parages
Pedro Parages
Pedro Parages Diego Madrazo was President of Real Madrid between 1916 and 1926.He also played for the club, becoming the first Frenchman to represent Los Merengues. He managed the Spanish National Team at the 1924 Olympic Games.-External links:* *...
in 1920. At that time, King Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
granted the club his royal patronage which came in the form of the title "Real madrid", roughly translated as "Royal". Thus, Alfonso's crown was added to the crest and the club styled itself Real Madrid Club de Fútbol.
With the dissolution of the monarchy in 1931, all the royal symbols (the crown on the crest and the title of Real) were eliminated. The crown was replaced by the dark mulberry band of the Region of Castile.
In 1941, two years after the end of the Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, the crest's "Real Corona", or "Royal Crown", was restored while the mulberry stripe of Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
was retained as well. In addition, the whole crest was made full color, with gold being the most prominent, and the club was again called Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. The most recent modification to the crest occurred in 2001 when the club wanted to better situate itself for the 21st century and further standardize its crest. One of the modifications made was changing the mulberry stripe to a more bluish shade.
Real Madrid's traditional home colours are all white, although it initially adopted a blue oblique stripe on the shirt (the design was kept in the club crest); but unlike today, dark blue socks were worn. The striped shirt was replaced by an all-white version, modeled after the shirt worn by Corinthian F.C., in 1902. In the same year, the blue socks were replaced by black ones. By the early 1940s the manager changed the kit again by adding buttons to the shirt and the club's crest on the left breast (which have remained ever since). On 23 November 1947, in a game against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, Real Madrid became the first Spanish team to wear numbered shirts.
Real's traditional away colours are all black or all purple. The club's kit is currently manufactured by Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
whose contract extends from 1998. Real Madrid's first shirt sponsor, Zanussi
Zanussi
Zanussi is an Italian producer of home appliances that in 1984 was bought by Electrolux. Zanussi is a leading brand for domestic kitchen appliances in Europe. Products have been exported from Italy since 1946.-History:...
, agreed for the 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons. Following that, the club was sponsored by Parmalat
Parmalat
Parmalat SpA is a multinational Italian dairy and food corporation. Having become the leading global company in the production of ultra high temperature milk, the company collapsed in 2003 with a €14 billion hole in its accounts in what remains Europe's biggest bankruptcy...
and Otaysa before a long-term deal was signed with Teka in 1992. In 2001, Real Madrid ended their contract with Teka and for one season used the Realmadrid.com logo to promote the club's website. Then, in 2002, a deal was signed with Siemens Mobile
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
and in 2006, the BenQ Siemens
BenQ
BenQ Corporation is a Taiwanese multi-national company that sells and markets consumer electronics, computing and communications devices under the "BenQ" brand name, which stands for the company slogan Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to life .- Company :BenQ sells and markets technology products,...
logo appeared on the club's shirt. Real Madrid's current shirt sponsor is bwin.com following the economic problems of BenQ Siemens.
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 1980–1982 | Adidas Adidas Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport... |
None |
| 1982–1985 | Zanussi Zanussi Zanussi is an Italian producer of home appliances that in 1984 was bought by Electrolux. Zanussi is a leading brand for domestic kitchen appliances in Europe. Products have been exported from Italy since 1946.-History:... |
|
| 1985–1989 | Hummel Hummel International hummel International is a Denmark-based sportswear company. The firm was started in 1923 by the Messmer family in the town of Hamburg, Germany. It currently manufactures apparel for football, handball, basketball, rugby league, Australian football, shinty and volleyball... |
Parmalat Parmalat Parmalat SpA is a multinational Italian dairy and food corporation. Having become the leading global company in the production of ultra high temperature milk, the company collapsed in 2003 with a €14 billion hole in its accounts in what remains Europe's biggest bankruptcy... |
| 1989–1991 | Reny Picot | |
| 1991–1992 | Otaysa | |
| 1992–1994 | Teka | |
| 1994–1998 | Kelme Kelme (company) Kelme is a Spanish firm that creates sport shoes. It was founded in 1977 by Diego and José Quiles and mainly produces footwear and apparel for football and running.... |
|
| 1998–2001 | Adidas Adidas Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport... |
|
| 2001–2002 | None* | |
| 2002–2005 | Siemens mobile | |
| 2005–2006 | Siemens Siemens Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG... |
|
| 2006–2007 | BenQ Siemens BenQ BenQ Corporation is a Taiwanese multi-national company that sells and markets consumer electronics, computing and communications devices under the "BenQ" brand name, which stands for the company slogan Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to life .- Company :BenQ sells and markets technology products,... |
|
| 2007– | bwin.com |
*Realmadrid.com appeared in place of shirt sponsor to promote the club's new website.
