Real Madrid C.F.

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"Real Madrid" redirects here. For the basketball team, see Real Madrid Baloncesto. For other
uses, see Real Madrid (disambiguation).

Real Madrid

Full name Real Madrid Club de Fútbol[1]

Nickname(s) Los Blancos (The Whites)

El Real (The Royal)

Los Merengues (The Meringues)

Los Vikingos (The Vikings)[2]

Short name Real, RM, RMA, RMD

Founded 6 March 1902; 116 years ago

as Madrid Football Club[3]

Ground Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Capacity 81,044[4]

President Florentino Pérez

Head coach Zinedine Zidane

League La Liga
2016–17 1st

Website Club website

Home colours Away colours Third colours

Current season

Active departments of Real Madrid

Football Football B Football U-19

Basketball Basketball B

Closed departments of Real Madrid

 Football C Handball

Rugby Volleyball

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (Spanish pronunciation: [reˈal maˈðɾið ˈkluβ ðe ˈfuðβol]; Royal Madrid
Football Club), commonly known as Real Madrid, or simply as Real, is a
professional football club based in Madrid, Spain.
Founded on 6 March 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn a white home
kit since inception. The word Real is Spanish for Royal and was bestowed to the club by King
Alfonso XIII in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem. The team has played its home
matches in the 81,044-capacity Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in downtown Madrid since 1947.
Unlike most European sporting entities, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and
operated the club throughout its history.
The club was estimated to be worth €3.24 billion ($3.65 billion) in 2015, and in the 2016–17
season it was the second highest-earning football club in the world, with an annual revenue of
€674.6 million.[5][6][7] The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world.[8] Real Madrid
is one of three founding members of La Liga that have never been relegated from the top division,
along with Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona. The club holds many long-standing rivalries, most
notably El Clásico with Barcelona and El Derbi with Atlético Madrid.
Real Madrid established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the
1950s, winning five consecutive European Cups and reaching the final seven times. This success
was replicated in the league, where the club won five times in the space of seven years. This
team, which consisted of players such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Francisco
Gento and Raymond Kopa, is considered by some in the sport to be the greatest team of all
time.[9][10][11] In domestic football, the club has won 64 trophies; a record 33 La Liga titles, 19 Copa
del Rey, 10 Supercopa de España, a Copa Eva Duarte, and a Copa de la Liga.[12] In European
and worldwide competitions, the club has won a record 24 trophies; a record 12 European
Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Cups and four UEFA Super Cups. In
international football, they have achieved a record six club world championships.[note 1]
Real Madrid was recognised as the FIFA Club of the 20th Century on 11 December 2000,[14] and
received the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit on 20 May 2004.[15] The club was also awarded Best
European Club of the 20th Century by the IFFHS on 11 May 2010. In June 2017, the team
succeeded in becoming the first club to win back to back Champions Leagues, extending their
lead atop the UEFA club rankings.[16][17]

Contents
[hide]

 1History
o 1.1Early years (1902–1945)
o 1.2Santiago Bernabéu Yeste and European success (1945–1978)
o 1.3Quinta del Buitre and sustained success (1980–2000)
o 1.4Centenary and FIFA Club of the Century (2000–2009)
o 1.5Arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo (2009–present)
 1.5.1La Décima and back-to-back European titles
 2Crest and colours
o 2.1Emblem
o 2.2Home kit
 3Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
 4Grounds
 5Records and statistics
 6Support
 7Rivalries
o 7.1El Clásico
o 7.2El Derbi madrileño
o 7.3The old classic
o 7.4European rivalry
 8Finances and ownership
 9Popular culture
o 9.1Real Madrid TV
o 9.2Hala Madrid
o 9.3Video games
 10Honours
 11Players
o 11.1Current squad
o 11.2Out on loan
 12Personnel
o 12.1Current technical staff
o 12.2Management
 13See also
 14Notes
 15References
 16Further reading
 17External links

History
Main article: History of Real Madrid C.F.
Early years (1902–1945)

Julián Palacios, the first president of the club in 1900–1902

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 Cambridge and Oxford University graduates. They founded (Sociedad) Sky Football in
1897, commonly known as La Sociedad (The Society) as it was the only one based in Madrid,
playing on Sunday mornings at Moncloa. In 1900, conflict between members caused some of
them to leave and create a new club, Nueva Sociedad de Football (New Society of Football), to
distinguish themselves from Sky Football. Among the dissenters were Julián Palacios, recognized
as the first Real Madrid president, Juan Padrós and Carlos Padrós, the latter two being brothers
and future presidents of Real Madrid. In 1901 this new club was renamed as Madrid Football
Club. Later, following a restructuring in 1902, Sky was renamed as "New Foot-Ball
Club".[18][19][20] On 6 March 1902, after a new Board presided by Juan Padrós had been elected,
Madrid Football Club was officially founded.[3]
Real Madrid team in 1906

