Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a
Spanish sports club best known for its
football team which was ranked as 'The
20th Century's Best Club' by
FIFA. Real Madrid is considered the best club of football's history. The club, which went in place of the Spanish FA, was also one of the founding members of FIFA. They play their home games at the
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in
Madrid. Real Madrid have been
European Champions a record 9 times and have also won a record 29
La Liga titles. The club also operates a reserve football team,
Real Madrid Castilla, and a successful
basketball team,
Real Madrid Baloncesto. Real Madrid is unusual in that, unlike most football clubs, it has been owned and operated solely by its members (socios) since 1902.
During its history, the club has acquired a number of nicknames. Among the earliest were
los merengues, after the white dessert
meringue and
los blancos. Both simply referred to the club's legendary all-white strip and are the most common to this day. In the 1970s, the nickname
los vikingos became popular, possibly due to the signings of several northern European players. More recently, the media dubbed the club
los galácticos, referring to club decision to sign star players.
History
Football was introduced to
Madrid by the professors and students of the
Institución Libre de Enseñanza. They included several
Oxbridge graduates. In 1895 they founded the club
Football Sky, playing on Sunday mornings at Moncloa. In 1900 this club split into two different clubs
New Foot-Ball de Madrid and
Español de Madrid. The president of the latter club was
Julián Palacios. In 1902 the latter club split again, resulting in the formation of
Sociedad Madrid FC on
March 6 1902. The first president was
Juan Padrós Rubió; the first secretary was
Manuel Mendía; and the first treasurer was
José de Gorostizaga. Juan Padrós Rubió would be later succeeded by his brother,
Carlos Padrós from Spain.
Names
- Sociedad Madrid Foot-Ball Club
- Real Madrid Foot-Ball Club
- Madrid Foot-Ball Club
- Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
Santiago Bernabéu
Before becoming President in 1945,
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste had already carried out the functions of player, first-team captain, club maintanence, first-team manager and director, in an association with the club that lasted nearly 70 years. He was responsible for rebuilding the club after the
Spanish Civil War, and under his presidency, the
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and the
Ciudad Deportiva. Real Madrid has a newly named stadium which is the 'Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium'.
He also reorganized the club at all levels, in what would become the normal operating hierarchy of professional clubs in the future, giving every section and level of the club independent technical teams and recruiting staff such as Raimundo Saporta.
Finally, beginning in 1953 he embarked upon a strategy of signing world-class players from abroad, the most prominent of them being
Alfredo Di Stéfano, and built the world's first truly multinational side. During Bernabéu's presidency many of Real Madrid's most legendary names played for the club, including the aforementioned
Alfredo Di Stéfano,
Francisco Gento, Luis Molowny,
Miguel Muñoz,
Raymond Kopa, Héctor Rial,
Ferenc Puskás,
Amancio,
Santillana,
Juanito,
Uli Stielike,
Vicente Del Bosque,
José Antonio Camacho and others.
In 1955, acting upon the idea proposed by the
L'Equipe journalist Gabriel Hanot and building upon the
Copa Latina (a tournament involving clubs from France, Spain, Portugal and Italy), Bernabéu met in the Ambassador Hotel in
Paris with Bedrignan and
Gustav Sebes and created what today is known as the
UEFA Champions League. Under the administration of
UEFA, it is the world's premier club tournament.
It was under Bernabéu's guidance that Real Madrid became established as a major force in both Spanish and European football. Before passing away in 1978, Bernabéu had been the club's president for 35 years, during which he won 1
Intercontinental Cup, 6
European Cups, 16
La Liga titles, and 6
Spanish Cups.
Domestic success
The mid-1950s saw Real Madrid put together a team that included, among others
Alfredo Di Stéfano,
Ferenc Puskás,
Francisco Gento, Hector Rial,
Raymond Kopa, and
José Santamaria. These players formed the nucleus of the Real Madrid team that dominated the second half of the 1950s. They won
La Liga for first time in over 20 years as
Real Madrid in 1954 and retained it in 1955. They were winners again in 1957 and 1958, with only
Athletic Bilbao interrupting their sequence.
CF Barcelona won
La Liga in 1959 and 1960 but between 1961 and 1980 Real Madrid dominated
La Liga with the club winning the competition 14 times. This included a five-in-a-row sequence (1961-1965) and two three-in-a-row sequences (1967-69 and 1978-1980). It was during this era that legendary players such as
Jose Antonio Camacho,
Uli Stielike and
Juan Gomez came into the side
In the early 1980s Real Madrid lost its grip on
La Liga but by 1986 they had resumed normal service with another five-in-a-row sequence (1986-90). This team included included
Hugo Sánchez and the famous
'Quinta del Buitre' -
Emilio Butragueño,
Manolo Sanchís,
Martín Vazquéz,
Míchel and
Miguel Pardeza.
Real Madrid has also won the
Copa del Rey on 17 occasions, and are 7-time winners of the
Supercopa de España.
International success
In addition to their domestic success, Real Madrid's reputation as a major club was established by their outstanding record in the
European Cup. To date have they have been crowned champions of Europe a record nine times.