Stadiums
After moving between grounds the team moved to the "Campo de O'Donnell" in 1912, which remained its home ground for eleven years. After this period, the club moved for one year to the Campo de Ciudad Lineal, a small ground with a capacity of 8,000 spectators. After that, Real Madrid moved its home matches to Estadio Chamartín which was inaugurated on 17 May 1923 with a match against Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. In this stadium, which hosted 22,500 spectators, Real Madrid celebrated its first Spanish league title. After some successes, the 1943 elected president Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste was a Spanish sportsman, one of the single most important men in Real Madrid's history. He is generally considered the one to whom much of the credit can be given for transforming Real Madrid C.F. from the second most successful club in Madrid into the most successful in...
decided that the Estadio Chamartín
Estadio Chamartín
Estadio Chamartín was a multi-use stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was initially used as the stadium of Real Madrid matches before Santiago Bernabéu Stadium opened in 1947. The stadium held 22,500 people and was built in 1923. The first match at the stadium was Real Madrid against Newcastle United. It...
was not big enough for the ambitions of the club. A new stadium was built and was inaugurated on 14 December 1947. This was the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
as it is known today, although it did not acquire this name until 1955. The first match held on Bernabéu was played between Real Madrid and the Portuguese club Belenenses and won by The Whites with 3–1, the first goal being scored by Sabino Barinaga.
The capacity has changed frequently, peaking at 120,000 after a 1953 expansion. Since then, there have been a number of reductions due to modernizations (the last standing places went away in 1998–99 in response to UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
regulations which forbids standing at matches in the UEFA competition), countered to some extent by expansions. The last change was an increase of about five thousand to a capacity of 85,454, effected in 2011. A plan to add a retractable roof has been announced. Real Madrid has the fourth highest of the average attendances of European football clubs
Average attendances of European football clubs
The following is a table showing average attendances for football clubs in Europe in domestic league matches. The specific seasons are listed alongside each team, with the default being the 2010–11 season...
only behind FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
The Bernabéu has hosted the 1964 European Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
final, the 1982 FIFA World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
final, the 1957
1957 European Cup Final
The 1957 European Cup Final was a football match which took place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on 30 May 1957. It was contested between Real Madrid of Spain and Fiorentina of Italy. Real Madrid won 2–0 after goals from Di Stéfano and Gento in the second half.-Match...
, 1969
1969 European Cup Final
The 1969 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, on 28 May 1969, that saw Milan of Italy play against Ajax of the Netherlands to determine who would be the champions of Europe that season...
and 1980
1980 European Cup Final
The 1980 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, on 28 May 1980, that saw Nottingham Forest of England defeat Hamburg of Germany 1–0. In the 21st minute, John Robertson squeezed a shot past Hamburg keeper Rudolf Kargus for the only goal of the game, to...
European Cup finals and the 2010 Champions League Final
2010 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...
. The stadium has its own Madrid Metro
Madrid Metro
The Madrid Metro is a metro system serving the city of Madrid, capital of Spain. The system is the sixth longest metro in the world though Madrid is approximately the fiftieth most populous metropolitan area in the world...
station along the 10 line called Santiago Bernabéu. On 14 November 2007, the Bernabéu has been upgraded to Elite Football Stadium status by UEFA.
On 9 May 2006, the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium
Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium
The Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano is a multi-purpose stadium in Madrid, Spain. It is currently used for football matches and is the home ground of Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve team of Real Madrid. The stadium holds 6,000 people...
was inaugurated at the City of Madrid where Real Madrid usually trains. The inaugural match was played between Real Madrid and Stade Reims
Stade Reims
Stade de Reims is a French association football club based in Reims. The club was formed in 1911 under the name Société Sportive du Parc Pommery and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football having achieved promotion to the league following the 2009–10 season...
, a rematch of the 1956 European Cup final. Real Madrid won the match 6–1 with goals from Sergio Ramos
Sérgio Ramos
Sérgio Bruno Antunes Selores Ramos is a Portuguese basketball player.He measures 2.00 metres and plays as a Forward . He announced the end of his international career, after Portugal's exit from the EuroBasket 2007...