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.[21] In 1920, the club's name was changed to Real Madrid
after King Alfonso XIII granted the title of Real (Royal) to the club.[22]
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.[23] Real
Madrid won its first League title in the 1931–32 season. Real won the League again the following
year, becoming the first team to have won the championship twice.[24]
On 14 April 1931, the arrival of the Second Spanish Republic caused the club to lose the title
Real and went back to being named Madrid Football Club. Football continued during the Second
World War, and on 13 June 1943 Madrid beat Barcelona 11–1 in the second leg of a semi-
final[25] of the Copa del Generalísimo, the Copa del Rey having been renamed in honour
of General Franco. It has been suggested Barcelona players were intimidated by
police,[26] including by the director of state security who "allegedly told the team that some of them
were only playing because of the regime's generosity in permitting them to remain in the
country."[27] The Barcelona chairman, Enric Piñeyro, was assaulted by Madrid fans.[28] However,
none of these allegations have been proven and FIFA and UEFA still consider the result as
legitimate. According to Spanish journalist and writer, Juan Carlos Pasamontes, Barcelona player
Josep Valle denied that the Spanish security forces came before the match.[29] Instead, at the end
of the first half, Barcelona coach Juan José Nogués and all of his players were angry with the
hard-style of play Real Madrid was using and with the aggressiveness of the home
crowd.[29] When they refused to take the field, the Superior Chief of Police of Madrid appeared,
identified himself, and ordered the team to take the field.[29]
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste and European success (1945–1978)
Alfredo Di Stéfano led the club to win five European Cups consecutively (currently the Champions League).

Santiago Bernabéu Yeste became president of Real Madrid in 1945.[30] Under his presidency, the
club, its stadium Santiago Bernabéu and its training facilities Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt after
the Spanish Civil War damages. Additionally, during the 1950s former Real Madrid
Amateurs player Miguel Malbo founded Real Madrid's youth academy, or "cantera," known today
as La Fábrica. Beginning in 1953, he embarked upon a strategy of signing world-class players
from abroad, the most prominent being Alfredo Di Stéfano.[31]

Amancio Amaro, captain of the Yé-yé team of the 1960s

In 1955, acting upon the idea proposed by Gabriel Hanot, a French sports journalist and editor
of L'Équipe, Bernabéu, Bedrignan and Gusztáv Sebes created a tournament for the champions
teams around Europe, under invitation, that would eventually become what today is known as
the UEFA Champions League.[32] 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.[31] After these five consecutive successes, Real was
permanently awarded the original cup and earning the right to wear the UEFA badge of honour.[33]
The club won the European Cup for a sixth time in 1966 defeating Partizan Belgrade 2–1 in the
final with a team composed entirely of same nationality players, a first in the competition.[34] This
team became known as the Yé-yé. The name "Yé-yé" came from the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus
in The Beatles' song "She Loves You" after four members of the team posed for Marca and
impersonated the Beatles.[35] The Yé-yé generation was also European Cup runner-up
in 1962 and 1964.[34] In the 1970s, Real Madrid won five league championships and three Spanish
Cups.[36] The club played its first UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1971 and lost to English
side Chelsea 2–1.[37] On 2 July 1978, club president Santiago Bernabéu died while the World
Cup was being played in Argentina. FIFA decreed three days of mourning to honour him during
the tournament.[38] The following year, the club organized the first edition of the Trofeo Santiago
Bernabéu in memory of its former president.
Quinta del Buitre and sustained success (1980–2000)
 Casillas

Helguera

Karanka

Campo

Salgado

Roberto Carlos

McManaman

Redondo (C)

Anelka

Raúl

Morientes
2000 UEFA Champions League Finalstarting lineup

By the early 1980s, Real Madrid had lost its grasp on the Liga title until a new cohort of home-
grown stars brought domestic success back to the club.[39][40] 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; all five footballers
were graduates of Real Madrid's youth academy.[39][40] With La Quinta del Buitre (reduced to four
members when Pardeza left for Zaragoza in 1986) and notable players like goalkeeper Francisco
Buyo, right-back Miguel Porlán Chendoand 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.[39][40] 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,
they defeated Juventus 1–0 in the final with a goal from Predrag Mijatović.[41]
In 1999, lack of popularity with the fans and a fall out with Lorenzo Sanz resulted in Capello being
sacked,[42] and Vicente del Bosqueeventually taking over in November of that year. The squad
was also largely different from the previous squad: the budding young talent of Raúl, Iker
Casillas, Fernando Morientes and Guti being supported with the arrival of Steve
McManaman and Nicolas Anelka from the English Premier League, alongside local talents Míchel
Salgado, and Iván Helguera and the older veterans such as Fernando Hierro and Roberto Carlos.
In Del Bosque's first season in charge, Real won the European Cup/Champions League for
the eight time, following a 3–0 victory over Valencia in the final with goals from Morientes,
McManaman and Raúl.[43] This victory marked the beginning of a successful period in Real
Madrid's history.[44]
Centenary and FIFA Club of the Century (2000–2009)
See also: Galácticos

César

Hierro (C)

Helguera

Salgado

Roberto Carlos

Makélélé

Figo

Solari

Zidane

Raúl

Morientes
2002 UEFA Champions League Finalstarting lineup.

