Real Madrid and its history

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, commonly known as Real Madrid, or simply as Real, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club was formed in 1902 as Madrid Football Club and played its first official game in November 1902. Madrid won the 1957–58 European Cup, which was their first international title. The club played its first-ever competitive match in 1902 against Arenas Club de Getxo.

Real Madrid also reached the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962 which they played against Eintracht Frankfurt but lost 2–1. Winners of the European Cup in 1974 and 1986, they reached the competition’s final for the third time in 2005, becoming the first club ever to do so. They also became the first team to retain their European crown by winning their fourth title in the 2007–08 season. They also lifted the Spanish Cup in 1957 and 2007. The Liga championship titles in 1936, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2016 and 2017. Their first professional club kit supplied by Adidas was launched in 1998.

The club’s home ground is the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in downtown Madrid. Real Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer is Raúl with 323 goals. Roberto Carlos is the club’s most capped player with 754 appearances. Hugo Sánchez is the club’s highest scorer in La Liga with 164 goals.

Real Madrid Club de Futbol, commonly referred to as “Real Madrid”, “Los Blancos”, or simply “Real”, is an iconic Spanish football club that has origins dating back to 1902. The brainchild of a group of forward-thinking Spanish football enthusiasts, Madrid Football Club was formed with the explicit purpose of bringing competitive football to the country’s capital city – which at that time had no professional clubs. From its very first competitive match in 1902 against Arenas Club de Getxo, Real Madrid has gone on to become one of the most successful and widely-supported teams in the world.

The 1950s were a particularly successful decade for Los Blancos, during which time they lifted their first-ever European Cup in 1957-58. They also reached the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962 (losing to Eintracht Frankfurt) and claimed the Spanish Cup in 1957.

Real Madrid’s fortunes changed dramatically in the late 1970s and early 1980s when they hired Englishman, Brian Clough, as their new manager. Under Clough’s leadership, Los Blancos won their first-ever European Cup in 1974, defeating Dutch side Feyenoord Rotterdam 3-1 in the final. They went on to retain their title two years later, this time beating English club Liverpool 1-0 after a replay. These two successes signaled a period of sustained success for Real Madrid on the European stage; they reached the final of the European Cup three times in a row between 1985 and 1987, winning it twice (in 1986 and 1987). They also lifted the Spanish Cup in 1957 and 2007.

The 1990s were less successful for Real Madrid, although they did win the Liga championship titles in 1936, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2016, and 2017. They also reached the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962 which they played against Eintracht Frankfurt but lost 2–1. Winners of the European Cup in 1974 and 1986.

In 1998, Adidas launched Madrid’s first professional club kit supplied by them. The partnership has continued to this day, with the most recent kit launch coming in 2019.

Real Madrid’s home ground is the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in downtown Madrid. The stadium, which has a capacity of 81,044, was originally built in 1947 but has undergone numerous redevelopments and expansions over the years.

Real Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer is Raúl with 323 goals. Roberto Carlos is the club’s most capped player with 754 appearances. Hugo Sánchez is the club’s highest scorer in La Liga with 164 goals.

Current manager Zinedine Zidane has overseen a period of renewed success for Los Blancos, winning the Liga championship title in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He also led the team to victory in the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final, which resulted in Real Madrid becoming the first team to ever win the competition three times in a row.

Looking to the future, Real Madrid will no doubt continue to be a force to be reckoned with both on the domestic and European stage. With a rich history of success and a passionate fanbase, there is no doubt that Los Blancos will be aiming to add even more trophies to their already impressive haul in the years to come.