, Cassano
Antonio Cassano
Antonio Cassano is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Milan as a striker. Nicknamed Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia , he is known for his short temper as much as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello, in November...
(2), Soldado
Roberto Soldado
Roberto Soldado Rillo is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a striker.-Real Madrid:Born in Valencia, Soldado joined Real Madrid at the age of 15 from local small club CF Don Bosco. After seasons of prolific goalscoring with the club's B team, he made his first team debut on 23...
(2), and Jurado. The venue is now part of the Ciudad Real Madrid
Ciudad Real Madrid
The Ciudad Real Madrid is the name given to Real Madrid's training facilities located outside Madrid in Valdebebas near Barajas airport. It replaces the old Ciudad Deportiva , which until 2003 was the training ground of the club...
, the club's new training facilities located outside Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in Valdebebas. The stadium holds 5,000 people and is Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla is a Spanish football team that plays in the Segunda División B. It is the reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium....
's home ground. It is named after former Real footballer Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Statistics and records
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
holds the record for most Real Madrid appearances, having played 741 first-team matches from 1994 to 2010. Manuel Sanchis, Jr. comes second, having played 711 times. The record for a goalkeeper is held by Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
, with 575 appearances. With 127 caps (47 while at the club), Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
of Portugal is Real's most capped international player.
Raúl is Real's all-time top goalscorer, with 323 goals in 741 games (1994–2010). Four other players have also scored over 200 goals for Real: Alfredo Di Stefano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
(1953–64), Santillana (1971–88), Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
(1958–66) and Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
(1985–92). Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
holds the record for the most league goals scored in one season (40 in 2010–11). Di Stéfano's 49 goals in 58 matches was for decades the all-time highest tally in the European Cup, until it was surpassed by Raúl in 2005. The fastest goal in the history of the club (15 seconds) was scored by Brazilian Ronaldo on 3 December 2003 during a league match against Atlético Madrid.
Officially, the highest home attendance figure for a Real Madrid match is 83,329, which was for a football cup competition, Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
, in 2006. The current legal capacity of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is 80,354. The club's average attendance
Average attendances of European football clubs
The following is a table showing average attendances for football clubs in Europe in domestic league matches. The specific seasons are listed alongside each team, with the default being the 2010–11 season...
in 2007–08 season was 76,234, the highest in European Leagues. Real has also set records in Spanish football, most notably the most domestic titles (31 as of 2007–08) and the most seasons won in a row (5, during 1960–65 and 1985–90). With 121 matches (from 17 February 1957 to 7 March 1965), the club holds the record for longest unbeaten run at home in La Liga.
The Whites also hold the record for winning the European Cup/UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
nine times and for the most semi-final appearances (21). Raúl González is the all-time UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
top scorer, with 71 goals in total, 66 whilst playing for Real Madrid. The team has the record number of consecutive participation in the European Cup with 15, from 1955–56 to 1969–70.
In June 2009, the club broke its own record for the highest transfer fee ever paid in the history of football by agreeing to pay Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
€96 million ($131
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
.5 million, £80
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
million) for the services of Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
. The fee of €76 million (over $100 million, £45.8 million) for Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
's transfer from Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
to Real Madrid in 2001 was the previous highest transfer fee ever paid. That Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
's record had been broken previously in June 2009, when Real Madrid had agreed to buy Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
from AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
for a fee that was, for a few days, the first one to exceed the Zizou
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
's transfer in pounds sterling.
The club's record sale came on 1 September 2008, when they sold Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
for €42 million (£32.5 million).
Support
During most home matches the majority of the seats in the stadium are occupied by season ticket holders, of which there are average of 68,670. To become a season ticket holder one must first be a socio, or club member. In addition to members, the club has more than 1,800 peñas (official, club-affiliated supporters' groups) in Spain and around the world. Real Madrid has the highest average all-time attendance in Spanish football and regularly attracts over 65,000 fans to Santiago BernabéuSantiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
; it was the second best-supported La Liga team in the 2004–05 season, with an average gate of 71,900. Real Madrid's hardcore supporters are the so-called Ultras Sur supporters. They are known for their extreme right-wing politics
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
. The Ultras Sur have developed an alliance with other right wing groups, most notably S.S. Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
Irriducibili
S.S. Lazio fans
This article is about the fans of Italian football club S.S. Lazio.-The beginning:The history of organized fan groups of S.S. Lazio, known in Italian as the Tifoseria Laziale began in the late 1960s, in which small groups of supporters filled the steps of Stadio Olimpico in Rome...
fans. On several occasions they have racially abused opposing players, and have been investigated by UEFA for doing so.