In July 2000, Florentino Pérez was elected club president.[45] He vowed in his campaign to erase
the club's €270 million debt and modernize the club's facilities. However, the primary electoral
promise that propelled Pérez to victory was the signing of Luís Figo from arch-rivals
Barcelona.[46] The following year, the club had its training ground rezoned and used the money to
begin assembling the Galácticos team by signing a global star every summer, which
included Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luís Figo, David Beckham and Fabio Cannavaro.[47] It is
debatable whether the gamble paid off, as despite winning the UEFA Champions League and
an Intercontinental Cup in 2002, followed by La Liga in 2003, the club failed to win a major trophy
for the next three seasons.[48]

Beckham (23) and Zidane(5) were considered Galácticos.

The few days after the capturing of the 2003 Liga title were surrounded with controversy. The first
controversial decision came when Pérez sacked winning coach Vicente del Bosque.[49] Over a
dozen players left the club, including Madrid captain Fernando Hierro, while defensive
midfielder Claude Makélélé refused to take part in training in protest at being one of the lowest-
paid players at the club and subsequently moved to Chelsea.[50]"That's a lot [of players leaving]
when the normal rule is: never change a winning team," stated Zidane.[51] Real Madrid, with newly
appointed coach Carlos Queiroz, started their domestic league slowly after a hard win over Real
Betis.[51]
The 2005–06 season began with the promise of several new signings: Júlio
Baptista (€24 million), Robinho(€30 million) and Sergio Ramos (€27 million).[52] However, Real
Madrid suffered from some poor results, including a 0–3 loss at the hands of Barcelona at the
Santiago Bernabéu in November 2005.[53] Madrid's coach Wanderley Luxemburgo was sacked the
following month and his replacement was Juan Ramón López Caro.[54]A brief return to form came
to an abrupt halt after losing the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal, 6–1 to Real
Zaragoza.[55] Shortly after, Real Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League for a fourth
successive year, this time at the hands of Arsenal. On 27 February 2006, Florentino Pérez
resigned.[56]
Ramón Calderón was elected as club president on 2 July 2006 and subsequently appointed
Fabio Capello as the new coach and Predrag Mijatovićas the new sporting director. Real Madrid
won the Liga title in 2007 for the first time in four years, but Capello was nonetheless sacked at
the end of the campaign.[57] The title was won on 17 June, where Real faced Mallorca at the
Bernabéu while Barcelona and Sevilla, the other title challengers, faced Gimnàstic de
Tarragona and Villarreal, respectively. At half-time, Real were 0–1 down, while Barcelona had
surged ahead into a 0–3 lead in Tarragona. However, three goals in the last half-hour secured
Madrid a 3–1 win and their first league title since 2003.[58]
Arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo (2009–present)
Cristiano Ronaldo was the club's most expensive signing when he joined in 2009, costing €94 million.

On 1 June 2009, Florentino Pérez regained Real Madrid's presidency.[59] Pérez continued with
the Galácticos policy pursued in his first term, buying Kaká from Milan for a record-breaking (in
pound sterling) sum of £56 million,[60] and then breaking the record again by purchasing Cristiano
Ronaldofrom Manchester United for £80 million.[61]
José Mourinho took over as manager in May 2010.[62][63] In April 2011, a strange occurrence
happened when, for the first time ever, four Clásicoswere to be played in a span of just 18 days.
The first fixture was for the Liga campaign on 17 April (which ended 1–1 with penalty goals for
both sides), the Copa del Rey final (which ended 1–0 to Madrid) and the controversial two-legged
Champions League semifinal on 27 April and 2 May (3–1 loss on aggregate) to Barcelona.[64]
In the 2011–12 La Liga season, Real Madrid won La Liga for a record 32nd time in the league's
history, also finishing the season with numerous club-level records set, including 100 points
reached in a single season, a total of 121 goals scored, a goal difference of +89 and 16 away
wins, with 32 wins overall.[65] In the same season, Cristiano Ronaldo become the fastest player to
reach 100 goals scored in Spanish league history. In reaching 101 goals in 92 games, Ronaldo
surpassed Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskás, who scored 100 goals in 105 matches. Ronaldo
set a new club mark for individual goals scored in one year (60), and became the first player ever
to score against all 19 opposition teams in a single season.[66][67]
Real Madrid began the 2012–13 season winning the Supercopa de España, defeating Barcelona
on away goals, but finished as second in the league competition. A major transfer of the season
was signing from Tottenham Hotspur of Luka Modrić for a fee in the region of £33 million. After a
disappointing extra time loss to Atlético Madrid in the 2013 Copa del Rey Final, Pérez announced
the departure of José Mourinho at the end of the season by "mutual agreement".[68][69]
La Décima and back-to-back European titles
 Casillas (C)