Alfredo Di Stéfano,
Ferenc Puskás and other famous players helped the club win the
European Cup five times in a row between 1956 and 1960, which included the memorable 7-3 Hampden Park final against
Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960. The club won for a sixth time in 1966, defeating
Partizan Belgrade 2-1 in the final with a team composed entirely of nationally-born players, a first in the competition. They were also runners-up in 1962, 1964 and 1981. Winning the competition five consecutive times saw Real permanently awarded the original cup and earning the right to wear the
UEFA badge of honour. They have also won the
UEFA Cup twice and were twice runners-up in the
European Cup Winners Cup.
In 1996 President
Lorenzo Sanz appointed
Fabio Capello as coach. Although his tenure lasted only one season, in which Real Madrid were proclaimed league champions, the team he built, which included
Raúl,
Predrag Mijatović,
Fernando Redondo,
Fernando Hierro,
Davor Šuker,
Clarence Seedorf, and
Roberto Carlos, ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait for their seventh European Cup in 1998 under manager
Jupp Heynckes, defeating Juventus 1-0 in the final. Real Madrid would go on to win again in 2000 and 2002 under manager
Vicente Del Bosque, with sides including players such as
Fernando Morientes,
Steve McManaman,
Luís Figo and
Zinedine Zidane.
Real Madrid are also three-time winners of the
Intercontinental Cup, defeating
Peñarol,
Vasco da Gama, and
Olimpia Asunción in 1960, 1998, and 2002 respectively.
Quinta del Buitre years
This was the name given to the generation of club grown Real Madrid players that dominated
Spanish football in the 1980s. The name ("Vulture's Cohort") was derived from the nickname given to its most charismatic member
Emilio Butragueño. The other four members were
Manolo Sanchís,
Martín Vázquez,
Míchel and
Miguel Pardeza.
Sanchís and Martín Vázquez were the first to play for the first team of Real Madrid, making their debut at
Murcia on
December 4 1983. Coach
Alfredo Di Stéfano brought the youngsters in from the start. Both played surprisingly well and Sanchís even scored the winning goal. A few months later,
February 5 1984, saw the debut of Emilio Butraguño in an away game at
Cádiz.
El Buitre was an instant sensation and scored twice. Pardeza was added to the first team that same season and Míchel followed at the start of the next.
With La Quinta del Buitre (reduced to four members when Pardeza left the club for
Zaragoza in
1986) Real Madrid had one of the best teams in
Spain and Europe during the second half of the 1980s, winning amongst others two
UEFA Cups and 5
Spanish championships in a row. Their record was only blemished by their failure to win the
European Cup.
Martín Vázquez went to play for
Torino in
1990. He made a return to Real Madrid in
1992, leaving the club again for good in
1995 (to
Deportivo La Coruña). Butragueño left the club in 1995 and Michél in
1996. Both went to play for
Atlético Celaya in
Mexico.
Sanchís was the only member of La Quinta to never play for a club other than Real Madrid. By winning the Champions League twice (in
1998 and
2000), he also managed to accomplish what La Quinta had failed to achieve in its glory days. He retired in
2001 as last active member of the famous cohort.
Florentino Pérez years
In July 2000
Florentino Pérez was elected club president with the promise to sign the world's best players including then-
FC Barcelona star
Luís Figo, end the club's debt, and modernize the club's facilities. After reaching an agreement to re-zone and sell the
Ciudad Deportiva, Pérez went on to sign
Zinedine Zidane (2001),
Ronaldo (2002) and
David Beckham (2003). The media began referring to the team as
Los Galácticos. Initially the strategy, eventually dubbed
Zidanes y Pavones and meant to combine world stars and youth team graduates, was successful and Real Madrid won
La Liga in 2001 and 2003 and the
UEFA Champions League in 2002, their centenary year. They also won the
Intercontinental Cup, the
European Super Cup and the
Supercopa de España in both 2001 and 2003.
Off the field the
Zidanes y Pavones policy resulted in increased financial success based on the exploitation of the club's high marketing potential around the world, especially in
Asia; however, the team's on-field performance declined following several unsuccessful appointments as coach in an effort to replace
Vicente Del Bosque, combined with a questionable transfer policy. Despite signing further high-profile players such as
Walter Samuel,
Sergio Ramos,
Michael Owen,
Robinho, and
Julio Baptista, Real Madrid have failed to win a major trophy since 2003.
On February 27 2006, Florentino Pérez resigned, and was temporarily replaced by
Fernando Martín.
Ramón Calderón period
On July 2 2006
Ramón Calderón who was elected as club president and he subsequently appointed
Fabio Capello as the new coach and
Predrag Mijatovic as the new sporting director. As new manager of Real Madrid,
Capello signed WC winning captain
Fabio Cannavaro and
Emerson, both from
embattled Juventus, for a total sum of €23m;
Ruud van Nistelrooy from
Manchester United for €15m;
Mahamadou Diarra from
Lyon for €26m and on a last minute trade loan -
José Antonio Reyes. They failed, however, to sign
AC Milan star
Kaká, Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea star Arjen Robben as was promised by the new president.