El Clásico
There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in a national league, and this is particularly the case in La Liga, where the game between Real Madrid and Barcelona is known as 'The Classic' (El Clásico). From the start of national competitions the clubs were seen as representatives of two rival regions in Spain: CataloniaCatalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
, as well as of the two cities. The rivalry reflects what many regard as the political and cultural tensions felt between Catalans
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
and the Castilians, seen by one author as a re-enactment of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
During the dictatorships of Primo de Rivera and especially of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
(1939–1975), all regional cultures were suppressed. All of the languages spoken in Spanish territory, except Spanish (Castilian
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) itself, were officially banned. Symbolising the Catalan people's desire for freedom, Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
became 'More than a club' (Més que un club) for the Catalans. According to Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán was a prolific Spanish writer: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humourist, critic, as well as a gastronome and a FC Barcelona supporter....
, the best way for the Catalans to demonstrate their identity was by joining Barcelona. It was less risky than joining a clandestine anti-Franco movement, and allowed them to express their dissidence.
On the other hand, Real Madrid was widely seen as the embodiment of the sovereign oppressive centralism and the fascist regime at management level and beyond (Santiago Bernabeu
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste was a Spanish sportsman, one of the single most important men in Real Madrid's history. He is generally considered the one to whom much of the credit can be given for transforming Real Madrid C.F. from the second most successful club in Madrid into the most successful in...
, the former club president for whom the Merengues
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
stadium is named, fought with los nacionales
Spanish State
Francoist Spain refers to a period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975 when Spain was under the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco....
). However, during the Spanish Civil War, members of both clubs such as Josep Sunyol
Josep Sunyol
Josep Sunyol i Garriga was a Catalan lawyer, journalist, politician and president of FC Barcelona.Sunyol came from both a wealthy family and a long line of Catalan political militants...
and Rafael Sánchez Guerra
Rafael Sánchez Guerra
Rafael Sánchez-Guerra was President of Real Madrid between 1935 and 1936.His presidency coincided with the Spanish Civil War and Sánchez-Guerra was a prominent Republican, refusing to flee Madrid as it was about to fall into the hands of Franco...
suffered at the hands of Franco supporters.
During the 1950s the rivalry was exacerbated further when there was a controversy surrounding the transfer of Alfredo di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
, who finally played for Real Madrid and was key to their subsequent success. The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met twice at the knock-out rounds of the European Cup. In 2002, the European encounter between the clubs was dubbed the "Match of The Century" by Spanish media, and was watched by more than 500 million people.
El Derbi madrileño
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
students in 1903, it was joined in 1904 by dissident members of Madrid FC. Further tensions came because initially Real supporters came from the middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
while the Atlético supporters were drawn from the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
. Today these distinctions are largely blurred. They met for the first time on 21 February 1929 in matchday three of the first League Championship
La Liga 1929
The 1929 Primera División season started February 10, 1929 and finished June 23, 1929. A total of 10 teams participated in the league.- Team Information :-Standings:-Relegation play-off:...
at the former Chamartín
Estadio Chamartín
Estadio Chamartín was a multi-use stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was initially used as the stadium of Real Madrid matches before Santiago Bernabéu Stadium opened in 1947. The stadium held 22,500 people and was built in 1923. The first match at the stadium was Real Madrid against Newcastle United. It...
. It was the first official derby of the new tournament, and Real won 2–1. The rivalry first gained international attention in 1959 during the European Cup when the two clubs met in the semi-final. Real won the first leg 2–1 at the Bernabéu while Atlético won 1–0 at the Metropolitano. The tie went to a replay and The Whites won 2–1. Atlético, however, gained some revenge when, led by former Real Madrid coach José Villalonga
José Villalonga Llorente
José Villalonga Llorente , commonly referred to as José Villalonga and also known as Pepe Villalonga, was a Spanish football manager during the 1950s and 1960s...
, it defeated The Whites in two successive Copa del Generalísimo
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
finals in 1960 and 1961.