Ramos

Varane

Carvajal

Coentrão

Khedira

Modrić

Di María

Bale

Ronaldo

Benzema
2014 UEFA Champions League Finalstarting lineup[70]

On 25 June 2013, Carlo Ancelotti succeeded Mourinho to become the manager of Real Madrid
on a three-year deal, with Zinedine Zidane named as one of his assistants.[71] On 1 September
2013, the long-awaited transfer of Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur was announced. The
transfer of the Welshman was reportedly the new world record signing, with the transfer price
approximated at €100 million.[72] In Ancelotti's first season at the club, Real Madrid won the Copa
del Rey, with Bale scoring the winner in the final against Barcelona.[73] On 24 May, Real Madrid
defeated city rivals Atlético Madrid in the 2014 Champions League Final, winning their first
European title since 2002,[74] and becoming the first team to win ten European Cups/Champions
League titles, an achievement known as "La Décima".[75]
After winning the 2014 Champions League, Real Madrid signed goalkeeper Keylor Navas,
midfielder Toni Kroos and attacking midfielder James Rodríguez.[76] The club won the 2014 UEFA
Super Cup against Sevilla, the club's 79th official trophy.[77] During the last week of the 2014
summer transfer window, Real Madrid sold two players key in the previous season's
successes: Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich and Ángel Di María to Manchester United. This
decision from the club was surrounded by controversy, with Cristiano Ronaldo stating, "If I was in
charge, maybe I would have done things differently," while Carlo Ancelotti admitted, "We must
start again from zero."[78][79]
Real Madrid won a tenth European Cup in 2014, an achievement known as La Décima. The club won the
trophy again in 2016 and 2017.

After a slow start to the 2014–15 La Liga season, Real Madrid went on a record-breaking 22-
match winning streak, which included wins against Barcelona and Liverpool, surpassing the
previous Spanish record of 18 successive wins set by Frank Rijkaard's Barça in the 2005–06
season.[80] The streak came to an end in their opening match of 2015 with a loss to Valencia,
leaving the club two short of equalling the world record of 24 consecutive wins.[81] The club failed
to retain the Champions League (losing to Juventus in the semi-finals) and the Copa del Rey, and
also failed to land the league title (finishing two points and a place behind champions Barcelona),
shortcomings that all preceded Ancelotti's sacking on 25 May 2015.[82]
On 3 June 2015, Rafael Benítez was confirmed as the new Real Madrid manager, signing a
three-year contract.[83] Real Madrid remained unbeaten in the league until a 3–2 loss at Sevilla in
the 11th matchday. This was followed by a 0–4 home loss in the first Clásico of the season
against Barcelona. In the Copa del Rey Round of 32, Real fielded an ineligible player in Denis
Cheryshev in a 1–3 first leg win away against Cádiz, resulting in the second leg being cancelled
and Real being disqualified.[84] Benítez was sacked on 4 January 2016 following allegations of
unpopularity with supporters, displeasure with players and a failure to get good results against top
teams.[85]
On 4 January 2016, Benítez's departure was announced along with the promotion of Zinedine
Zidane to his first head coaching role.[86] Under Zidane, Real ended up finishing in second place,
just one point behind champions Barcelona, in the 2015–16 La Liga.[87] On 28 May, Real Madrid
won their 11th Champions League title, extending their record for most successes in the
competition, with the achievement being termed "La Undécima".[88]

Zidane, with his Real Madrid players, standing to the right of Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena after Real
had won their 33rd La Liga title, May 2017

Real Madrid began their 2016–17 campaign, which was to be Zidane's first full season in charge
of the club, with victory in the 2016 UEFA Super Cup.[89] On 10 December 2016, Madrid won their
35th-straight match without a loss, which set a new club record.[90] On 18 December 2016, Madrid
defeated Japanese club Kashima Antlers 4–2 in the final of the 2016 FIFA Club World
Cup.[91] With a 3–3 draw at Sevilla on 12 January 2017, Madrid's unbeaten run extended to 40,
breaking Barcelona's Spanish record of 39 matches unbeaten in all competitions from the
previous season.[92] Their unbeaten streak ended after a 1–2 away loss against Sevilla in La Liga
three days later.[93] In May that year, Madrid won the 2016–17 La Liga for a record 33rd time, their
first title in five years.[94] On 3 June, the club’s Champions League Final win against Juventus
resulted in Real Madrid being the first team to successfully defend their title in the UEFA
Champions League era, and the first to win consecutive titles in the competition since Milan in
1989 and 1990, when the tournament was known as the European Cup.[95][96] Real Madrid's title
was its 12th, extending its record, and its third in four years. The achievement is also known as
"La Duodécima".[97] The 2016–17 season was the greatest campaign in terms of trophies won in
the history of Real Madrid.[98]
Real Madrid won the 2017 UEFA Super Cup 2–1 against Manchester United.[99] Five days later,
Real Madrid beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the first leg of the 2017 Supercopa de España,
before winning the second leg 2–0, ending a 24 consecutive scoring record of Barcelona in El
Clásico matches, and with a 5–1 aggregate score.[100]