Supporters & rivals
During most home matches the majority of the seats in the stadium are occupied by season ticket holders, of which there are approximately 65,000. In order to become a season ticket holder one must first be a socio, or club member. Not all members are able to get a season ticket. In addition to members, the club has over 1,800
peñas (official, club-affiliated supporters' groups) in Spain and around the world. It also has two hardcore, or
ultra groups,
Ultras Sur which is the larger of the two and known for its far-right affiliations, and
Orgullo Vikingo, an apolitical group.
Rivalry with FC Barcelona
See also: Major football rivalries The rivalry between Real Madrid and
FC Barcelona is legendary. From the start the clubs were seen as representatives of the two rival regions of Spain,
Castile and
Catalonia, as well as the two cities themselves. The rivalry reached a new level during the
Franco years when Real Madrid's international success was capitalized upon by Franco and Real Madrid became viewed by some as the regime team, with FC Barcelona sometimes seen as the opposition team; however, during the
Spanish Civil War itself, members of Real Madrid also suffered at the hands of
Franco supporters. Real Madrid president
Rafael Sánchez Guerra, a prominent Republican, was imprisoned and tortured. They also arrested and murdered a Real vice-president and club treasurer and an acting president disappeared.
The rivalry was given a significant boost by the 1943
Copa del Generalísimo semi-final between the two clubs. The first leg at
Les Corts ended in a 3-0 loss for Real, but the return leg in Madrid saw them win 11-1. It has been alleged by some that the Barcelona players were pressured into losing the game. Controversies such as the dispute over the signing of
Alfredo Di Stéfano in the 1950s intensified the rivalry further.
As the two biggest, wealthiest, and most successful clubs in Spain, the rivalry is renewed on an almost annual basis with both teams often challenging each other for the league championship. The flashpoints of this rivalry are the twice-a-season
superclásicos which draw vast audiences from around the world. Real Madrid's recent record against Barcelona was quite poor in the league, having only won once in the
Camp Nou in the past 20 years (1-2, 2003); nevertheless Real Madrid eliminated Barça from the semifinals of the 2001-2002 Champions League. Most recently, Madrid struck back in the derby on October 22, 2006, with a 2-0 victory over Barcelona in La Liga.
Rivalry with Atlético Madrid
As well as their rivalry with
FC Barcelona, Real also enjoy a local rivalry with
Atlético Madrid. Although Atlético was originally founded by three
Basque students in 1903, they were joined in 1904 by dissident members of
Madrid FC. Further tensions came because initially Atlético supporters came from the
working class while the Real supporters were drawn from the
middle class. Today these distinctions are largely blurred. 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 Real won 2-1. Atlético, however, gained some revenge when, led by former Real coach
José Villalonga, they defeated Real in two successive
Copa del Generalísimo finals in 1960 and 1961.
Between 1961 and 1980 when Real dominated
La Liga, only Atlético offered Real any serious challenge, winning
La Liga titles in 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1977. In 1965, when they finished as
La Liga runners-up to Real after an intense battle for the title, 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 favourable. A high point coming in the 2002/03 season, when Real clinched the
La Liga title after beating Atlético 4-0 at the
Vicente Calderón stadium.
Major trophies
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,
1955/56 4-3 vs.
Stade de Reims-Champagne 1956/57 2-0 vs.
A.C. Fiorentina 1957/58 3-2 vs.
AC Milan 1958/59 2-0 vs.
Stade de Reims-Champagne 1959/60 7-3 vs.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1965/66 2-1 vs.
FK Partizan 1997/98 1-0 vs.
Juventus F.C. 1999/00 3-0 vs.
Valencia CF 2001/02 2-1 vs.
Bayer Leverkusen 1960; 1998; 2002.
1984/85; 1985/86.
2002.
1904/05; 1905/06; 1906/07; 1907/08; 1916/17; 1933/34; 1935/36; 1945/46; 1946/47; 1961/62; 1969/70; 1973/74; 1974/75; 1979/80; 1981/82; 1988/89; 1992/93.
1984/85.
1947 1988 1989 1990 1993 1997 2001 2003
1955 1957
Current squad 2006/07
The numbers are established according to the official websites of Real Madrid, the Spanish league and UEFA. Spanish teams are limited to three players without EU 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. For example, the Brazilian Roberto Carlos also holds a Spanish passport.As of August 30 2006 See also: Real Madrid Castilla - Miñambres recently recovered from his knee injury's and although not included in the squad yet, if things remain OK he will be added in the January window.
Foreigners 2006/2007
Only three non-EU nationals can be on the pitch at anytime. Those with European ancestry can claim a passport from the nation their ancestors came from. e.g Cicinho can claim an Italian passport as he has Italian ancestry. If a player does not have European ancestry he can claim a Spanish passport by playing in Spain for 3 years.
Notable Former Players
see also Cat:Real Madrid footballersSelected former managers
see also Cat:Real Madrid managersPresidents
see also Cat:Real Madrid presidentsFormula One Sponsorship
In a press conference on
23 October, president of the club, Ramón Calderón announced that Real Madrid will sponsor a Formula One Team for the
2007 Formula One season.
[1]See also
Notes
- ^ [1]
External links