Between 1961 and 1989, when Real dominated La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, only Atlético offered it any serious challenge, winning Liga titles in 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1977. In 1965, Atlético became the first team to beat Real at the Bernabéu in eight years. Real Madrid's record against Atlético in more recent times is very favorable. A high point coming in the 2002–03 season, when The Whites clinched the La Liga title after an impressive victory at Atlético 0–4 at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
Vicente Calderón Stadium
The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous...
.
Finances and ownership
It was under Florentino Pérez's first presidency (2000–2006) that Real Madrid started its ambition of becoming the world's richest professional football club. The club ceded part of its training grounds to the city of Madrid in 2001, and sold the rest to four corporations: Repsol YPF, Mutua Automovilística de Madrid, Sacyr Vallehermoso and OHL. The sale eradicated the club's debts, paving the way for it to buy the world's most expensive players such as Zinédine ZidaneZinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
, Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
and David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
. The city had previously rezoned the training grounds for development, a move which in turn increased their value, and then bought the site. The EU-commission started an investigation into whether the city overpaid for the property, to be considered a form of state subsidy.
The sale of the training ground for office buildings cleared Real Madrid's debts of €270m and enabled the club to embark upon an unprecedented spending spree which brought big-name players to the club. In addition, profit from the sale was spent on a state-of-the-art training complex on the city's outskirts. Although Pérez's policy resulted in increased financial success from the exploitation of the club's high marketing potential around the world, especially in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, it came under increasing criticism for being too focused on marketing the Real Madrid brand, and not enough on the performances of the team.
By September 2007, Real Madrid was considered the most valuable football brand in Europe by BBDO
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
. In 2008, it was ranked the second most valuable club in football, with a value of €951 mil (£640 million / $1.285 billion), only beaten by Manchester United, which was valued at €1.333 billion (£900 million). In 2010, Real Madrid had the highest turnover in football worldwide. In September 2009, Real Madrid's management announced plans to open its own dedicated theme park by 2013.
A study at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
concluded that Real Madrid "is one of the 20 most important brand names and the only one in which its executives, the players, are well-known. We have some spectacular figures in regard to worldwide support of the club. There are an estimated 287 million people worldwide who follow Real Madrid." In 2010, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
evaluated Real Madrid's worth to be around €992 million (USD $1,323 million), ranking them second after Manchester United, based on figures from the 2008–09 season. According to Deloitte, Real Madrid had a recorded revenue of €401 million in the same period, ranking first.
Along with FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
, Real Madrid is organised as a registered association. Unlike a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
, it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only membership. The members of Real Madrid, called socios, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club. As of 2010 the club has 60,000 socios. At the end of the 2009–10 season, the club board of directors of the clud stated that Real Madrid had a net debt of €244.6 million, 82.1 million lower than the previous fiscal year.
Popular culture
Real Madrid was the featured club in the second edition of the Goal! football movie trilogy, Goal! 2: Living the Dream...Goal! 2: Living the Dream...
Goal II: Living the Dream is the second part of the football film trilogy Goal! and it was released on 9 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and 29 August 2008 in the United States.- Plot :...
(2007). The film follows former Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
star Santiago Muñez as he is first scouted, and then signed by Real Madrid for the 2005–06 season. The film's creators wanted to put emphasis on the changes in Muñez's life after his move to Madrid. Production was done with the full support of UEFA, allowing the film crew to use many real life players in cameo roles. Real Madrid squad members featured in the film included Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
, Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
, David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
, Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
, Roberto Carlos, Raúl
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
, Sergio Ramos
Sérgio Ramos
Sérgio Bruno Antunes Selores Ramos is a Portuguese basketball player.He measures 2.00 metres and plays as a Forward . He announced the end of his international career, after Portugal's exit from the EuroBasket 2007...
, Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
, Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He has played for teams such as Hamburger SV, Everton F.C., Real Madrid CF and Celtic F.C.....
, Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
, Míchel Salgado
Míchel Salgado
Miguel Ángel "Míchel" Salgado Fernández is a Spanish footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, as a right defender.Nicknamed Il Due , he is known for his combative tackling and attacking play...
, Júlio Baptista
Júlio Baptista
Júlio César Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga...
, Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
, Jonathan Woodgate
Jonathan Woodgate
Jonathan Simon Woodgate is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League.Woodgate started his football career at Leeds United where he established himself in the starting eleven. However, Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United for £9 million in January 2003. He impressed...
, and Iván Helguera. Non-Real Madrid players to make cameo appearances included Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
, Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
, Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
, Andrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta Luján is a Spanish football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, and the Spanish national team....