Crest and colours

Emblem

1902

1908

1920
 

1931

1941
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.[101] 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," meaning "Royal."[102] Thus, Alfonso's crown was
added to the crest and the club styled itself Real Madrid Club de Fútbol.[101]
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.[24] 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.[30] 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.[101] 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.[101]
Home kit
1902–1911

1911–1925

1925–1926
1926–1931

1931–1954

1954–1955
 1955–present
Real Madrid has maintained the white shirt for its home kit throughout the history of the club.
There was, however, one season that the shirt and shorts were not both white. It was an initiative
undertaken by Escobal and Quesada in 1925; the two were traveling through England when they
noticed the kit worn by London-based team Corinthian F.C., one of the most famous teams at the
time known for its elegance and sportsmanship. It was decided that Real Madrid would wear
black shorts in an attempt to replicate the English team, but the initiative lasted just one year.
After being eliminated from the cup by Barcelona with a 1–5 defeat in Madrid and a 2–0 defeat in
Catalonia, President Parages decided to return to an all-white kit, claiming that the other kit
brought bad luck.[103] 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 has 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.[30] English club Leeds United permanently switched
their blue shirt for a white one in the 1960s, to emulate the dominant Real Madrid of the era.[104]
Real's traditional away colours are all blue or all purple. Since the advent of the replica kit market,
the club has also released various other one colour designs, including red, green, orange and
black. The club's kit is manufactured by Adidas, whose contract extends from 1998.[105][106] 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.[107][108] In 2001, Real Madrid ended their contract with Teka and for one
season and 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.[109] Real Madrid's shirt sponsor from 2007 until 2013 was bwin.com following the economic
problems of BenQ Siemens.[110][111] It is currently Fly Emirates which is set to expire in 2018. In
2015, Madrid signed a new 10-year contract believed to be worth a total of £850 million (€1
billion), earning £59 million (€64 million) per season.[112]

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner

1980–1982 —
Adidas
1982–1985 Zanussi

1985–1989 Parmalat

1989–1991 Hummel Reny Picot

1991–1992 Otaysa
1992–1994

1994–1998 Kelme Teka

1998–2001

2001–2002 Realmadrid.com[a]

2002–2005 Siemens mobile

2005–2006 Adidas Siemens

2006–2007 BenQ-Siemens

2007–2013 bwin

2013– Emirates

1. Jump up^ Realmadrid.com appeared as shirt sponsor to promote the club's new website.

Grounds

Santiago Bernabéu

Capacity 81,044

Field size 107 m × 72 m (351 ft × 236 ft)[113]

Construction
 Broke ground 27 October 1944

Opened 14 December 1947

Architect Manuel Muñoz Monasterio, Luis Alemany Soler,

Antonio Lamela

Further information: Estadio Chamartín, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and Alfredo Di Stéfano
Stadium
After moving between grounds, the team moved to the Campo de O'Donnell in 1912, which
remained its home ground for 11 years.[21]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 United.[114] In this stadium, which hosted 22,500 spectators, Real
Madrid celebrated its first Spanish league title.[23] After some successes, the 1943 elected
president Santiago Bernabéu decided that the Estadio Chamartín was not big enough for the
ambitions of the club, and thus a new stadium was built and was inaugurated on 14 December
1947.[30][115] This was the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium as it is known today, although it did not
acquire the present name until 1955.[31] The first match at the Bernabéu was played between Real
Madrid and the Portuguese club Belenenses and won by Los Blancos, 3–1, the first goal being
scored by Sabino Barinaga.[30]
The capacity has changed frequently, peaking at 120,000 after a 1953 expansion.[116] 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.[116] The latest capacity is 81,044
spectators. A plan to add a retractable roof has been announced.[115] Real Madrid has the fourth-
highest of the average attendances of European football clubs, behind only Borussia Dortmund,
Barcelona and Manchester United.[117][118][119][120]
The Bernabéu has hosted the 1964 UEFA European Championship final, the 1982 FIFA World
Cup final, the 1957, 1969 and 1980European Cup finals and the 2010 UEFA Champions League
Final.[121] The stadium has its own Madrid Metro station along the 10 line called Santiago
Bernabéu.[122] On 14 November 2007, the Bernabéu has been upgraded to Elite Football
Stadium status by UEFA.[123]
On 9 May 2006, the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium was inaugurated in the City of Madrid, where
Real Madrid usually trains. The inaugural match was played between Real Madrid and Stade de
Reims, a rematch of the 1956 European Cup final. Real Madrid won the match 6–1 with goals
from Sergio Ramos, Antonio Cassano (2), Roberto Soldado (2) and José Manuel 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 legend Alfredo Di Stéfano.[124]

Records and statistics

Main article: List of Real Madrid C.F. records and statistics
See also: Real Madrid C.F. in international football competitions
Raúl is Real Madrid's all-time leader in appearances.

Raúl holds the record for most Real Madrid appearances, having played 741 first-team matches
from 1994 to 2010. Iker Casillas comes second with 725 appearances, followed by Manuel
Sanchis, Jr., having played 710 times.[125] The record for a goalkeeper is held by Iker Casillas, with
725 appearances. With 166 caps (162 while at the club), he is also Real's most capped
international player while with 127 caps (47 while at the club).

Cristiano Ronaldo, the first player ever to score against every team in a single season in La Liga

Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time top goalscorer, with 406 goals.[126][127] Five other
players have also scored over 200 goals for Real: Alfredo Di Stéfano (1953–
64), Santillana (1971–88), Ferenc Puskás(1958–66), Hugo Sánchez (1985–92) and the previous
goalscoring record-holder Raúl (1994–2010). Cristiano Ronaldo also holds the record for the
most league goals scored in one season (48 in 2014–15), alongside being Real's top goalscorer
of all time in La Liga history with 285 goals. 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, which now
is held by Cristiano Ronaldo with 105 goals. The fastest goal in the history of the club (12
seconds) was scored by the Brazilian Ronaldo on 3 December 2003 during a league match
against Atlético Madrid.[128]
Officially, the highest home attendance figure for a Real Madrid match is 83,329, which was for a
football cup competition, the Copa del Rey, in 2006. The current legal capacity of the Santiago
Bernabéu is 80,354.[129] The club's average attendance in 2007–08 season was 76,234, the
highest in European Leagues.[130] Real has also set records in Spanish football, most notably the
most domestic titles (33 as of 2016–17) and the most seasons won in a row (five, during 1960–65
and 1985–90).[1] 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.[131]
Gareth Bale is the club's record signing, costing €100 million in 2013

The club also hold the record for winning the European Cup/UEFA Champions League twelve
times[132] and for the most semi-final appearances (28). As of April 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo is
the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, with 98 goals in total, 82 while playing for
Real Madrid. The team has the record number of consecutive participations in the European
Cup (before it became the Champions League) with 15, from 1955–56 to 1969–70.[133] Among the
club's on-field records is a 22-game winning streak in all competitions during the 2014–15
season, a Spanish record and fourth worldwide.[134] The same season the team tied the win-streak
for games in the Champions League, with ten.[135] In September 2017, the club equalled the
record of the Brazilian club Santos, starring Pelé, by scoring in their 73rd consecutive game.[136]
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 €94 million (£80 million) for the services of
Cristiano Ronaldo.[137][138] The fee of €77.5 million (100 billion lire) for Zinedine Zidane's transfer
from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001 was the previous highest transfer fee ever paid. This record
(in pound sterling) had been broken previously in June 2009, for a few days, when Real Madrid
agreed to buy Kaká from Milan for €67m (£65 million). The transfer of Tottenham
Hotspur's Gareth Bale in 2013 was reportedly the new world record signing, with the transfer
price expected at around €100 million.[72] In January 2016, documents pertaining to Bale's transfer
were leaked which confirmed a world record transfer fee of €100,759,418.[139] The club's sale
record came on 26 August 2014, when Manchester United signed Ángel Di María for
€75 million.[140]

Support

The number of season tickets at the Bernabéu is capped at 65,000, with the remaining seats made
available to the general public

During most home matches the majority of the seats in the stadium are occupied by season ticket
holders, of which the figure is capped at 65,000.[141] 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 second highest average all-time attendance in Spanish football and regularly
attracts over 74,000 fans to the Bernabéu. One of the best supported teams globally, Real Madrid
was the first sports team (and first brand) to reach 100 million fans on Facebook in April
2017.[142][143]
"In the semi-finals we noticed the love from supporters in Marrakesh and it seemed like we were playing at home.
That sums up the greatness of this team. Madrid is God's team and the team of the world."
–Sergio Ramos branded Real Madrid as the "God's team" after he was questioned over Pope Francis' adherence
to 2014 FIFA Club World Cup Final opponents San Lorenzo.[144]

Real Madrid's hardcore supporters are the so-called Ultras Sur supporters, or simply Ultras. They
are known for their extreme right-wing politics, akin to Barcelona's hardcore supporters
group Boixos Nois. The Ultras Surs have developed an alliance with other right wing groups,
most notably LazioIrriducibili fans, and have also developed an alliance with left-wing groups. On
several occasions, they have racially abused opposing players and have been investigated by
UEFA for doing so.[145][146] Florentino Pérez took it upon himself to ban the Ultras from the
Bernabéu and assign their seats to the general public. This decision was controversial with some
of the Bernabéu faithful, however, as the lively atmosphere of games would suffer as a
result.[147][148] The Ultras have since held protests outside the Bernabéu and have demanded to be
reinstated and allowed to enter the grounds.[149]

Rivalries
El Clásico
Main article: El Clásico

Barcelona players formed a guard of honour for Real Madrid as champions of the league.