, Pablo Aimar
Pablo Aimar
Pablo César Aimar Giordano is a Argentine professional footballer who plays for Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the Portuguese first division. An attacking midfielder with a vast array of skills, he also holds a Spanish passport....
, Fredrik Ljungberg
Fredrik Ljungberg
Karl Fredrik "Freddie" Ljungberg is a Swedish footballer who currently plays as a right winger for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan. Ljungberg was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.Ljungberg was a model for Calvin Klein underwear...
, Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
, Santiago Cañizares
Santiago Cañizares
José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.After playing with Real Madrid, mostly as a backup, he finished his career at Valencia CF, where he appeared in more than 400 official games since 1998.In his prime, he was regarded as one of the best...
and others. In the film, both Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
and Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
presented the fictional player Muñez to the club after his signing.
Real, The Movie
Real, The Movie
Real, The Movie is a movie about the Spanish football club Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, produced by the same club and directed by film director Borja Manso...
is a 2005 part feature, part documentary film that showcases the world-wide passion for Real Madrid C.F. Produced by the club and directed by Borja Manso, it follows five sub-stories of fans from around the world and their love for Real Madrid. Along with the fictional portion of the film, it also contains real footage of the squad, during training at Ciudad Real Madrid
Ciudad Real Madrid
The Ciudad Real Madrid is the name given to Real Madrid's training facilities located outside Madrid in Valdebebas near Barajas airport. It replaces the old Ciudad Deportiva , which until 2003 was the training ground of the club...
, matches, and interviews. Although the film mentions all of the squad, it mainly focuses on galácticos
Galáctico
Galácticos is a Spanish term used to describe expensive, world-famous Real Madrid football players. This term came into use to describe the policy pursued in the first tenure of Florentino Pérez's presidency at Real Madrid, where he purchased at least one galáctico in the summer of every year...
such as David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
, Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
, Raúl
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
, Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
, Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
, and Roberto Carlos, among others. The film was originally produced in Spanish, but has been dubbed for their world-wide fanbase.
The book White Storm: 100 years of Real Madrid by Phil Ball
Phil Ball
Phil Ball is a British writer based in Spain. He has lived in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, for almost twenty years. Born in Canada to English parents, Ball grew up in Grimsby on the north east coast of England, having moved there as a child in 1957. As a youngster Ball supported Grimsby Town,...
was the first English-language history of Real Madrid. Published in 2002, it talks about the most successful moments of the club during its first centenary, having been translated into various languages.
Players
Spanish teams are limited to three players without EUEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
citizenship. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player; several non-European players on the squad have dual citizenship with an EU country. Also, players from the ACP countries
ACP countries
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is a group of countries , created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The group's main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy...
—countries in Africa, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and the Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement
Cotonou Agreement
The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States . It was signed in June 2000 in Cotonou, the largest city in Benin, by 78 ACP countries and the then fifteen Member States of the European Union...
—are not counted against non-EU quotas due to the Kolpak ruling.
First-team squad
Out on loan
Extra players registered only for the UEFA Champions League
Current technical staff
- See also List of Real Madrid C.F. managers
Management
Honours
As of 26 August 2011 Real Madrid have won a record 31 La LigaLa Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
and a record 9 European Cup/UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
trophies. The club was awarded with the recognition of FIFA Club of the 20th Century on 23 December 2000. It also received the FIFA Order of Merit
FIFA Order of Merit
The FIFA Order of Merit is the highest honour awarded by FIFA. The award is presented at the annual FIFA congress. It is normally awarded to people who are considered to have made a significant contribution to :association football....
in 2004. Added to this, Real is allowed to wear a multiple–winner badge on their shirt during UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
matches as they have won more than five European Cups.
Domestic competitions
- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
- Winners (31): 1931–32, 1932–33, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Runners-up (20): 1929La Liga 1929The 1929 Primera División season started February 10, 1929 and finished June 23, 1929. A total of 10 teams participated in the league.- Team Information :-Standings:-Relegation play-off:...
, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1941–42, 1944–45, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
- Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
- Winners (18): 1905Copa del Rey 1905-References:**...
, 1906Copa del Rey 1906-References:*...
, 1907Copa del Rey 1907The Copa del Rey 1907 was the 5th edition of the Copa del Rey. The competition started on March 24, 1907 and concluded on March 30, 1907 withthe Final Playoff, in which Madrid FC lifted the trophy for the third time in a row.-Participants:...