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, Catalonia 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.[150] Over the years, the record from Real Madrid and Barcelona is 81 victories for Madrid, 76
victories for Barcelona, and 39 draws.[151]
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.[152][153] Symbolising the Catalan people's desire for
freedom, Barcelona became "More than a club" ("Més que un club") for the
Catalans.[154] 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.[155]
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
Bernabéu, the former club president for whom Real Madrid's stadium is named, fought on
the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War.[156][157] During the war, however, members of both
clubs, such as Josep Sunyol and Rafael Sánchez Guerra, suffered at the hands of Francoists.
During the 1950s, the rivalry was exacerbated further when there was a controversy surrounding
the transfer of Alfredo Di Stéfano, who eventually played for Real Madrid and was key to their
subsequent success.[158] The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met
twice in a controversial knock-out round of the European Cup, with Madrid receiving unfavourable
treatment from the referee.[159][160] In 2002, the European encounter between the clubs was dubbed
the "Match of The Century" by Spanish media, and Madrid's win was watched by more than 500
million people.[161]
El Derbi madrileño
Main article: Madrid Derby

Real Madrid supporters during the 2006 El Derbi madrileño match held at Santiago Bernabéu.

The club's nearest neighbour is Atlético Madrid, a rivalry being shared between fans of both
football teams. Although Atlético was founded by three Basque students in 1903, it was joined in
1904 by dissident members of Madrid FC. Tensions escalated further after Atlético were merged
with the football team of the Spanish airforce (and thus renamed Atlético Aviación), and in the
1940s, Atlético was perceived as the preferred team of Franco's regime before he revelled in
Real's European success in the 1950s.[162][163] Furthermore, Real supporters initially came from the
middle and upper classes while the Atlético supporters were drawn from the working class.
Today, however, 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.[23]
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, which Real won 2–1. Atlético, however, gained some
revenge when, led by former Real Madrid coach José Villalonga, it defeated its city rivals in two
successive Copa del Generalísimofinals in 1960 and 1961.[164]
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.[165] A high point coming in the 2002–03 season, when Real clinched
the La Liga title after a 0–4 victory at Atlético at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. Atlético's first win
over its city rivals since 1999 came with the Copa del Rey win in May 2013. In 2013–14, Real and
Atlético were finalists of UEFA Champions League, the first final which hosted two clubs from
same city. Real Madrid triumphed with 4–1 in extra time.[166] On 7 February 2015, Real suffered
their first defeat in 14 years at the Vicente Calderón, a 4–0 loss.[167] On 28 May 2016, Real and
Atlético met again for the Champions League title in Milan, which resulted in a win for Real after a
penalty shootout.[168]
The old classic
Main article: El Viejo Clásico

Real Madrid's Guti (left), and Javi Martínez (centre) and Amorebieta(right) of Athletic Bilbao during a match
at the Bernabéu, 2010

A further minor rivalry exists between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. This is known as El Viejo
Clásico (the old classic),[169] so named as the two clubs were dominant in the first half of the 20th
century, meeting in nine Copa del Rey finals including the first in 1903.[170][171] Until 10 December
2011, this fixture was the most played in the history of Spanish football, when it was surpassed
by El Clásico.[172]
Athletic Bilbao, who operate a policy of only using local players,[173] have long since ceased to be
a competitive rival to clubs such as Real Madrid who scour the globe for the best talent;
the Lions have collected no major trophies since 1984 and won only two of the 26 matches
between the teams from 2005–06 to 2016–17.[174][175][169] However, the matches remain keenly
fought due to their historical and cultural significance, with some parallels to the political aspect of
the Barcelona/Catalonia rivalry as Athletic are the largest club in the Basque region.[176][157][163]
European rivalry
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are two of the most successful clubs in the UEFA Champions
League/European Cup competition, Real winning twelve times and Bayern winning five times.
Real Madrid versus Bayern is the match that has historically been played most often in the
Champions League/European Cup with 24 matches (11 wins each, with 2 draws).[177] Real's
biggest loss at home in the Champions League came at the hands of Bayern on 29 February
2000, 2–4.[178] Real Madrid supporters often refer to Bayern as the "Bestia negra" ("Black Beast").
In recent years, the two teams met in the 2011–12 Champions League semi-finals, which resulted
in 3–3 on aggregate (Bayern won 3–1 on penalties after added extra time), and then in the 2013–
14 UEFA Champions League semi-finals with Real Madrid winning 5–0 on aggregate (eventually
going on to win the competition).[179] Most recently, the clubs have met in the 2016–17 UEFA
Champions League quarter-finals, with Real Madrid winning 6–3 on aggregate, and subsequently
winning that season's Champions League.[177]