, 1908Copa del Rey 1908The Copa del Rey 1908 was the 6th edition of the Copa del Rey.Athletic de Bilbao refused to participate, disgusted with the attitude of the people of Madrid in some games of the previous tournament. Others teams invited, like the Catalonian champion X Sporting Club, decline the invitation for...
, 1917Copa del Rey 1917-Second leg:Sevilla FC and Madrid CF won one match each. At that year, the goal difference was not taken into account. A replay match was played.----Arenas Club won 2–0 on aggregate matches.-Replay match:Madrid CF qualified to semifinals....
, 1934, 1936, 1946, 1947, 1962, 1970, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1980, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2010–11
- Runners-up (19): 1903, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1929, 19301930 Copa del ReyThe Copa del Rey 1930 is the 28th staging of the Copa del Rey.The competition started on April 6, 1930 and concluded on June 1, 1930 with the Final, held at the Lluís Companys Stadium in Barcelona.-Round of 30:* Real Betis received a bye....
, 1933, 1940, 1943, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1989–90, 1991–92, 2001–02, 2003–04
- Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
- Winners (8): 19881988 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1988 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 21 September and 29 September 1988. It contested by FC Barcelona, who were Spanish Cup winners in 1987–88, and Real Madrid who won the 1987–88 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 3–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 1989*, 19901990 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1990 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 5 December and 12 December 1990. It contested by FC Barcelona, who were Spanish Cup winners in 1989–90, and Real Madrid who won the 1989–90 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 5–1 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 19931993 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1993 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 2 December and 16 December 1993. It contested by ,Real Madrid who were Spanish Cup winners in 1992–93, and FC Barcelona who won the 1992–93 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 19971997 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1997 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 20 August and 23 August 1997. The contestants were FC Barcelona, who were Spanish Cup winners in 1996–97, and Real Madrid who won the 1996–97 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 5–3 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 20012001 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2001 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 19 August and 22 August 2001. It contested by Real Zaragoza, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2000–01, and Real Madrid, who won the 2000–01 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 4–1 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 20032003 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2003 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 24 August and 27 August 2003. It contested by RCD Mallorca, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2002–03, and Real Madrid, who won the 2002–03 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20082008 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2008 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 17 August and 24 August 2008. It was contested by Valencia CF, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2007–08, and Real Madrid, who won the 2007–08 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 6–5 on aggregate for their eighth Supercopa...
- Runners-up (4): 19821982 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1982 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 13 October and 28 December 1982.* League winners: Real Sociedad* Cup winners: Real Madrid CF-First leg:-Second leg:...
, 19951995 Supercopa de EspañaThe 1995 Supercopa de España was a two-legged Spanish football match played on 24 August and 27 August 1995. It was contested by Real Madrid, who won the 1994–95 Spanish League, and Deportivo de La Coruña, who were Spanish Cup winners in 1994–95. Deportivo won 5–1 on aggregate.-First...
, 20072007 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2007 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 11 August and 19 August 2007. It contested by Sevilla FC, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2006–07, and Real Madrid, who won the 2006–07 Spanish League. Sevilla FC won 6–3 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20112011 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2011 Supercopa de España was a two-legged Spanish football match-up that was played on 14 and 17 August 2011. It was contested by Real Madrid, the 2010–11 Copa del Rey winners, and Barcelona, the 2010–11 La Liga winners.... - (* Won Copa del Rey and La Liga)
- Copa Eva DuarteCopa Eva DuarteThe Copa Eva Duarte was a Spanish football tournament organized by the RFEF and contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo. In 1940, it had the name of Copa de Campeones, and was not played again until 1945, when the ambassador of Argentina, due to the good relations with the...
(Predecessor to the Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
)
- Winners (1): 1947
- Copa de la LigaCopa de la LigaThe Copa de la Liga was a Spanish football tournament created in 1982.Due to time constraints, saturation and club pressure, the competition only lasted four years, being cancelled in 1986...