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.[180] 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 Zinedine Zidane, 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.[48] The European Commission started an investigation into whether the city overpaid for the
property, to be considered a form of state subsidy.[181]
The sale of the training ground for office buildings cleared Real Madrid's debts of €270 million
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.[182] 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.[51]
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
million (£640 million / $1.285 billion),[183] only beaten by Manchester United, which was valued at
€1.333 billion (£900 million).[184] In 2010, Real Madrid had the highest turnover in football
worldwide.[185] In September 2009, Real Madrid's management announced plans to open its own
dedicated theme park by 2013.[186]
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."[187] In 2010, Forbesevaluated Real Madrid's worth to
be around €992 million (US$1.323 billion), ranking them second after Manchester United, based
on figures from the 2008–09 season.[188][189]According to Deloitte, Real Madrid had a recorded
revenue of €401 million in the same period, ranking first.[190]
Along with Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna, Real Madrid is organised as a registered
association. This means that Real Madrid is owned by its supporters who elect the club president.
The club president cannot invest his own money into the club[191] and the club can only spend
what it earns, which is mainly derived through merchandise sales, television rights and ticket
sales. Unlike a limited company, it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only
membership.[192] The members of Real Madrid, called socios, form an assembly of delegates
which is the highest governing body of the club.[193] As of 2010, the club has 60,000 socios.[194] At
the end of the 2009–10 season, the club's board of directors stated that Real Madrid had a net
debt of €244.6 million, €82.1 million lower than the previous fiscal year. Real Madrid announced
that it had a net debt of €170 million after the 2010–11 season. From 2007 to 2011, the club
made a net profit of €190 million.[195][196]
During the 2009–10 season, Real Madrid made €150 million through ticket sales, which was the
highest in top-flight football.[195] The club has the highest number of shirt sales a season, around
1.5 million.[195] For the 2010–11 season its wage bill totalled €169 million, which was second-
highest in Europe behind Barcelona.[197] However, its wage bill to turnover ratio was the best in
Europe at 43 percent, ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal at 46 percent and 50 percent,
respectively. In 2013, Forbes listed the club as the world's most valuable sports team, worth
$3.3 billion.[7]

Popular culture
Real Madrid was the featured club in the second edition of the Goal! football movie trilogy, Goal!
2: Living the Dream... (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, Michael
Owen, Míchel Salgado, Júlio Baptista, Steve McManamanand Iván Helguera. Non-Real Madrid
players to make cameo appearances included Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi, Samuel
Eto'o, Andrés Iniesta, Pablo Aimar, Freddie Ljungberg, Cesc Fàbregas and Santiago Cañizares.
In the film, both Florentino Pérez and Alfredo Di Stéfano presented the fictional player Muñez to
the club after his signing.[198]
Real, The Movie is a 2005 part feature, part documentary film that showcases the worldwide
passion for Real Madrid. Produced by the club and directed by Borja Manso, it follows five sub-
stories of fans from around the world and their love for the club. 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 worldwide 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. In late 2011, Real
Madrid released a digital music album, entitled Legends, and a remix of the club's anthem,
"Himno del Real Madrid," was released as the first single from the album.[199]
Real Madrid TV
Real Madrid TV is an encrypted digital television channel, operated by Real Madrid and
specialising in the club. The channel is available in Spanish and English. It is located at Ciudad
Real Madrid in Valdebebas (Madrid), Real Madrid's training centre.
Hala Madrid
Hala Madrid is a magazine published quarterly for the Real Madrid club members and
the Madridistas Fan Club card holders.[200] The phrase Hala Madrid, meaning "Forward Madrid" or
"Go Madrid", is also the title of the club's official anthem, which is often sung by the Madridistas
(the club's fans).[201] The magazine includes reports on the club's matches in the previous month,
as well as information about the reserve and youth teams. Features often include interviews with
players, both past and present, and the club's historic matches.[200]
Video games
Real Madrid has appeared in many football-based video games, namely in the FIFA and Pro
Evolution Soccer series. A Real Madrid player has graced the cover of both titles a combined
seven times. In 2007, Spanish game publisher Virgin Play signed a deal with the club to make
officially licensed Real Madrid video games. The only one released under the deal (due to Virgin
Play's liquidation in September 2009) would end up being Real Madrid: The Game, which was
developed by Atomic Planet Entertainment and was published under Virgin Play's publishing
division V.2 Play in May 2009 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Portable, Windows, Wii and Nintendo DS.