- Winners (1): 1985
- Runners-up (1): 1983
European competitions
- European Cup/ UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
- Winners (9): 1955–56*, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02
- Runners-up (3): 1961–62, 1963–64, 1980–81
- (* First ever winners)
- UEFA Cup/ UEFA Europa LeagueUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
- Winners (2): 1984–85, 1985–86
- UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Runners-up (2): 1970–71, 1982–83
- UEFA Super Cup
- Winners (1): 20022002 UEFA Super CupThe 2002 UEFA Super Cup was played on August 30, 2002 between Real Madrid of Spain and Feyenoord of the Netherlands. Real Madrid qualified by beating Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final. Feyenoord had made it to the Super Cup after beating Borussia Dortmund in the 2002 UEFA Cup...
- Runners-up (2): 19981998 UEFA Super CupThe 1998 UEFA Super Cup was a match that was played on 28 August 1998 at Stade Louis II, Monaco, contested between Cup Winners' Cup holders Chelsea and Champions League winners Real Madrid. Chelsea won the match 1–0. Guus Hiddink manager of Real Madrid went on to manage Chelsea to win the...
, 20002000 UEFA Super CupThe 2000 UEFA Super Cup was a football match played on 25 August 2000 between Real Madrid of Spain and Galatasaray of Turkey. Real Madrid qualified by beating Valencia in the 2000 UEFA Champions League Final, while Galatasaray had made it to the Super Cup after beating Arsenal in the 2000 UEFA Cup...
Worldwide competitions
- Intercontinental Cup (Predecessor to the FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
)
- Winners (3): 19601960 Intercontinental CupThe 1960 Intercontinental Cup was the inaugural edition of the matchup between the reigning European football champion and the reigning South American football champion. The two-legged tie was contested between Spanish club Real Madrid and Uruguayan club Peñarol...
, 19981998 Intercontinental CupThe 1998 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 1 December 1998 between Real Madrid, winners of the 1997-98 UEFA Champions League, and Vasco da Gama, winners of the 1998 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of 51,514 fans...
, 20022002 Intercontinental CupThe 2002 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 3 December 2002 between Real Madrid, winners of the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League, and Olimpia, winners of the 2002 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama in front of...
- Runners-up (2): 19661966 Intercontinental CupThe 1966 Intercontinental Cup was the seventh playing of the cup. It was held between the winners of the 1965-66 European Cup, Real Madrid, and Peñarol, winner of the 1966 Copa Libertadores....
, 20002000 Intercontinental CupThe 2000 Intercontinental Cup, officially the 2000 Toyota European / South American Cup for sponsorship reasons, was a football match played on 27 November 2000 between Real Madrid, winners of the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, and Boca Juniors, winners of the 2000 Copa Libertadores. The match...
- FIFA Club of the Century
See also
Sports- Real Madrid BaloncestoReal Madrid BaloncestoReal Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
Reserve teams
- Real Madrid CastillaReal Madrid CastillaReal Madrid Castilla is a Spanish football team that plays in the Segunda División B. It is the reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium....
- Real Madrid CReal Madrid CReal Madrid C is a Spanish association football team that plays in the Tercera División. It is the second reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at La Ciudad del Real Madrid in Valdebebas outside the city of Madrid...
Other
- European Club AssociationEuropean Club AssociationThe European Club Association is an organization representing football clubs in Europe- History :Formed on the dissolution of the G-14 group in January 2008, the European Club Association represents 201 clubs, made up of 103 ordinary members and 98 associated members, with at least one from each...
- G14 (football)
- Deloitte Football Money LeagueDeloitte Football Money LeagueThe Deloitte Football Money League is a ranking of football clubs by revenue generated from football operations. It is produced annually by the accountancy firm Deloitte and released in early February of each year, describing the season most recently finished....
- List of fan-owned sports teams
- Richest football clubsRichest football clubsThis is a list of the richest football clubs in the world as ranked by Forbes magazine on their worth in United States dollars.-2011 rankings:Rankings as of 20 April 2011.-2010 rankings:Rankings as of April 2010.-2009 rankings:...
Related article
- Trofeo Santiago BernabéuTrofeo Santiago BernabéuThe Santiago Bernabéu Trophy or Santiago Bernabéu Cup is dedicated to the memory of long-time Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu. It is a friendly tournament organised each year by Real Madrid at the beginning of the season, somewhere around the end of August or the beginning of...
Games
- Real Madrid Fantasy ManagerReal Madrid Fantasy ManagerReal Madrid Fantasy Manager is a football club managing simulation game developed by Fromthebench Digital Entertainment. The game is currently available on Facebook and iPhone platforms. The game is now also available for Android devices....
External links
Official websites- Real Madrid C.F. at UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
- Real Madrid at La Liga